September 18, 2002September 18, 2002

Master Recreation PlanMaster Recreation PlanTeam Kick-Off MeetingTeam Kick-Off Meeting

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration PlanComprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan

A group is capable of much more than A group is capable of much more than each member thinks is possible……….each member thinks is possible……….

Why Are We Here?Why Are We Here?

Establish Recreation Planning Team

Discuss Team Directives Program-Level Management Plan Master Recreation Plan

Initial Assignments/Taskings

How many states in the US sell more fishing licenses than Florida? 

None.  According to the USFWS, Florida ranks #1 with 2.8 million, followed in order by California, Texas, Michigan, and New York.

Signing of the Signing of the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA)Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 of 2000

Why are the Everglades Why are the Everglades Unique and Important? Unique and Important?

As Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote,As Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote,

The Everglades have been designated:

• a National Park

• an International Biosphere Reserve

• a World Heritage Site

• a Wetland of International Significance

• home to 68 threatened or endangered plant and animal species

““There are no other Everglades in the worldThere are no other Everglades in the world.”.”

South Florida EcosystemSouth Florida Ecosystem

Area - 18,000 square miles

Population 1950s ~ 0.5 million

Population today ~ 6 million

The C&SF ProjectThe C&SF Project

Project PurposesProject Purposes: Flood control, water conservation, regional water supply, prevention of salt water intrusion, fish and wildlife conservation, water supply to Everglades National Park, recreation

Project includesProject includes:: 10 locks, 1,000 miles of canals, 720 miles of levees, over 150 water control structures, and 16 pump stations

HistoricHistoricFlowFlow

CurrentCurrentFlowFlow

Too much/too little water for the Everglades/south Florida ecosystem

Massive reductions in wading bird populations

Degradation of water quality

Repetitive water shortages and salt water intrusion

Declining estuary health

1.7 billion gallons of water a day wasted to tide

A Region in A Region in Trouble….Trouble….

Study first authorized by Congress in 1992

Reexamination of C&SF Project to: Restore south Florida

ecosystem Enhance water supplies Maintain flood control

Comprehensive Review StudyComprehensive Review Study“The Restudy”“The Restudy”

Comprehensive Comprehensive Everglades Everglades Restoration Restoration

PlanPlan

a series of environmental and other improvements over 30+ years with an estimated cost of $7.8 B

Rescuing an Endangered Ecosystem: The Plan to Restore America’s Everglades

The Central and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study (The Restudy)

QualityQualityQuantityQuantity

TimingTiming DistributionDistribution

Getting the Water RightGetting the Water Right

• Water storage areas/facilities

• 15 surface storage areas

• 3 in-ground reservoirs

• 330 aquifer storage and recovery wells

• 19 stormwater treatment areas

• 2 wastewater reuse plants

• Removal of over 240 miles of canals, levees and structures

• Operational changes

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration PlanComprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan

$7.8 billion over 30+ yrs

$172 million/yr tooperate & maintain

How Much?….Who Pays?How Much?….Who Pays?

FEDERALFEDERAL50%50%

NON-FEDERALNON-FEDERAL50%50%

$$

SOUTH FLORIDA REGIONSSOUTH FLORIDA REGIONS

LAKELAKEOKEECHOBEEOKEECHOBEE

EVERGLADES EVERGLADES AGRICULTURALAGRICULTURAL AREAAREA

MIDDLE EASTMIDDLE EASTCOASTCOAST

LOWER EASTLOWER EAST

COASTCOAST

KISSIMMEEKISSIMMEE

BASINBASIN

NN

MIAMIMIAMI

UPPER EAST UPPER EAST COAST COAST

BIG CYPRESSBIG CYPRESSNATIONAL NATIONAL PRESERVEPRESERVE

KEY WESTKEY WEST

NATIONALNATIONALPARKPARK

EVERGLADES EVERGLADES

LOWER WEST COASTLOWER WEST COAST

ORLANDOORLANDO

FT MYERSFT MYERS

SOUTH DADE/SOUTH DADE/

FLORIDA KEYSFLORIDA KEYS

PartnershipPartnership

SFWMD and Corps Two project managers One From Each Agency Paul Warner, SFWMD Tambour Eller, Corps

Community InvolvementCommunity Involvement Integral to plan Integral to plan

development and development and acceptanceacceptance

Key to successful Key to successful implementationimplementation

What will the Future be?

The Best Way to The Best Way to Predict the Predict the Future is to Future is to

Create ItCreate It

Let’s Get StartedLet’s Get Started…………

How many duck stamps are sold annually in Florida? 

22,000.  Duck hunting is a popular activity, especially in the Water Conservation Areas.