Did you know significant progress continues to be made to restore America’s Everglades and protect South Florida’s water resources? The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), along with our local, state, and federal partners, continue to expedite key restoration and water quality improvement projects that benefit the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
To date, 48 Everglades projects have been completed, broken ground or hit a major milestone since January of 2019.
In recognition of World Nature Conservation Day, we are highlighting major accomplishments that are improving water quality and restoring ecosystems throughout South Florida. Successes include:
- Proactive Lake Okeechobee management and weather patterns have helped reduce the need for harmful estuary discharges while maintaining water levels in the lake.
- Salinity levels in Florida Bay hit goals. Record water flows and water depths in the Everglades coupled with rainfall demonstrated that restoration can support healthy salinity levels in Florida Bay.
- Wading birds have a banner nesting year in 2019. Water management efforts coupled with rainfall in the right places led to a historic nesting year for wading birds in 2019. Wading birds serve as a key indicator species for restoration success.
- Record hydration in the Everglades. Water depths in two key locations, Shark River Slough and Taylor Slough, demonstrate that restoration projects and operations work well together to nourish the Everglades and send water south towards Florida Bay.
Unprecedented state funding and historic momentum are making a real difference to protect Florida’s nature resources and restore, revitalize and safeguard America's Everglades.