The wetlands improve water quality by filtering out pollutants and absorbing excess nutrients, replenish aquifers, and reduce flooding. Levees and pumping stations bordered each WCA, which released water in drier times and removed it and pumped it to the ocean or Gulf of Mexico in times of flood. The Everglades consists of a mosaic of habitats: ridges of thick sawgrass separated by open water channels, or sloughs, with a scattering of tree islands that rise slightly above the surrounding grass and water. Water is the dominant element in the Everglades, and it shapes the land, vegetation, and animal life of South Florida. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is a multibillion dollar project authorized by Congress in the year 2000. The previously reported %MeHg in Everglades water may be, at least partially, attributed to MeHg production in periphyton and subsequent release (Liu et al., 2008b), as Everglades water itself seems not to have the ability to methylate inorganic Hg (Li et al., 2012, Mauro et al., 2002). loss of the natural communities of algae that are defining characteristics of the Everglades; loss of water dissolved oxygen that fish need; changes in the native plant communities that result in a loss of the open water areas where wading birds feed. The Florida Everglades is actually a moving body of water, often referred to as the "river of grass". For example, the Everglades ecosystem provides drinking water for one-third of Floridians and irrigation for much of the state's agriculture. 5 The Everglades is a major source of freshwater for the whole state of Florida. The Everglades cornerstone of the regional economy , supporting the state's estimated $67 billion tourism industry, a $13 billion outdoor recreation economy, and $100 billion agriculture sector. (Courtesy Laura Lee) Ten miles east of Walt Disney World lies a different world altogether. "Florida is … fresh water source in Everglades We haven’t confirmed our exact route, but we know at least one destination is Northwest Cape. Before the alteration of man, Lake Okeechobee would flow southward when Florida was going through a rainy season. Any contamination of fresh water is dangerous as it spreads either above or under the ground (in aquifers). Water is the key resource, which created and is the lifeblood of its diverse mixture of animals and plants. Thanks for the info about the lack of water supplies, which is what we had suspected. The South Florida climate was once arid and semi-arid, interspersed with wet periods.Between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, sea levels rose, submerging portions of the Florida peninsula and causing the water table to rise. And as a result are polluting the main source of water that fe eds the Everglades. Wildlife The Everglades is internationally known for its extraordinary wildlife. Secondly, we will look at 6 ways you can help. Grab a paddle and explore Shingle Creek, the headwaters of the Florida Everglades. The Everglades once covered almost 11,000 square miles of South Florida. The construction of the C-43 water reservoir is an important piece of the puzzle to restore the whole of the Everglades to its former glory. The coastal Everglades is a delicate ecosystem that depends on the right balance of fresh water and salt water to stay healthy. Mercury methylation and/or demethylation have been observed in several compartments [soil (saturated soils covered by standing water), floc, periphyton, and water] of the Everglades, a wetland with mercury as one of the major water quality concerns. How is the water that goes into the Everglades control? Rent a canoe or kayak to explore scenic Shingle Creek near Orlando. Yet in the last one hundred years, ecosystems everywhere have fallen victim to degradation, with severe consequences for the environment and consequently wildlife and humans. Florida Bay is the largest body of water within Everglades National Park, covering more than 800 square miles (2,072 square kilometers), according to the NPS. In the southern Everglades was Everglades National Park. 2. major source of sulfate in sulfur-contaminated marshes is water from of elemental S) is used as a soil amendment in the EAA canals draining the Everglades Agricultural Area. Most people think of Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades National Park and the canals that run through when talking about the Everglades. Paddling Shingle Creek, the Source of the Everglades. This species was possibly introduced into Florida through aquarium release, perhaps in combination with escapes or releases from fish farms. What was the likely source of introduction of this fish into the Everglades? Marjory Stoneman Douglas, The Everglades: River of Grass, 1947 “Here are no lofty peaks seeking the sky, no mighty glaciers or rushing streams wearing away the uplifted land. A wedge-shaped expanse of water between the Everglades and the Florida Keys, it is a clean, sun-dappled 1,000 sq mile playground for reddening tourists, grizzled fishermen and … CBS Miami. The Everglades is a tropical wetland which comprises a large portion of southern Florida. And it is likely southern Florida’s best strategy to adapt to climate change. There are many champions of a more natural Florida, fighting from north of Orlando to the Keys. This plan aspires to increase freshwater storage, improve water quality, and re-establish the natural water flow through the greater Everglades ecosystem. By canals in the water Shallow ground to enhance the uptake of phosphorus by crop plants water underlying the Everglades and rain water samples had much (Bottcher and Izuno, 1994). Enough so that it has been put to good use and provides water for one out of every three Floridians, according to Florida Trip Guides. Wildlife officials removed 5,000 from the Everglades, ... a member of the South Florida Water Management District's governing board. Here is land, tranquil in its quiet beauty, serving not as the source of water, but as the last receiver of it. The fundamental issue in Florida is WATER. And the economy. By Laura Lee updated on 07/14/2017. 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