The Everglades River of Grass

Summary

The Everglades, often seen as a stagnant swamp, is actually a vast, slow-moving river known as the River of Grass, essential for Florida’s ecosystem. Covering 1.5 million acres, it supports diverse wildlife and replenishes freshwater supplies. However, human interference, like the construction of dams and the diversion of water for agriculture, has disrupted its natural flow. This has led to ecological disasters such as algae blooms, fish kills, and the decline of seagrass. Everglades restoration efforts aim to restore water flow, protect wildlife, and support local economies.

Takeaways

• 🌿 The Everglades is often seen as a vast wilderness with swamps, reptiles, and insects, but it's actually a slow-moving river system.
• 📖 In 1947, Marjory Stoneman Douglas' book 'The Everglades: River of Grass' redefined how people view this unique ecosystem.
• 🌧️ The Everglades relies on water from central Florida, particularly from rainfall in lakes south of Orlando, which feeds into the Kissimmee River and then Lake Okeechobee.
• 🏞️ The Everglades' river flows slowly, about half a mile per day, through a wide, flat limestone bed, forming a process called 'sheet-flow'.
• 🌳 The region is dominated by sawgrass marshes, tree islands, cypress domes, and mangrove estuaries as it moves toward Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
• 🌊 Water management has disrupted the Everglades, leading to severe consequences like extreme salinity in Florida Bay and the destruction of 50,000 acres of seagrass in 2015.
• 🐟 Poor water flow and pollution have caused algae blooms, dead fish, and a crisis in the fishing industry due to mismanagement of Lake Okeechobee's water release.
• 🚜 Over a century ago, large-scale draining efforts led to the creation of the Everglades Agricultural Area, halting the natural flow of water to the Everglades.
• 🛑 The construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee is essential for flood control but cuts off the natural water supply to the Everglades.
• 💧 Everglades restoration aims to restore fresh water flow, helping to preserve the ecosystem, protect the aquifer that supplies millions, and support local economies reliant on tourism and fishing.

Q & A

What is the Everglades known for?

The Everglades is known for being a vast, untamed wilderness full of stagnant swamps, slithering reptiles, and stinging insects.

How large is the Everglades?

The Everglades covers about 1.5 million acres.

What does the Everglades ecosystem consist of?

The Everglades ecosystem consists of watery landscapes teeming with critters, reptiles, insects, fish, birds, and other wildlife.

What is unique about the Everglades' water system?

The Everglades is considered to be an enormous, slow-moving river, with a wide, relatively flat bed of limestone rock covered with a layer of peat or organic soil.

How does the water flow in the Everglades?

The water in the Everglades flows slowly, at a rate of about half a mile per day, in a process called 'sheet-flow'.

What is the significance of the book 'The Everglades: River of Grass' by Marjory Stoneman Douglas?

The book changed the perception of the Everglades, describing it as an incredibly unique ecosystem full of toothy sawgrass and nurtured by a slow-moving river.

How does the natural water flow in Florida begin?

During the rainy season, rainfall in the higher central part of Florida fills a chain of lakes just south of Orlando, which feed into the Kissimmee River.

What is the role of Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades' water system?

In its natural state, Lake Okeechobee would brim over during the rainy season, spilling excess water over its southern rim and giving birth to the River of Grass.

What is the Herbert Hoover dike and why was it built?

The Herbert Hoover dike is a massive wall that almost completely surrounds Lake Okeechobee, built for flood control to protect residents from deadly storm surges.

What are the consequences of altering the Everglades' natural water flow?

Altering the water flow has led to Florida Bay becoming saltier than the sea, causing seagrass die-offs, algae blooms, dead fish, and a crisis in the fishing industry.

What is the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) and how did it affect the Everglades?

The EAA is a large area of dry fertile ground created by draining water from the Everglades, which is now used for growing crops like sugarcane. This has disrupted the natural flow of water to the River of Grass.

What is the goal of Everglades restoration?

Everglades restoration aims to restore fresh water flow to the River of Grass, relieving pressure from Lake Okeechobee and reducing the need to pump nutrient-rich water out to sea.