The Florida Everglades – America’s Rhine? I. Historical water flow and landscape features II. A century of engineering modifications: 1880 - 1980 III.Changes in flow and associated environmental problems IV. Overview of the current “Restoration Plan” (CERP) V. CERP constraints and uncertainties Web site for additional info: www.evergladesplan.org
The Florida Everglades – America’s Rhine?. Historical water flow and landscape features A century of engineering modifications: 1880 - 1980 Changes in flow and associated environmental problems Overview of the current “Restoration Plan” (CERP) CERP constraints and uncertainties. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Florida Everglades –
America’s Rhine? I. Historical water flow and
landscape featuresII. A century of engineering
modifications: 1880 - 1980III. Changes in flow and
associated environmental problems
IV. Overview of the current “Restoration Plan” (CERP)
V. CERP constraints and uncertainties
Web site for additional info:www.evergladesplan.org
Sawgrass plains
Ridge and slough/tree islands
KissimmeeRiver
The Historical Everglades
Marl prairie
Hardwoodhammocks
The Historical Everglades
Pine forest
The Historical Everglades
Florida Bay
Mangrove swamps
1845 Florida admitted into the Union as the 27th state.
1847-48 Engineer Buckingham Smith hired to examine and survey the South Florida wilderness, reporting on its value and feasibility for reclamation to Congress.
1850 U.S. Congress grants swamp lands to Florida for the purpose of drainage and reclamation.
Events during early statehood
1855-58 Third Seminole War
1861-65 Civil War
1860's-1870's Railroad and canal companies face financial ruin with devaluation of confederate currency.
1881 Philadelphia millionaire Hamilton Disston negotiates to drain lands overflowed by Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River in exchange for one-half the reclaimed land.
“The reclamation of 12,000,000 acres of land, or one-third of the States of the Union, has been undertaken by a company of Philadelphia gentleman with every prospect of success...The project of reclaiming this wonderfully rich country has been talked of for years, and it has long been considered feasible by many noted engineers...The leading man in this enterprise is Hamilton Disston, a young gentleman of great business energy and ample fortune, and present head of the great saw-manufacturing firm of Henry Disston & Sons.”
Drainage History
FIRST LARGE SCALEFIRST LARGE SCALEDRAINAGE EFFORTDRAINAGE EFFORTIN SOUTH FLORIDAIN SOUTH FLORIDA
HAMILTON DISSTONHAMILTON DISSTONCONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION
1881-18941881-1894
CHANNEL DREDGINGAND STRAIGHTENING
NEW CHANNEL CONSTRUCTION
EVERGLADES DRAINAGE EVERGLADES DRAINAGE DISTRICT WORKSDISTRICT WORKS
1905-19281905-1928
CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER DREDGED
ST. LUCIE CANAL CONSTRUCTED1916 TO 1928
AGRICULTURAL CANALS DREDGED
Drainage History (continued)
“River of grass” replaced (now) by sugar cane fields* and
“water conservation areas”
* Sugar cane is profitable to grow in Florida primarily due to the US trade embargo on Cuba
Fort Lauderdale, 1926 Belle Glade, 1928
Deadly hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 caused flooding of Lake Okeechobee
HERBERT HOOVER HERBERT HOOVER DIKEDIKE
1932-19381932-1938
Drainage History (continued)
AREAS FLOODEDAREAS FLOODED IN 1947IN 1947
Drainage History (continued)
CENTRAL & SOUTHERNCENTRAL & SOUTHERNFLORIDA (C&SF) FLORIDA (C&SF)
PROJECTPROJECT1,000 miles of canals 720 miles of levees
~200 water control structures
The 1950s – 1980s
Continued Channelization of the Lower Kissimmee River in the 1960s
Straightened channel with remnant meander that is now cut off from main flow
Lock and dam structure
Continued Expansion of Agriculture and Urban Areas
Dramatic Change in Flows
Too dry in EvergladesNational Park
Too wet in the waterconservation areas
Loss of tree islands
Loss of wading and water birds
Environmental Consequences
Land subsidence and loss of peat soilhttp://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/pdf/12Everglades.pdf
ft ab
ove
sea
leve
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Brazilian pepper is an aggressive non-native plant. It grows as a shrub or small tree, is related to poison ivy and can grow between 10 and 40 feet tall. Its growth is dense so it prevents the growth of other vegetation.
Other Indicators of Ecosystem Problems• 68 plant and animal species are threatened
or endangered • Over 1.5 million acres infested with
invasive, exotic plants
Approved in theWater Resources Development Act
of 2000Includes more than 60 elementsWill take more than 30 years to
construct
Will cost an estimated $7.8 billion
The 1990s: Planning for the “CERP”
Constraints
Urban Water Supply and Flood Control
Lake OkeechobeeAgriculture
Invasive Species Water Quality
• Surface Water Storage Reservoirs• Aquifer Storage Recovery• Stormwater Treatment Areas• Reuse Wastewater• Seepage Management• Removing Barriers to Sheetflow• Operational Changes to Structures
Principal Features and Uncertainties
Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR)Idealized System
ASRWater
ASRWater
SurficialAquifer
ConfiningUnit
ASR Storage
Zone(saline)
LowerConfining Unit
Injection Recovery
ASRWater
ASRWater
Existing ASR Wells in Florida(from USGS WRI Report 02-4036)
CERP ASRs will include over 300 wells each with a capacity of 5 million gallons per day
Major Questions• Effects on regional groundwater flow and pressures below confining unit• Efficiency of recovery after long storage periods
SurficialAquifer
ConfiningUnit
ASR Storage
Zone(saline)
LowerConfining Unit
Injection Storage
AmbientGW flow
ASRW ater
ASRW ater
ASRW ater
Variationsin Permeability
Aquifer Flow
Additional Questions
• Fate of potential contaminants (e.g. microbes, mercury, nutrients) that are present in source water• Geochemical and biogeochemical reactions due to mixing and water rock interactions
SurficialAquifer
ConfiningUnit
ASR Storage
Zone(saline)
LowerConfining Unit
Injection Storage
GW flowASR
W ater
ASRW ater
Most Important Question
• Will recovered water be of suitable quality for the ecosystem?
“Pilot” projects to address these questions
But
• Well designed pilot projects will require 5-10 years to yield results
• Hydrogeologic conditions may limit storage options
• Need for contingency planning now
If there is not enough water (or water storage) to satisfy all needs, what are the options?
A. Accept increased flood risk in urban areasB. Condemn sugar holdings in the Everglades
Agricultural Area to provide more land for surface reservoirs
C. Restrictions on public water supplyD. Allow increased fluctuations in Lake
Okeechobee water levels (affecting fishing, boating and waterfowl hunting, as well as water supply for surrounding communities)
E. Provide less water to Everglades National Park than that required for habitat improvement