2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Chapter 7A: Comprehensive 

Everglades Restoration Plan 

Annual Report

Beth Williams and Larry Gerry 

SUMMARY 

The overarching purpose of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is to 

restore, protect, and preserve the South Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related 

needs of the region. 

The restoration of the South Florida ecosystem is a challenging goal, and the implementing 

agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the South Florida Water Management 

District (District or SFWMD), are moving forward with the knowledge that engineering and 

ecological uncertainties abound. Uncertainties will be reduced to the extent possible by pilot 

studies, field tests, and the incorporation of adaptive management strategies during project 

planning and design. Monitoring for water quantity, quality, and ecological benefits will take 

place during and after construction to help managers optimize overall performance. 

Many individual projects comprise CERP, and will work together to improve both the natural 

and human environment. The focus of CERP is on the natural system of lakes, wetlands, forests, 

estuaries and bays, but the South Florida ecosystem also includes people. As such, CERP is 

designed to benefit both the people and natural system of South Florida as a whole. 

REPORT CONTENTS 

As an update to the previous consolidated reports, this chapter reports on the progress of 

CERP implementation since the 2006 South Florida Environmental Report (SFER). Because the 

South Florida ecosystem is large and includes many habitat types, discussion is organized 

geographically as follows: Northern Estuaries, Lake Okeechobee, Everglades, Southern Estuaries, 

and Water Supply/Flood Protection. Ecological issues and problems are described, followed by 

projects that will provide benefits to the region. 

The CERP Annual Report – 470 Report, developed by the District in partnership with the 

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), is included as Appendix 7A-1 of this 

volume. The CERP Annual Report includes financial information and discusses implementation 

progress for FY2006 (October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006). 

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Subsequent paragraphs in this summary section highlight initiatives that support CERP and 

the progress in implementing CERP during FY2006. It should be noted that the summary and 

remaining chapter sections also consider CERP in relation to Acceler8 (a state initiative 

consistent with the objectives of CERP), in response to a 2006 SFER peer review request. Further 

information on CERP is available on the website at http://www.evergladesplan.org. 

STATE OF FLORIDA INITIATIVES THAT HELP TO 

IMPLEMENT CERP 

Acceler8 is a state initiative that provides a mechanism for implementing CERP and other 

Everglades restoration projects. It was initiated with full support of, and coordination with, the 

USACE and the U.S. Department of Interior (USDOI). 

The CERP plan approved by the U.S. Congress in 2000 included more than 60 components. 

Congress conditionally authorized ten components considered important to the early restoration 

effort; these components provide significant and immediate benefits to the South Florida 

ecosystem. The initially authorized components include reservoirs for capturing water now lost to 

the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, water treatment areas to clean water delivered to 

estuaries and the Everglades, and other important wetland restoration projects. 

Eight of the ten initially authorized CERP components, along with additional stormwater 

treatment areas (STAs) that are part of the state of Florida’s Long-Term Plan for Achieving 

Water Quality Goals (Long-Term Plan) and wetland restoration projects, are being expedited by 

the Acceler8 initiative. Acceler8 will also construct the Acme Basin B CERP Project, which was 

programmatically approved by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 

2000, and became part of the Long-Term Plan in 2006. Key to the Acceler8 initiative 

is development of a funding mechanism for the design and construction of the eight 

restoration projects. 

For the sixth straight year, the U.S. Congress adjourned in 2006 without passing a WRDA 

bill. Thus, neither final authorization nor fund appropriation was realized for construction of two 

pivotal CERP projects: the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) – South and the Picayune Strand 

Hydrologic Restoration. Significant efforts produced the completed Project Implementation 

Reports (PIRs) needed for final congressional authorization, but design and construction of 

projects stalled due to lack of a WRDA bill. To maintain the momentum of the restoration efforts, 

the District moved forward with financing project construction with Certificates of Participation 

(COPs), a type of revenue bond. 

During FY2006, the State of Florida and the District initiated the Lake Okeechobee and 

Estuaries Recovery (LOER) Program. Through LOER, several restoration projects will be 

constructed to improve environmental conditions for Lake Okeechobee and the estuaries. LOER 

activities are documented under the Lake Okeechobee Protection Program (see Chapter 10 of this 

volume). 

LOER includes the construction of another initially authorized CERP project, the Taylor 

Creek and Nubbin Slough Reservoir and STAs. This CERP project will store and clean water 

entering Lake Okeechobee from the Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough basins. Funded through a 

separate and distinct state appropriation, the Acceler8 staff at the District will complete the design 

and construction of this project. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Acceler8 and LOER thus will implement all or portions of eight of the ten CERP projects 

initially authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2000. These projects were identified as important 

early pieces of the restoration challenge. In addition, Acceler8 will design and construct the Acme 

Basin B Discharge CERP project, the C-43 CERP Reservoir, portions of the Biscayne Bay 

Coastal Wetlands CERP Project, and the Picayune Strand (Southern Golden Gates Estates) 

Restoration CERP Project. Consistent with CERP goals and objectives, the priority for water 

allocation under the Acceler8 initiative will be for ecological restoration and enhancement. 

OVERALL CERP PROGRESS 

Significant progress has occurred in planning for CERP projects and in constructing the 

Critical Restoration Projects (CRPs) that provide part of the foundation for CERP. CRPs were 

authorized in WRDA 1996 to develop specific water quality related projects essential to the 

restoration of the Florida Everglades. Several of these necessary precursors to CERP are 

substantially completed, including: 

• Reservoirs and STAs constructed in the Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough basins 

of Okeechobee County and in the Ten Mile Creek Basin of St. Lucie County to 

improve the timing and quality of water deliveries from these watersheds 

• Culverts installed under the Tamiami Trail in Collier County to improve 

sheetflow to the Ten Thousand Islands area 

• Pumps and divide structures constructed in the C-11 basin in Broward County to 

improve the quality of water being pumped to the Everglades 

Since February 2006, through the Acceler8 program, the state has expanded three Everglades 

Agricultural Area (EAA) STAs and has begun construction on the C-43 (Caloosahatchee River) 

West Storage Reservoir, the C-44 (St. Lucie Estuary) Canal Reservoir and STA, the Acme 

Basin B Discharge Project, and the EAA Reservoir. 

The Site 1 Impoundment (Fran Reich Preserve), Broward County Water Preserve Areas 

(WPAs) Project, Acme Basin B, and EAA Reservoir PIRs are drafted and under federal and state 

review. Congressional approval of these PIRs will allow federal appropriations, with eventual 

cost-sharing of land acquisition and construction being completed by the state. A map displaying 

the major components of CERP is presented in Figure 7A-1. 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

Figure 7A-1. Components of the Comprehensive 

Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

INTRODUCTION 

The South Florida ecosystem has been altered by over 100 years of drainage and by the 

effects of urban and agricultural development. Some more recent alterations have occurred due to 

the construction of the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project. The C&SF Project, which 

first was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1948 to provide flood control, water supply, and fish 

and wildlife protection, has had unintended environmental impacts. 

The South Florida ecosystem was compartmentalized by construction of the Herbert Hoover 

Dike around Lake Okeechobee, creation and drainage of the Everglades Agricultural Area 

(EAA), and construction of levees around the EAA and Water Conservation Areas (WCAs), 

which contain much of the remaining Everglades sawgrass and ridge and slough habitat. 

CERP was developed in the 1990s through extensive planning and scientific study, and with 

widespread public participation. Public meetings and the input of thousands of people resulted in 

a widely supported final plan that balanced numerous competing interests. CERP modifies the 

C&SF Project, which was constructed by the USACE and is now operated largely by the District. 

CERP is intended to restore more natural flows of water, including Everglades sheetflow; 

to improve water quality; and to produce more natural hydroperiods in the remaining Everglades. 

One of the most important initial steps in CERP is to capture and store a portion of the daily 

average 1.7 billion gallons of fresh water that is currently released into the Atlantic Ocean and 

Gulf of Mexico, and to clean this water, where needed, before delivering to the Everglades, the 

estuaries and Lake Okeechobee. The water storage projects allow water managers to capture 

harmful peak discharges and allow delivery of water when it is beneficial. 

Seven principal features of CERP are designed to improve water quality, quantity, timing, 

and distribution. Each CERP project includes one or more of these features: 

• Surface Water Storage Reservoirs. A total of 181,300 acres of aboveground 

and in-ground reservoirs to store millions of gallons of water. 

• Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR). More than 300 underground water 

storage wells to store up to 1.6 billion gallons of treated water a day in confined 

aquifers. 

• Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs). Constructed wetlands totaling 35,600 

acres to remove pollutants from water before it is discharged to the Everglades. 

• Wastewater Reuse. Two advanced treatment plants to recycle more than 220 

million gallons of wastewater per day, adding a new source of high quality water 

for the southern Everglades. 

• Seepage Management. Barriers to stop the rapid underground seepage of water 

from the Everglades and so end the loss of millions of gallons of water each year. 

• Removing Barriers to Sheetflow. Potential removal of more than 240 miles of 

canals and levees to restore the historic overland sheetflow through the 

Everglades wetlands. Sections of Tamiami Trail will be elevated to handle 

increased water flows contributed by CERP project features. 

• Operational Changes. Changes in the regional water management system to 

benefit Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and the coastal estuaries. 

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BACKGROUND 

The greater Everglades ecosystem historically included the Kissimmee River south of 

Orlando, through Lake Okeechobee, with the Caloosahatchee Estuary to the west, the St. Lucie 

Estuary to the east, and the Biscayne and Florida bays to the south. The Everglades covered a vast 

area of diverse habitats. Management of the Everglades and its estuaries and bays for human 

purposes began just over 100 years ago. 

The size of the ecosystem has been substantially and irreversibly reduced, including loss of 

approximately half of the true Everglades. Before people intervened, most rainwater soaked into 

the ground in the region’s great wetlands. As South Florida developed, the canal system 

worked very effectively but drained water off the land too quickly. As a result, approximately 

1.7 billion gallons of fresh water per day on average is discharged to the Atlantic Ocean and the 

Gulf of Mexico. 

Continual loss of water to the tide results in insufficient water for the environment and people 

during the dry season, although at times there may be too much water during the wet season. In 

addition, canals and highways that crisscross the Everglades interrupt the historic overland 

sheetflow. Further, water quality throughout South Florida has deteriorated as some untreated 

urban and agricultural storm water is sent directly to wetlands and estuaries. 

An over-abundance or scarcity of water and degraded water quality affects plants and wildlife 

that require specific water levels and flows during different seasons. The remaining Everglades, 

and indeed the entire South Florida ecosystem, no longer exhibit the functions, richness, and area 

that defined the pre-drainage system. 

The goal of Everglades restoration in South Florida is to recover an Everglades-type of 

ecosystem. What made the Everglades unique was its vast size and water flow through a single 

interconnected system. This created a variety of habitats needed by numerous plants and animals. 

A restored Everglades will be one that is defined by such characteristics as sheetflow across 

continuous interconnected wetlands, vast colonies of nesting wading birds, healthy and complex 

tree islands and seagrass meadows, a clean Lake Okeechobee, and ample habitat for endangered 

species such as the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) and snail kite (Rostrhamus 

sociabilis). The Everglades will not recover its defining characteristics if it continues to be treated 

as in the past; therefore, actions have been taken to restore the health of South Florida’s 

ecosystem. 

HOW CERP WILL HELP TO RESTORE THE SOUTH FLORIDA 

ECOSYSTEM 

The following sections describe some of the causes of environmental decline in South 

Florida, along with the causes of problems with water supply and flood protection. The sections 

are organized by regions: Northern Estuaries, Lake Okeechobee, Everglades, Southern Estuaries, 

and Water Supply and Flood Protection. Much of this section has been drawn from the 

Restoration Coordination and Verification (RECOVER) 2005 Interim Goals and Interim Targets 

Report. (See Chapter 7B of this volume. for information on RECOVER monitoring and 

assessment activities.) 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Northern Estuaries 

The Northern Estuaries include the Caloosahatchee, St. Lucie and Loxahatchee estuaries, and 

the Lake Worth Lagoon. Within Florida, nearly 70 percent of recreational and commercial 

fisheries species — oyster, pink shrimp, blue crab, gray snapper, red drum, snook, stripped mullet 

and spotted sea trout — rely on estuaries for at least part of their life span. Major issues in these 

estuaries include damaging freshwater inflows, degraded water quality and habitat loss. 

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) are 

important components of the northern estuaries. Oyster bars and SAV provide important habitat 

for other animals such as fish that have a significant recreational and commercial value. 

Submerged aquatic vegetation beds provide habitat for many other plants and animals, stabilize 

sediments, and form the basis of food chains. 

The eastern oyster supported a subsistence fishery prior to European colonization of the U.S., 

and in recent history has provided an important economic and cultural resource to coastal 

inhabitants, although there has been no commercial harvesting in the northern estuaries. Oysters 

improve water quality by filtering particles from the water and serve as prey and habitat for many 

other animals. 

DECLINE OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN NORTHERN ESTUARIES 

The Caloosahatchee Estuary is located on the southwest coast of Florida. Most of the 

fresh water flowing into the estuary comes from the Caloosahatchee River. Historically, the 

Caloosahatchee River was a meandering system with numerous oxbows, flowing from its 

headwaters at Lake Hicpochee to the Gulf of Mexico. Activities that led to its degradation, 

beginning in the 1890s, include channelization, connection to Lake Okeechobee, and construction 

of an extensive canal network associated with agricultural development in the watershed. 

The channelized portion of the Caloosahatchee River, also known as the C-43 Canal, along 

with the canal network, changed the timing, quantity and direction of runoff within the watershed, 

and led to abnormal salinity fluctuations. The tidally influenced portion of the estuary is reduced 

by the operation of the S-79 control structure, which allows periodic large regulatory (flood) 

releases from Lake Okeechobee. Prior to these impacts, the Caloosahatchee Estuary was a highly 

productive system with an abundance of aquatic plants and animals. Today, the abundance, 

health, and functionality of these species have been greatly reduced. SAV and the eastern oyster 

have been reduced from a widespread distribution to a sparse occurrence.

The St. Lucie Estuary, located on the southeast coast of Florida, flows into the IRL and the 

Atlantic Ocean. Historically, this estuary was a freshwater system influenced by ephemeral ocean 

inlets. When the St. Lucie Inlet was permanently established in 1898, the system became an 

estuary, characterized by abundant mangroves, oyster bars, and SAV. Agricultural and urban 

drainage projects, beginning in the 1910s, expanded the area that now drains into the estuary. The 

historic watershed was approximately one-third of its present size of almost 775 square miles. 

Major drainage works constructed in the watershed include the C-23 and C-24 canals. The 

St. Lucie Estuary is connected to Lake Okeechobee by the C-44 Canal, which is used for 

navigation and regulatory releases from Lake Okeechobee. As a result, freshwater flow into the 

estuary tends to be excessive in the wet season and occasionally insufficient in the dry season. 

The estuary also has been degraded by thick deposits of mucky silt that cover large portions of 

the bottom and make it unsuitable for SAV and oysters. These sediments become re-suspended 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

by wind, current, and boat traffic, resulting in diminished light penetration through the water 

column. 

The Loxahatchee River is also located on the southeast coast of Florida. The Loxahatchee 

Basin has been altered extensively by construction of canals, channelization of natural waterways, 

drainage and impoundment of wetlands, and stabilization of the Jupiter Inlet. Construction of the 

C-18 Canal disconnected the Northwest Fork from its headwaters, the Loxahatchee Slough. This 

resulted in periodic shortages of water for the Northwest Fork and increased flows into the 

Southwest Fork during storm events. Saltwater intrusion upstream into the Northwest Fork 

resulted in the loss of six river miles of cypress swamp and freshwater floodplain vegetation. 

Oysters and seagrass beds exist only in a limited area of the estuary. 

The Lake Worth Lagoon, also located on the southeast coast of Florida, historically was a 

freshwater lake receiving water from wetlands along its western edge. Creation of permanent 

inlets to the lagoon changed it to an estuarine environment. Although regionally important natural 

resources remain, the cumulative effect of human activities over the past century significantly 

altered the lagoon environment. Changes affecting the hydrology include construction of major 

drainage canals (C-51, C-17, and C-16) and shoreline bulkheads, a causeway, channels, and port 

development. Discharges from the C-51 produce excessive periodic releases of fresh water that 

adversely impact estuarine biological communities. Limited numbers of oysters remain in the 

lagoon, and SAV populations are unhealthy and reduced in number. 

Water management activities within the watersheds of these estuaries resulted in significant 

alterations in the timing; volume, or excess wet season and insufficient dry season water flows; 

distribution, as water now flows through canals instead of overland; and quality of water flowing 

into these estuaries. Channelization and water control structures have reduced the ability of these 

systems to filter nutrients and have further degraded water quality. These impacts reduce the 

ability of the watershed to provide water storage, dry season flows, water quality treatment, and 

fish and wildlife habitat. The objectives of many CERP projects are focused on reducing these 

impacts. 

Pre-drainage estuarine systems received freshwater inflow primarily from direct rainfall and 

basin runoff that resulted in low nutrient inputs. These natural patterns of freshwater inflow in the 

northern estuaries sustained an ecologically appropriate range of salinity conditions with fewer 

salinity extremes. 

Water management and dredging practices have major impacts on the presence of oysters and 

SAV within these estuaries. CERP projects that will restore more natural freshwater inflows into 

the estuaries are designed to provide beneficial salinity conditions, a reduction in nutrient 

concentrations and loads, and improved water clarity that will promote the reestablishment of 

healthy oyster bars and SAV communities. This should also improve the health of fish and other 

aquatic populations such as manatees. 

HOW CERP WILL HELP TO RESTORE THE NORTHERN ESTUARIES 

In the northern estuaries, CERP will help to enhance habitat conditions while providing for 

economic and recreational opportunities. CERP projects are expected to moderate freshwater 

discharges, diminish water quality and habitat loss, and enhance natural attributes such as 

SAV and oysters. This will be accomplished through habitat enhancement, as well as 

water storage and treatment projects. A detailed description of these projects can be found 

online in the Central and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study Final 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Integrated Feasibility Report and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement at: 

http://www.evergladesplan.org/pub/restudy_eis.cfm. 

CERP projects that will are designed to benefit the Northern Estuaries include the C-43 Basin 

ASR project and the C-43 (Caloosahatchee River) Basin Storage Reservoir, an Acceler8 project. 

These projects will provide water management and water quality benefits by reducing salinity and 

nutrient impacts to the Caloosahatchee Estuary. The Palm Beach County Agriculture Reserve 

Reservoir project is designed to capture, store, and possibly treat excess water currently 

discharged to Lake Worth Lagoon. 

The Caloosahatchee Backpumping with Stormwater Project is designed to benefit the estuary 

and Lake Okeechobee by capturing, storing, and treating excess basin runoff. The Lake 

Okeechobee ASR Project is designed to provide water storage that will directly benefit Lake 

Okeechobee and reduce regulatory discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. The 

Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project will provide water storage and treatment in the watershed 

and should result in more beneficial flows to the estuaries. 

The IRL – South Project is designed to provide water storage, treatment of watershed runoff, 

and wetland rehydration; remove silt and muck; and provide artificial habitat in the St. Lucie 

Estuary. Acceler8 will construct the C-44 Reservoir and STA; this component of the IRL – South 

Project is expected to improve the quantity and quality of deliveries to the estuary. 

EAA Storage Reservoirs are expected to provide water storage and treatment and reduce 

Lake Okeechobee regulatory releases to the estuaries. Acceler8 will construct the first phase of 

the EAA Reservoir Project to provide 190,000 acre-feet (ac-ft) of storage, which will help to 

improve deliveries to the existing STAs and to the Everglades and is expected to benefit Lake 

Okeechobee and the estuaries by providing additional system storage during the wet season. 

North Palm Beach County projects are designed to provide direct and indirect benefits to the 

Lake Worth Lagoon and to the Loxahatchee River and Estuary through habitat restoration and 

water storage and treatment. The District already has constructed two water control structures to 

provide a flow-way from the L-8 basin storage reservoir to the Loxahatchee River, in order to 

restore more natural flows to this officially designated Wild and Scenic River. Further, the 

District has acquired the property and is constructing the belowground L-8 storage reservoir, a 

key element of this restoration project. 

The Acme Basin Discharge Project is designed to provide water storage and treatment and to 

reduce regulatory discharges to Lake Worth Lagoon. This project is expected to eliminate the 

direct discharge of poor quality water to WCA-1. Acceler8 is currently constructing this CERP 

project, which was authorized for Programmatic Authority under WRDA 2000. Programmatic 

Authority is similar to the authorization received in 1996 for the Everglades Ecosystem 

Restoration CRPs with a total estimated cost of up to $25,000,000. In 2006, this project was 

added to the Long-Term Plan, thereby allowing the use of the Everglades restoration dedicated 

funds for its implementation. See Chapter 13 of this volume for discussion of the Everglades 

restoration dedicated funds.

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Lake Okeechobee 

Lake Okeechobee, the liquid heart of South Florida, measuring 730 square miles in area, is 

the second largest freshwater lake within the contiguous U.S. Lake Okeechobee provides many 

vital functions on a regional level including natural habitat for fish, wading birds and other 

wildlife; essential water for people, farms and the environment; flood protection; recreation; 

navigation; and is home to a multimillion-dollar sport and commercial fishery. Lake Okeechobee 

is an important source of fresh water to the Everglades, and discharges from the Lake influence 

the ecology of the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries. CERP is critical to achieving the right 

balance among the many competing demands in Lake Okeechobee. 

DECLINE IN LAKE OKEECHOBEE’S ECOSYSTEM HEALTH 

Lake Okeechobee is plagued with unnatural water levels and excessive phosphorus, which 

significantly affect its ecology. In the 1890s, Hamilton Disston constructed a canal connecting 

Lake Okeechobee with Lake Hicpochee, the headwaters of the Caloosahatchee River. This 

provided the Lake’s first outlet to tidewater — the Gulf of Mexico — via the Caloosahatchee 

River. In the early 1900s, the Everglades Drainage District constructed several other canals that 

impacted Lake Okeechobee. The St. Lucie, Hillsboro, North New River, West Palm Beach, and 

Miami Canals were constructed from the Lake to tidewater — the Atlantic Ocean. 

These canals provided a slow, continuous drainage from Lake Okeechobee and the 

Everglades. The goal was to drain the northern Everglades for agriculture to prevent the crops 

from flooding. Construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike in the early to mid-1900s reduced the 

size of the Lake’s open water zone by nearly 30 percent. This resulted in a considerable reduction 

in average water levels, and produced a new littoral zone within the dike that is only a fraction of 

the size of the natural one. In addition, variations in rainfall, water supply deliveries from the 

Lake, regulation schedules, and supply-side management have the potential to affect the Lake’s 

water levels. 

During the twentieth century, much of the land around Lake Okeechobee was converted to 

agricultural use. To the north, dairy farms and beef cattle ranching became the major land uses, 

while in the south, sugar cane and vegetable farming increased rapidly. Associated with the land 

use changes were large increases in the rate of nutrient inputs, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, 

to the Lake, and detrimental changes occurred in the Lake’s water quality. 

Phosphorus inputs from the northern watershed have increased dramatically, with loads of 

total phosphorus nearly tripling in the open-water region of the Lake, between the early 1970s 

and mid-1980s. Blooms of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) became more common, with 

particularly large blooms covering more than 40 percent of the Lake surface in the 1980s. Most 

recently, scientists have discovered that one of the greatest challenges in reversing harmful trends 

caused by excessive phosphorus may be controlling sources within the Lake itself. 

Because high phosphorus loads have occurred for over 60 years, more than 30,000 tons of 

phosphorus have accumulated at the bottom of the Lake in the form of soft organic mud. Because 

the Lake is shallow (approximately 9 feet deep), the mud is mixed into the water column every 

time strong winds blow across the Lake surface. This keeps water column phosphorus 

concentrations high, which eventually prevents submerged plants from getting the light they need 

to grow. It may stimulate the growth of cattail (Typha spp.) along the edge of the littoral zone.

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

When Lake Okeechobee was diked in the 1900s, the littoral zone was comprised of a diverse 

mosaic of native plants, including spike rush, beak rush and willow. These plants provided 

important habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife, as they continue to do so today. Today, 

however, a large percentage of the native plant habitat in the Lake’s littoral zone has been lost to 

exotic plants. An estimated 20 percent (over 20,000 acres) of habitat has been lost, most notably 

to melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia) and torpedograss (Panicum repens). The spread of these 

plants seem to be due to extreme low water levels in the Lake. 

Conversely, high Lake levels are the probable cause of cattail expansion in the marsh; high 

phosphorus levels, particularly in the open-water areas; and loss of aquatic vegetation. Lake 

Okeechobee’s nearshore region has lost most of its submerged plant community due to these high 

water levels, and a ridge, or berm, of organic material has accumulated along the western Lake 

shore. If high water levels continue, berms can be expected to form. The increase of berms and 

the decrease in submerged vegetation may have a grave impact on sport fishery, particularly 

affecting black crappie. 

Concentrations of total phosphorus in the Lake’s water column have more than doubled in the 

last 30 years, from 40 to 50 parts per billion in the early 1970s to over 100 parts per billion in 

2001. High phosphorus in the Lake results in the loss of macro-invertebrate diversity, impacts to 

drinking water, occurrence of blue-green algal blooms, and impacts to downstream ecosystems 

including the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries and the Everglades. 

Algal blooms can present a significant risk to the human population that depends on this 

water resource for drinking water and other uses. Algal blooms can cause problems with taste and 

odor of drinking water and contribute to the formation of carcinogenic chemicals in water that 

must be chlorinated, and some bloom-forming algae have the ability to produce toxins that kill or 

cause disease in fish, wildlife, and domestic animals that drink the water. 

HOW CERP WILL HELP TO RESTORE LAKE OKEECHOBEE 

CERP is expected to enhance economic value and social well-being in the Lake region by 

maintaining the current level of flood protection and environmental attributes of Lake 

Okeechobee. Some of the expected results of CERP implementation involve: 

• Reducing open-water total phosphorus concentrations in the Lake 

• Substantially reducing the frequency of blue-green algal blooms 

• Restoring and maintaining healthy communities of SAV, littoral zone vegetation, 

and shoreline bulrush (Scirpus californicus) 

• Eliminating harmful high and low water levels that cause adverse impacts to 

plants, fish and wildlife, while still providing for a beneficial seasonal range of 

water levels 

• Defining a desired gradual recession of water from a winter high near 15.5 feet to 

a spring low of near 12.5 feet above mean sea level 

These results are expected to be achieved through implementation of CERP projects 

including the Lake Okeechobee ASR Pilot Project, which includes a series of ASR wells adjacent 

to the Lake. ASR projects provide underground water storage and will help to minimize 

high-volume water releases to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. During dry periods, 

water recovered from the ASR wells will be used to help maintain surface water levels within 

the Lake.

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The C-43 Basin Plan includes the C-43 Basin Storage Reservoir (Acceler8 project), the C-43 

Basin ASR Project, and the Caloosahatchee Backpumping with Stormwater Treatment Project. 

Implementation of these CERP projects is designed to provide reservoirs and an STA to help 

store water that might otherwise damage Lake Okeechobee. 

The EAA Reservoir Project, which is being constructed by Acceler8, is located in western 

Palm Beach County. The additional storage provided by this project is expected to relieve 

pressure on Lake Okeechobee to store water by providing for irrigation requirements in the EAA, 

environmental deliveries of water to the WCAs, storage of regulatory releases from Lake 

Okeechobee, and increased flood protections within the EAA. 

The purpose of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project is to improve water quality in Lake 

Okeechobee, provide for better management of Lake water levels, reduce damaging releases to 

the estuaries downstream of the Lake, and reduce phosphorus loading. These goals are expected 

to be accomplished by constructing an STA in the Fisheating Creek watershed, a reservoir 

and STA in the Lake Istokpoga watershed, a large reservoir in the lower Kissimmee Basin, a 

5,000-acre STA in the Taylor Creek Basin, and smaller reservoir-assisted STAs in the Nubbin 

Slough Basin. The Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough CERP features will be designed and 

constructed through the Acceler8 program. 

The two most important restoration achievements expected from these CERP projects are 

phosphorus concentration reductions and improved management of Lake levels. These projects 

should help to reduce open-water total phosphorus concentration in the Lake to 40 parts per 

billion, thereby reducing the occurrence of blue-green algal blooms; reverse the trend in loss of 

macro-invertebrate diversity in the Lake sediments; and ameliorate impacts of phosphorus on the 

downstream ecosystem when water is released from the Lake. 

Improvements in the management of Lake levels should promote an increase in the amount of 

aquatic vegetation such as eelgrass, peppergrass, and southern naiad. Improvements are also 

expected in littoral zone vegetation, which should lead to increasing forage fish populations and 

should also improve conditions for wading birds and threatened and endangered species such as 

the wood stork (Mycteria americana) and snail kite.

Everglades 

The Everglades encompasses the major water flow-way of the historic South Florida 

ecosystem, the original River of Grass that flowed south from Lake Okeechobee to the mangrove 

zone edging Florida Bay. The Everglades includes all of the WCAs and the freshwater marshes of 

Everglades National Park (ENP or Park).

The essence of the Everglades is the large expanse of freshwater marsh along this flow-way, 

an area that, when allowed enough water and freedom to flow, produces a seasonal abundance of 

fish that supports populations of alligators, enormous colonies of wading birds, and a multitude of 

other wildlife species. In this watery ecosystem, minute differences in elevation produce different 

habitats, such as the deep, central ridge and slough system, and the slightly higher marl prairies 

that flank either side of Shark River Slough in the ENP. 

In the pre-drainage system, higher levels of water during the wet season allowed fish to 

multiply and disperse over these slightly higher prairies. As the water receded toward the deeper 

slough during the dry season, fish were concentrated in steadily shrinking pools of water along 

the edges, providing an abundant source of food for wading birds during their nesting season. 

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Tree islands dispersed along the River of Grass contain one of the only species-rich tropical 

forests in the country.

The value of the Everglades lies in its unique ability to produce abundant life, as well as to 

maintain a large supply of high quality water for the people of South Florida. Most marshes and 

wetlands throughout the world receive their nutrients from rivers that seasonally overflow their 

banks. The Everglades is unique in that the extremely low levels of nutrients that support the 

ecosystem come almost entirely from the atmosphere via rainfall. No other place in the world has 

such potential to link abundant nature closely with a thriving human population living side 

by side.

DECLINE IN EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM HEALTH 

The Everglades ecosystem has suffered from changes introduced by the water management 

infrastructure and associated human activities. Of the major stressors that negatively affect 

overall ecosystem function and the plants and animals that live there, four are addressed by 

CERP: reduced spatial extent, reduced water storage capacity, poor water quality, and the 

division of the River of Grass into compartments. 

Agriculture and urban expansion have made the natural ecosystem’s spatial extent much 

smaller and less functional. The central part of the Everglades ecosystem, the ridge and slough 

area, has lost more than a quarter of its original area. The large area of the original system was 

essential to capture and store large amounts of rainfall, ameliorating the variability in water extent 

and depth. 

Historically, all of the land south of Lake Okeechobee was part of the original system, which, 

coupled with other natural factors such as fire, tropical storms, and the presence of key animal 

species, allowed a variety of different habitats for plant and animal populations to exist 

simultaneously. Because of the size of the original system, these habitats also covered extensive 

areas, allowing for ecological functions such as high productivity of aquatic fauna including 

animals like small fish and crayfish, and the persistence of populations of highly specialized 

species such as the snail kite and Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis). 

The Everglades no longer stores the amount of water that it accommodated in pre-drainage 

times. The sponge-like peat soils in the sawgrass plain south of Lake Okeechobee that held large 

quantities of water and released it slowly over the dry season no longer exist since the land has 

been converted to agricultural land use, resulting in soil subsidence. Canals and pumps of the 

C&SF Project efficiently remove water from the system before and after storms and heavy rains, 

sending much of it out to the estuaries, and putting the rest into the marshes of the WCAs. 

These changes mean that the central part of the Everglades can be stacked with water to 

unnatural depths, and at other times is much drier than it should be. Water levels in the 

Everglades also rise and fall faster than they did in the pre-drainage system, when slow drying 

allowed the fish and aquatic invertebrates to concentrate in seasonal pools that served as the 

primary food source for larger animals like alligators and wading birds. 

The Everglades originally was one large, connected system, where water flow was slow but 

unrestricted. The construction of the Tamiami Trail and the C&SF Project created compartments 

by building canals and levees throughout the system. Under the current system, the hydrology of 

each of these compartments is managed nearly independently; some marshes are shallow at the 

same time that adjacent marshes are deep. Levees and canals have diverted the flow of water 

from its original path, and reduced the extent to which a large horizontal expanse of water 

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(sheetflow) can move slowly through the system. Canals have created unnatural deep water 

habitat in the midst of shallow water marshes. The fact that canals move water quickly has 

increased the rates of change in water depths of marshes adjacent to canals, and altered the timing 

and the duration of flooding and dryouts in the marshes. 

The quality of the water entering the Everglades is degraded from its pre-drainage condition. 

Very low levels of nutrients are a vital precursor to the clear, clean water of the Everglades, and 

to the natural distribution of plant communities. Today, water with high levels of nutrients comes 

into the system from urban and agricultural sources. In addition, the unnatural drying of marsh 

plants and soils over the last century has allowed a chemical process, oxidation, to occur. When 

oxidation happens, nutrients that are normally held in soil and plant tissue are released into the 

environment and can have harmful effects on desirable plant communities. 

CERP was designed and approved to create a water management system that allows the 

natural ecosystem to regain its original health and strength while providing for the needs of the 

people of South Florida. The intent of CERP is to reverse the trends of loss of water and natural 

areas, to reduce barriers to the flow of water in the Everglades, and to protect the quality of the 

water flowing through the ecosystem. These changes in the physical environment will provide the 

foundation for restoration of Everglades landscapes and the return of populations of abundant 

wildlife to the ecosystem. 

Another major issue in the Everglades is the presence of introduced exotic species, including 

plants and freshwater and terrestrial animals. Although CERP was not designed specifically to 

address this problem, exotic species can have effects on the restoration success of CERP, and 

these species can in turn be affected by CERP implementation. 

The hydrologic and water quality stressors have affected the biology of the system in a 

number of ways, including degradation of the entire landscape and individual species. Reduced 

spatial extent has decreased the number of options for animals such as wading birds and snail 

kites with large feeding ranges, lowered the overall amount of aquatic production, and eliminated 

large areas of long-hydroperiod habitat. 

Reduced water storage capacity and the consequent extreme high and low fluctuations of 

water levels in the Everglades have degraded the central ridge and slough system. Tree islands 

have been affected by flooding in some areas and by fire in others. Former aquatic slough habitat 

has been altered by the expansion of sawgrass ridges. This is an important factor in the reduction 

of total production of aquatic fauna, and of feeding habitat for wading birds. Alligator 

reproduction has been affected; sometimes marshes are too dry for courtship behavior, and at 

other times seemingly good dry nesting suddenly becomes fatal as marsh water levels are 

artificially increased. 

Reduced sheetflow due to compartmentalization has contributed to the leveling of ridge and 

slough habitats, again reducing the potential for production of aquatic fauna. The managed 

mosaic of compartments has changed the timing and distribution of pools where wading birds 

feed, and the birds have moved away from their traditional nesting sites near the estuaries. 

Addition of nutrients from outside the natural system, and the increase in soil oxidation in the 

Everglades, has increased phosphorus in the ecosystem and contributed to the expanse of large 

areas of cattail and to changes in periphyton, which are important algal communities. 

Increased phosphorus levels in the Everglades may eventually translate into higher levels of 

phosphorus and nitrogen in downstream estuaries, affecting the frequency of algal blooms in bays 

and nearshore lakes. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Improvements in hydrology and water quality are essential to alleviate the adverse effects of 

past water management practices in the Everglades. After these essential changes are made to the 

physical ecosystem, positive response by landscapes and vegetation communities is expected, 

followed by restoration of healthy wildlife populations. 

Desired restoration conditions for the hydrology of the Everglades involve increasing the 

amount of water captured and stored by the system, and distributing sufficient amounts of this 

water to meet the needs of the natural system. Timing and spatial distribution of the water should 

reflect the historic ecosystem as closely as possible, allowing natural sheetflow along the original 

route of the River of Grass, and restoring the seasonal patterns of flooding and drying that 

supported abundant wetland wildlife. 

Desired conditions for water quality include maintaining historic levels of phosphorus in 

surface waters and soils, and reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the natural system, thus 

supporting healthy periphyton communities and appropriate ridge and slough vegetative 

communities. The desired hydrologic and water quality restoration conditions described above 

support the development and maintenance of natural ecological communities, including a natural 

pattern and composition of tree islands, increases in the abundance and size of marsh fish, 

increases in alligator population density, and improvements in wading bird numbers and 

distribution across the landscape. 

HOW CERP WILL HELP TO RESTORE THE EVERGLADES 

Almost all CERP projects are designed to work together to benefit the Everglades ecosystem, 

working toward the overall goals of increasing the total spatial extent of natural areas, improving 

habitat and functional quality, and improving native plant and animal species abundance and 

diversity. Most CERP projects are multi-purpose, including multiple objectives such as increasing 

water storage, reducing seepage and improving the quality of water to be released into 

natural areas. 

Further, no single CERP project can be said to significantly improve the Everglades 

ecosystem by itself. The environmental benefits to the Everglades result from the group of 

projects as a whole. Removing barriers to sheetflow, for example, will have little benefit unless 

sufficient water is actually flowing from storage, flow, and seepage management projects. In 

addition, environmental benefits of water flow depend on the quality of the water. 

A summary of the major CERP projects or project categories affecting the Everglades 

ecosystem follows. Detailed project descriptions can be found online in the Central and Southern 

Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study Integrated Feasibility Report and Programmatic 

Environmental Impact Statement at http://www.evergladesplan.org/pub/restudy_eis.cfm. These 

projects represent the original design of CERP approved in 2000. While the original concepts and 

intent of CERP should not change, as knowledge of the natural and built systems grows over the 

lifetime of CERP, the suite of projects, their detailed design, and the timing of their 

implementation may change to improve the benefits to the natural system. 

Everglades Storage Reservoirs. Water storage facilities are planned to allow management 

for more natural conditions in the Everglades while providing for other water-related needs, such 

as water supply. While all of the ASR (below-ground storage) and surface reservoirs 

(aboveground storage) will contribute to the better management of water in South Florida, the 

following two projects should impact the Everglades most directly:

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• The new Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir in west Palm Beach 

County will increase reservoir capacity for the Everglades with consequent 

environmental benefits including the delivery of water to the WCAs. The first 

phase of the EAA Storage Reservoir (190,000 ac-ft) will be constructed by the 

Acceler8 program. 

• The Central Lake Belt Storage Area Project will increase storage capacity for 

release of water into the ENP when needed. 

Everglades Seepage Management. Water seepage through levees can cause desirable water 

to leave important areas of the Everglades. A series of CERP projects should reduce the amount 

of seepage lost from the Everglades including the following:

• The C-11 and C-9 Impoundments are intended to capture runoff in western 

Broward County. The impoundments will be designed to store water that would 

currently flow to the ocean or would be pumped into WCA-3. The water that is 

currently pumped into WCA-3 during heavy rainfall events contains phosphorus 

concentrations above ambient Everglades levels, and has caused an expansion of 

cattails into the remnant Everglades. The impoundments are intended to reduce 

harmful pumping of floodwater into the Everglades and will reduce the draw 

from the Everglades system during dry times. The Acceler8 program will 

construct the C-9 and C-11 impoundments. In 2006, these two projects were 

added to the Long Term-Plan, thereby allowing the use of the Everglades 

restoration dedicated funds for their implementation. See Chapter 8 of this 

volume for discussion of the Long-Term Plan revision and Chapter 13 for 

discussion of the Everglades restoration dedicated funds. 

• The WCA-3A/3B Seepage Management Area is planned to reduce the seepage of 

low nutrient water out of WCA-3 by creating a hydrologic barrier along its 

eastern perimeter. The Acceler8 program will construct the WCA-3A/3B 

Seepage Management Area. 

• The ENP Seepage Management Project is expected to reduce the seepage of 

low-nutrient water out of ENP by modifying the levee that borders the eastern 

side of the Park. 

Everglades Sheetflow Enhancement. Many projects are proposed to increase amounts of 

water into the Everglades and enhance sheetflow, including Flow to Northwest and Central 

WCA-3A, Flows to Eastern WCA, WCA-2B Flows to the ENP, and South Miami-Dade Reuse. 

However, two projects may have the largest effect on restoring sheetflow: 

• The C-111 Spreader Canal Project includes modifications to the C-111 Canal in 

the southern Everglades and Model Lands, allowing for rehydration of this 

area and more natural sheetflow. Depending on the availability of funds, the 

Acceler8 program will construct the initial phase or the entire C-111 Spreader 

Canal Project. 

• WCA-3 Decompartmentalization and Sheetflow Enhancement, referred to as 

Decomp, will be implemented in stages and coordinated to complement the 

Modified Water Deliveries to ENP (Mod Waters) Project (a CERP Foundation 

project). The first part of Decomp supports elevating a section of eastern 

Tamiami Trail to increase the potential for sheetflow. Later phases of the 

Decomp project include moving the main conveyance for urban water supply out 

of the central Everglades. Canals and levees inside WCA-3 are modified or 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

removed, and the North New River Canal is improved to take water to the urban 

areas on the coast. These changes increase the potential for natural sheetflow 

through the central Everglades WCA-3 and ENP, and reduce unnatural 

discontinuities in the landscape. 

Increased Everglades Spatial Extent. Some projects will acquire natural lands and restore 

them to increase the spatial extent of the Everglades. These include Biscayne Bay Coastal 

Wetlands Project (Acceler8 project), Southern Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed 

(CREW) Project, the Picayune Strand Restoration Project (Acceler8 project), the Imperial River 

Flow-Way, Winsburg Farms Wetland Restoration, the C-111 Spreader Canal Project (Acceler8 

project), the Strazzulla Wetlands Restoration Project (acquired), the Bird Drive Recharge Area, 

and four IRL projects: North Fork, Cypress Creek, Pal Mar Complex, and Allapattah. Many of 

these projects also perform functions with respect to water flow and water quality, as well as 

spatial extent. 

Protection of Everglades Water Quality. Protection of water quality in South Florida is 

under the jurisdiction of the state of Florida, pursuant to the Everglades Forever Act, 

[EFA, Section 373.4922, Florida Statutes (F.S.)], which has taken steps independent of CERP, 

such as the implementation of the Everglades Construction Project (ECP), to improve the quality 

of water in the natural system. Nevertheless, CERP contributes to protecting water quality by 

means of the construction of STAs and impoundments. For the Everglades region, eight CERP 

projects include construction of storage and STAs: C-11 Canal Impoundment, C-9 Impoundment, 

Central Lake Belt Storage Areas, Big Cypress/L-28 Interceptor Modifications, Miccosukee 

Water Management Plan, Acme Basin B Discharge, Seminole Tribe Water Conservation Plan, 

and C-111 North Spreader Canal.

Southern Estuaries 

Estuaries and the lands surrounding them are places of transition from land to sea, and from 

fresh water to salt water. Estuaries are critical for the survival of many species and are among the 

most biologically productive ecosystems on our planet. Tens of thousands of birds, mammals, 

fish, and other wildlife depend on estuarine habitats as places to live, feed, and reproduce. 

Estuaries provide ideal spots for migratory birds to rest and refuel during their journeys. Many 

species of fish and shellfish rely on the sheltered waters of estuaries as protected places to spawn, 

literally, nurseries of the sea. More than two-thirds of the fish and shellfish humans consume 

spend some part of their lives in estuaries. 

Besides serving as important habitat for wildlife, the wetlands that fringe many estuaries also 

perform other valuable functions. Water draining from the uplands carries sediments, nutrients, 

and other pollutants. As the water flows through freshwater and saltwater marshes, much of the 

sediments and pollutants are filtered out. This filtration process creates cleaner and clearer water, 

which benefits both people and marine life. Wetland plants and soils act as a natural buffer 

between the land and ocean, absorbing flood waters and dissipating storm surges. This protects 

upland organisms as well as valuable real estate from storm and flood damage. 

Seagrass beds are a key component of South Florida estuarine ecosystems, providing 

critical food and habitat for shrimp, fish, and other organisms. Seagrass beds also stabilize 

sediments, thus promoting clear water and helping to minimize algal blooms. Freshwater inflow 

patterns — specifically, quantity, timing, and spatial distribution — affect salinity, nutrients, and 

light, which in turn influence seagrass species composition, abundance, and spatial distribution. 

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The southern estuaries include Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and the southwestern mangrove 

coast. These estuaries are a connected system of wetlands and lagoons where fresh water leaving 

the Everglades mixes with salt water. Florida Bay covers a triangular area of 2,200 square 

kilometers at the southern tip of Florida between the Everglades and the Florida Keys. About 80 

percent of this estuary is within the ENP and it is classified as an Outstanding Florida Water. The 

Bay is shallow, with an average depth of about three feet and most of the Bay’s bottom is covered 

by seagrass, which is habitat for many invertebrate and fish species. 

Biscayne Bay, located along the southeastern coast of Miami-Dade County, varies 

considerably in width, depth, water quality, and degree of connectedness to the open marine 

waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Bay’s width ranges from several hundred meters in the 

northern end to over nine miles in the south-central regions and in depth from less than 3 feet in 

tidal areas to over 40 feet in dredged ship channels. The central and southern portions of Biscayne 

Bay comprise much of Biscayne National Park, and Card Sound and Barnes Sound are part of the 

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. All of these areas are designated as Outstanding Florida 

Waters. 

CAUSE OF DECLINE OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN FLORIDA AND 

BISCAYNE BAYS 

Manmade changes to the quality, quantity, timing, and duration of freshwater inflows to the 

Southern Estuaries have changed the circulation and salinity patterns. These changes in 

circulation and salinity patterns have altered the structure and function of estuarine ecosystems. 

Starting in the late 1980s, a series of ecological changes to Florida Bay was apparent and 

included widespread seagrass die-off, the occurrence of algal booms, and high turbidity in what 

had been clear waters, widespread mortality of sponges, and decreases in some other 

invertebrates and fish species. It is thought that historical decreases in freshwater inflow from the 

Everglades and resultant increases in salinity have contributed to these ecological changes. 

Florida Bay is plagued by the occurrence of turbid water in many parts of the Bay. In the 

eastern Bay, most of this turbidity is caused by re-suspended sediments, while turbidity in the 

central and western parts of the Bay is caused by re-suspended sediments and algal blooms. 

Sediment re-suspension and associated turbidity is strongly affected by seagrass density. 

The dense monoculture of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) that existed in Florida Bay prior to 

die-off in the 1980s resulted in clear water, but this condition is not considered natural and so is 

not a restoration target. Rather, the target of moderate and diverse seagrass cover will likely be 

associated with moderate turbidity and light penetration. 

Historically, fresh water flowed eastward overland from the Everglades to the Bay through 

natural sloughs and rivers and as groundwater through the Biscayne Aquifer. During the last 

century, this pattern was altered by regional drainage, canal construction and operation, and urban 

development, as well as by construction of roads, levees, and other barriers to surface flow. 

Because of these alterations, the Bay now receives freshwater inflow from canals, minor overland 

flows, and groundwater. 

Water quality within Biscayne Bay varies from poor in deep areas with heavy pollutant 

loading and little mixing, to good in the east-central areas where there is little overland pollution 

and high exchange with marine waters. Parts of the Bay are subject to rapid shifts in salinity and 

nutrients from canal flows. As the rapid pulse of fresh canal water moves into the Bay, it can 

harm or even kill plants, bottom-dwelling invertebrates, and fish and shrimp. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

HOW CERP WILL HELP TO RESTORE THE SOUTHERN ESTUARIES 

The restoration of a natural volume, distribution, and timing of freshwater inputs to Florida 

Bay is expected to provide salinity patterns that will sustain seagrass beds covering most of the 

Bay bottom. The northeast portions of the Bay are expected to experience less abrupt and less 

extreme decreases in salinity, while hypersaline conditions are expected to be less frequent, less 

extreme, and less extensive in the central and western parts of the Bay. 

Seagrass recovery is expected to include decreased dominance by turtle grass and more cover 

by a mix of turtle grass and shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) through most of the Bay, and the 

expansion of widgeon (Ruppia maritima) grass near the northern coastline. The recovery of 

seagrass beds in combination with restored salinity regimes is expected to enhance nursery 

ground habitat values, as indicated by increased populations of juvenile pink shrimp, juvenile 

spotted seatrout, and other fish species that inhabit seagrass beds. Recovery of seagrass beds 

should sequester nutrients and stabilize sediments to reduce algal blooms and turbidity in areas of 

Florida Bay that have experienced seagrass die-off. CERP will benefit the nearshore plant and 

animal communities of southern Biscayne Bay, including Barnes and Card Sounds. 

Increased freshwater inflows to the Bay through the tidal creeks and herbaceous marshes of 

the South Dade Wetlands are expected to lower salinity at mouths of the creeks to levels 

favorable for establishment of more estuarine salinity patterns supporting seagrass beds and 

oyster beds in nearshore areas that presently do not support seagrasses or oysters. The delivery of 

fresh water to the Bay across the South Dade Wetlands should reduce the accompanying nutrient 

inputs and establishment of more natural inflow patterns is expected to restore oyster bars and 

estuarine fish communities and to increase densities of juvenile pink shrimp in the nearshore 

environment of southern Biscayne Bay. 

Many CERP projects are intended to contribute to the improvements described above. 

Additional storage reservoirs and more than 50,000 acres of STAs will be constructed to improve 

the quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of water to the Everglades system and to the 

Southern Estuaries. Flows into Florida Bay should be improved by the WCA-3 Decomp Project, 

which will allow greater sheetflow through WCA-3B into the ENP. The CERP Mod Waters 

precursor project also should modify water deliveries to ENP and Florida Bay by increasing 

sheetflow to Shark River Slough. 

As currently envisioned, the C-111 Spreader Canal Project (Acceler8 project) is anticipated to 

increase the annual volume of water that sheetflows to northeast Florida Bay by increasing 

deliveries to Taylor Slough in the Park and by reducing seepage into the lower C-111 Canal. 

The Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project (Acceler8 project) should significantly reduce 

the harmful effect of existing point-source discharges to Biscayne Bay. Former wetland areas will 

be acquired and restored near the Bay and water will be spread across a broad front into the Bay. 

This is expected to restore a more natural salinity regime in coastal tidal wetlands. 

Water Supply and Flood Protection 

Nearly six million people live in South Florida, with most residing in a narrow band along the 

lower east coast. The District provides regional water supply to the people of South Florida by 

storing water in canals, the WCAs located west of the developed lower east coast, and Lake 

Okeechobee. Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties are collectively referred 

to as the Lower East Coast Service Area for the purposes of water supply. 

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In addition to its urban population, South Florida supports nearly one million acres of 

agricultural lands devoted mainly to sugar cane, citrus, vegetables, and plant nurseries. A large, 

mostly agricultural service area, called the Lake Okeechobee Service Area as it is centered on the 

Lake, provides water supply to the EAA, the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Basins, and the 

Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Brighton and Big Cypress reservations. The C&SF Project’s system 

of canals and water management structures also provides flood protection for people and farms.

PROBLEMS WITH WATER SUPPLY AND FLOOD PROTECTION 

In 1948, the U.S. Congress authorized the C&SF Project to help protect the roughly 500,000 

people who were then living in South Florida from the effects of hurricanes, floods, droughts, and 

fires. The massive water management system was built to address flood protection and provide 

water to people and agricultural lands. When the project was designed in the early 1950s and 

built in the late 1950s to early 1970s, it was estimated that two million people might be living in 

South Florida by 2000. Today’s population is three times the number that the project was 

designed to serve. 

From 1971 to 2001, South Florida experienced eight years of drought caused by too little 

rainfall; in six of these years, water shortage restrictions were declared. Water shortage 

restrictions can cause economic hardship to people living in cities as well as on farms. 

Conversely, storm events like the No-Name Storm and Hurricane Irene in 1999 caused 

extensive flood damage. During the 2004 hurricane season, four hurricanes struck South Florida, 

and Lake Okeechobee water levels rose by 5.5 feet in only six weeks. These events reinforce the 

need for upgrades to the aging infrastructure of the C&SF Project. South Florida’s growth, 

enabled in part by the drainage system, has impacted the natural environment and forever 

changed the region’s landscape. 

The rapid increase in population has intensified demands for water supply and changed 

historical land uses, as open areas such as uplands, wetlands and agricultural areas, are converted 

to development. The loss of open areas to soak up and store South Florida’s normally abundant 

rainfall means more water is shunted off to tide to provide flood protection to new development 

and less water remains stored in the system for use in dry times. 

These factors strain the C&SF Project’s ability to perform its intended functions of flood 

protection; water supply for people, agriculture, and industry; preventing salt water from seeping 

into the fresh groundwater of the Biscayne aquifer; supplying water to the ENP; and protecting 

fish and wildlife.

HOW CERP WILL HELP WATER SUPPLY AND FLOOD PROTECTION 

As CERP projects are built, they should capture water now lost to the ocean and gulf and 

store it in wetlands, reservoirs, and underground wells. More water is intended to be delivered to 

the WCAs, which should lead to greater seepage into the underlying aquifers. Water storage areas 

will increase aquifer recharge and the amount of fresh water available for both the natural and 

human environments. Increasing the storage capacity through CERP is expected to lessen water 

restrictions for the people of South Florida and reduce competition for water between people and 

the natural system. CERP will help to meet the State of Florida’s planning goal for people’s needs 

while also meeting existing and future municipal, industrial, and agricultural water supply 

requirements in the region during 1-in-10-year drought events. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Added water storage capacity is intended to provide water managers with more flexibility in 

moving water through the C&SF project area. Not only should water supplies be enhanced, but 

flood protection maintained, and in some cases improved.

Acceler8 

Acceler8, a major initiative for Everglades restoration, was launched in FY2005 to accelerate 

the pace of funding, design, and construction for eight environmental restoration projects. Seven 

of the ten congressionally authorized CERP components are included in this initiative. 

These components were recommended to Congress for initial authorization because the 

scientists and engineers engaged in the Central and South Florida Comprehensive Review Study 

(Restudy) considered that they would provide immediate and significant restoration benefits. The 

eight CERP components authorized by Congress that will be constructed entirely or in part by 

Acceler8 are the: 

• C-44 Basin Storage Reservoir 

• EAA Storage Reservoir – Phase 1 

• Site 1 Impoundment (to be dedicated as the Fran Reich Preserve) 

• WCA-3A/3B Levee Seepage Management 

• C-9 Impoundment and STA – recently added to the Long-Term Plan 

• C-11 Impoundment and STA – recently added to the Long-Term Plan 

• C-111 N Spreader Canal 

• Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough STAs Project 

(initially authorized by Congress in WRDA 2000 and to be funded by LOER) 

In addition, the Acceler8 initiative will advance restoration benefits by constructing the 

following projects: 

• Acme Basin B Discharge Project – programmatic authorization in WRDA 2000 

and recently added to the Long-Term Plan 

• Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project - Phase I 

• Picayune Strand Restoration Project (formerly Southern Golden Gate Estates) 

• C-43 West Reservoir Project 

• Three STA expansions in the Everglades Agricultural Area as part of the 

Long-Term Plan 

These Acceler8 projects will greatly increase the spatial extent of wetlands in the South 

Florida ecosystem. Acceler8 projects will restore approximately 100,000 acres of drained 

wetlands and will enhance many hundreds of thousands of acres in the WCAs and ENP. 

The District will finance project construction with Certificates of Participation (COPs) 

revenue bonding. This innovative financing plan marks the first time in the nation that COPs will 

be used for environmental restoration purposes. The financing and expediting of these projects 

will alleviate future increases in construction and labor costs. 

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CERP Planning, Implementation and Reporting 

Recommended final PIRs are complete for two important CERP projects, IRL – South and 

Picayune Strand (Southern Golden Gate Estates) Hydrologic Restoration. After Congressional 

authorization, these projects will move into the detailed design and construction phases, although 

the District has started early construction on both projects through Acceler8. 

The original CERP implementation schedule described in Section 10 of the Restudy was 

based on the knowledge, experience, and requirements at that time. All CERP projects have been 

prioritized and banded into five-year time frames in the Master Implementation Sequencing Plan 

(MISP) 1.0 version released in April 2005 (see http://www.evergladesplan.org/pm/misp.cfm). 

The MISP includes the sequencing and scheduling of all CERP projects, including pilot projects 

and operational elements, based on the best scientific, technical, funding, contracting, and other 

information available. This will ensure that projects are implemented cost-effectively, yielding 

benefits to the natural environment as quickly as possible. 

CERP is a $10.8 billion mission spanning 30 years and involving many levels of government 

and stakeholders. Management agreements, processes and guidance documents are in place to 

ensure that the goals of CERP are met. Implementation of program-level management activities, 

including adaptive assessment and monitoring, are ongoing. The success of CERP relies on 

outreach and partnering with stakeholders and communities, as well as coordination among 

CERP, Acceler8 and other projects affecting the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The public is 

engaged in CERP implementation through public meetings, special events, and the distribution of 

creative print and electronic products. Extra efforts are made to involve minority and low-income 

communities and those with limited English proficiency, and to communicate CERP contracting 

opportunities to small and minority-owned businesses. 

The CERP Annual Report is required to provide oversight and accountability for financial 

commitments under the Everglades restoration section and to record progress in CERP 

implementation, in accordance with Section 373.470(7), F.S., as amended during 2005. The 

District, in cooperation with the FDEP, which conserves and manages Florida's natural resources 

and enforces the state's environmental laws, prepares the CERP Annual Report. 

Appendix 7A-1 supplements this chapter, fulfilling the statutory requirements and including 

CERP financial data and information on the progress of CERP implementation for FY2006. The 

document includes information on the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund, the Land 

Acquisition Trust Fund, the Preservation 2000 Trust Fund, the Florida Forever Trust Fund, and 

the Save Our Everglades Trust Fund, as well as and other named funds or accounts for the 

acquisition or construction of project components, features or facilities that benefit CERP. This 

report also identifies state and local sponsor revenues and itemizes expenditures related to CERP 

implementation. It describes the purpose for which the funds were expended, provides the 

unencumbered fund balance remaining for implementation of CERP, and provides a schedule of 

anticipated expenditures for the next fiscal year. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

FY2006 HIGHLIGHTS 

The goal of CERP is twofold: to restore, preserve, and protect South Florida’s ecosystem; and 

to provide for other water-related needs of the region, including water supply and flood 

protection. Strategies for achieving this goal include implementing the expedited Acceler8 

initiative, continuing to acquire necessary land, and completing Project Implementation Reports 

(PIRs). Some highlights of CERP implementation for this annual update are presented below. 

• Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir. The FDEP and the District broke ground 

in August on this Acceler8 project, which will be one of the world’s largest 

constructed reservoirs. The EAA Reservoir, the District’s flagship project, is 

designed to hold 62 billion gallons of water, which is vital to the restoration process 

for controlling water releases, and for flood protection and wildlife habitat 

restoration. 

• Everglades Agricultural Area Regional Feasibility Study. This investigation of 

alternatives for balancing flows and loads within the EAA to optimize the 

performance of the existing and expanded STAs was completed. 

• No New Water Resources Development Act Bill. Although the U.S. Senate made 

strides toward WRDA reauthorization in 2006, congress adjourned without passing a 

WRDA bill. Thus, neither final authorization nor funding was realized for 

construction of two key restoration projects: the IRL – South Restoration Project and 

the Picayune Strand Restoration Project. 

• Picayune Strand (Southern Golden Gate Estates) Hydrologic Restoration.

Demolition and construction activities are under way at 160 properties within the 

Acceler8 Picayune Strand Project. Roadways are being removed and the remaining 

five miles of the Prairie Canal are being plugged to restore natural water flows and 

enhance and expand wetlands in Florida’s southwest region. 

• Land Acquisitions. Key land acquisitions during FY2006 include 62 acres for the 

Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project; 12,000 acres for the C-44 Reservoir and 

STA Project; and 321.95 acres for the C-111 Spreader Canal Project. 

• C-43 (Caloosahatchee River) West Storage Reservoir. In July, less than three 

months after breaking ground on the Acceler8 C-43 West Storage Reservoir Project, 

the District completed two 28-acre test cell reservoirs. The C-43 test cells will 

provide data that will guide design and construction of the reservoir, which, when 

complete, is intended to protect the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary by storing 

local stormwater runoff and freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee. 

• C-44 (St. Lucie River) Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area. The District 

started construction of the Acceler8 C-44 Reservoir and STA in March, and by July, 

the test cells were complete and holding 92 ac-ft (30 million gallons) of water. Tours 

were offered to media, local governments, and the community. 

• Stormwater Treatment Areas Expansion. Construction began in February on three 

treatment wetlands being completed as part of the Long-Term Plan under the 

Acceler8 initiative. 

• Acme Basin B Discharge. In June, the District broke ground on this fourth 

Acceler8 project in six months. The Acme Basin B Project, which became part of the 

Long-Term Plan in 2006, was expected to be flow-capable on schedule in 

December 2006. 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

• Certificates of Participation. In February, a state circuit court judge formally 

approved the District’s plan to use COPs to finance Acceler8 projects. In July, the 

COPs series 2006 received ratings of Aa3, AA+, and AA- from Moody’s Investor 

Services, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings, respectively. 

• North Palm Beach County – Part 1 Project. Construction of the G-161 Structure 

restoring a historic connection between the Grassy Waters Preserve and the 

Loxahatchee Slough and C-18 Canal, and construction is proceeding at the L-8 

Reservoir to store water discharged from the L-8 basin. 

• Construction of Critical Restoration Projects (CRPs). Reservoirs and STAs have 

been constructed in the Taylor Creek, Nubbin Slough, and Ten Mile Creek basins. 

Culverts have been installed under the Tamiami Trail, south of the Picayune Strand 

CERP project. Pumps and divide structures have been constructed in the C-11 basin 

in Broward County to improve the quality of water being pumped to the Everglades. 

The first phase of dredging to improve water quality in Lake Trafford was completed 

during FY2006. 

• CERP Project Implementation Reports. CERP PIRs are completed and are being 

processed. The IRL – South PIR and Picayune Strand Hydrologic Restoration PIR 

await congressional action. The Broward WPAs, Site 1 Reservoir, Acme Basin B, 

and EAA Reservoir PIRs are drafted and under USACE review. These planning 

efforts support the Acceler8 initiative. 

• Hillsboro ASR Pilot Project. Construction started in May on the Hillsboro ASR 

Pilot Project, and scheduled for completion in October 2006. This project is designed 

to recharge and recover approximately 5 million gallons of treated water per day. 

• Lake Okeechobee ASR Pilot Project. The USACE and the District celebrated the 

Lake Okeechobee ASR Pilot Project with a groundbreaking in June. These ASR 

wells will be able to store up to five million gallons of water per day. 

• C-111 Spreader Canal. Acquisition of all lands necessary to build the Acceler8 

phase of construction was completed in FY2006. The Acceler8 phase of the project is 

intended to increase the annual volume of water that sheetflows to northeast Florida 

Bay via Taylor Slough. The subsequent phase of the project will focus on increasing 

hydroperiods of the wetlands of the southern Everglades, including the Model Lands, 

and on further reducing damaging pulse releases of freshwater to Manatee Bay and 

Barnes Sound. 

• Cultural Resources. When District crews digging a borrow pit discovered the 

massive bones of an ancient giant sloth and other fossils, construction in that section 

was stopped and moved elsewhere to keep the Acceler8 STA project on schedule. 

• Exotic and Invasive Species. Nonindigenous plant species such as Melaleuca have 

destroyed freshwater prairies, changed bird populations, and displaced animals in the 

Everglades. Likewise, non-native animals are an increasing threat to Everglades rare 

and endangered species. A Project Management Plan for an Invasive Species Master 

Plan is being prepared. 

• CERP 2005 Report to Congress. This first in a series of periodic reports fulfilling 

requirements of WRDA 2000 was completed and approved for submittal to the 

U.S. Congress. This report provides an update on the progress of CERP over the first 

five-year period of its implementation. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

• Site 1 Impoundment (Fran Reich Preserve) Final Project Implementation 

Report. This decision document was completed in May 2006 and was the first CERP 

PIR to pass the USACE Civil Works Review Board. Site 1 includes an impoundment, 

seepage management system, improvements to the Hillsboro Canal and L-40 levee 

and recreational features. This project site will be designated as the Fran Reich 

Preserve, as authorized by the 2006 Florida legislature. 

• Lake Okeechobee Watershed. The Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project is 

progressing under a tight schedule to meet the potential 2008 WRDA authorization. 

Performance evaluation of ten watershed alternatives was completed, and three 

final alternatives were selected in January. The Tentatively Selected Plan was 

identified in August. 

• National Research Council Report to Congress. In September, the National 

Research Council’s Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades 

Restoration Progress released a 200-page mandated report to Congress documenting 

an in-depth independent review of Everglades restoration progress 

(http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=95). The report 

commends the state for Everglades and Kissimmee River restoration achievements, 

including accelerated funding and project implementation, sound science, land 

acquisition, and phosphorus control, while noting that the federal government has 

moved slower with project funding and delayed execution. 

• Feasibility Studies. Development of the Southwest Florida Feasibility Study and the 

Florida Bay/Florida Keys Feasibility Studies continued during FY2006. These 

studies will investigate conceptual designs and make regional recommendations for 

meeting the future needs of agricultural, urban and environmental users. This 

includes determining the modifications needed to successfully restore and protect the 

water quality and ecological conditions of the Florida Bay/Florida Keys reef tract. 

• Outreach and Public Involvement. In April, middle schools received a new guide, 

Everglades – An American Treasure, that brings to life the interconnected 

Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades watershed and the unprecedented efforts 

under way to restore the ecosystem. A colorful companion poster was prepared for 

distribution in the new school year, and the Philippe Cousteau Foundation filmed a 

companion video in the summer of 2006. 

• Workforce Training Program. A collaborative effort to position trainees for job 

opportunities on Acceler8 construction projects graduated its first students with 

introductory skills in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, and construction site safety. 

The District, USACE, and their partners are pursuing a long-term vision for the restoration of 

the South Florida ecosystem. The first step is to complete the CERP Foundation Projects, 

including the Mod Waters Project and Modifications to the C-111 Project (non-CERP project). 

Information on CERP Foundation Projects is provided in the Discussion section below. 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

DISCUSSION 

ACCELER8 

Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 

In August, Governor Jeb Bush and FDEP Secretary Colleen Castille joined local, state, and 

federal leaders to break ground on one of the largest reservoirs in the world. When completed in 

2010, the first component of the EAA Reservoir — also the largest of the Acceler8 reservoirs and 

a flagship project of this program — will cover 25 square miles and provide 190,000 ac-ft 

(62 billion gallons) of water storage. The reservoir, which will be constructed on a 16,700-acre 

parcel in western Palm Beach County just west of U.S. 27, is intended to provide alternative 

storage for Lake Okeechobee water, reducing harmful discharges to the St. Lucie and 

Caloosahatchee estuaries optional, allowing the Lake to be maintained at lower stages, and 

improving the performance of existing STAs that deliver water to the Everglades. Water storage 

is a key element in the restoration process, not only for controlling water releases, but also for 

flood protection and wildlife habitat restoration. 

C-44 (St. Lucie River) Reservoir and STA 

The C-44 Reservoir is a feature of the IRL – South CERP project. In July 2006, the FDEP, 

the District, and Martin County leaders celebrated the milestone completion of two four-acre 

test cell reservoirs. The data generated by the test cells will be used to design the $330 million, 

3,400-acre C-44 Reservoir and STA project. This project is expected to improve water quality, 

revitalize wildlife habitat, and improve the ecological health of the St. Lucie Estuary and IRL. 

Picayune Strand Restoration 

District Acceler8 construction commenced in FY2006 on the Picayune Strand Hydrologic 

Restoration Project, and two miles of newly filled canals already are reducing freshwater 

drainage, elevating groundwater levels, and replenishing wetlands. Engineering and design 

progressed during the year and remediation of test cells to identify the most effective method of 

removing pesticides from the soil of abandoned sites has been completed. The plan directs the 

removal of 227 miles of roads and filling in of canals to re-create natural water flows. Newly 

updated computer models suggest that the protection levee system may not have to be as 

extensive as previously thought. 

An independent engineering review of the Picayune project prompted analysis of the need for 

three pump stations slated for construction along the Miller, Merritt, and Faka-Union canals at the 

point where canal filling begins. Building one large pump station instead of three smaller ones 

may reduce noise, construction-related disturbances, and the number of access roads. Updated 

pump station and levee plans have been presented to local communities, along with model runs 

that demonstrate how improving water flow beneath U.S. 41 will alleviate flooding concerns. 

Another important change is to the Picayune project’s spreader canal, which is designed to 

route water across the land, but has never been tried on such a large scale for the sake of 

restoration. The original plan would have allowed water to seek its own course, potentially 

carving channels in undesirable places. The newly proposed plan will notch the south levee in 

low areas to direct flows to areas where water once coursed naturally. Portions of the flood 

protection components and spreader system are scheduled to be constructed in late 2007. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

C-43 (Caloosahatchee River) West Storage Reservoir 

A celebration in February recognized construction of the C-43 Reservoir test cells. By July, 

two 29-acre test cell reservoirs were completed to provide information to guide design and 

construction of the $338 million project. The data include local seepage, embankment placement, 

grading techniques and other technical details needed for optimum final design of the full-scale 

reservoir, which will store up to 170,000 ac-ft of water. When complete, the reservoir is expected 

to protect the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary by capturing and storing local stormwater runoff 

and freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee. 

STA Expansions in the Everglades Agricultural Area 

In February, State Representative Richard Machek and FDEP Secretary Colleen Castille 

joined local officials and environmental scientists to break ground on three Long-Term Plan 

projects that will further improve water quality in America’s Everglades. Three treatment 

wetlands are being expanded, which will increase treatment capacity to more than one-half 

million ac-ft of water per year. 

As part of the Acceler8 initiative, expansions of STA-2 in Palm Beach County and STA-5 

and STA-6 in Hendry County will add more than 6,000 acres to the existing 40,000 acres of 

treatment wetlands that are helping to achieve state water quality standards. STA-2 will be 

expanded by about 2,000 acres, STA-6 by about 1,400 acres and STA-5 by about 2,500 acres. 

These and future expansions of the EAA STAs are expected to significantly increase the 

treatment area and enhance the performance of existing STAs. 

C-111 Spreader Canal 

The District launched a $40 million diversion of the C-111 Canal that is anticipated to 

increase the annual volume of sheetflow to northeast Florida Bay by increasing deliveries to 

Taylor Slough and by reducing seepage into the lower C-111 Canal. 

In February, the District’s Governing Board approved a location for a U.S. 1 bridge that the 

FDOT had agreed to construct as part of the Eighteen Mile Stretch widening project. The 

approved location would support the originally proposed central canal alignment should it 

ultimately be reconnected as the selected alternative plan. The District and the USACE are 

evaluating alternative canal routes to optimize costs and environmental benefits. 

Land Acquisition 

Lands acquisition is a critical component of CERP. The cost of CERP lands has increased 

over the past ten years from a few thousand dollars per acre to, in some cases, $30,000 per acre. 

An early acquisition program, averaging 23,000 acres per year, has resulted in the acquisition of 

approximately 55 percent, or 212,189 acres, of the land needed for CERP. During FY2006, 

18,294 acres were purchased for CERP Projects at a total cost of $275.7 million. As of the end of 

FY2006, 96 percent of Acceler8 project lands had been acquired. By the end of FY2007, all 

128,289 acres identified for Acceler8 project should be acquired. 

Significant recent purchases include 62 acres ($10.9 million) for the Acceler8 Biscayne 

Bay Coastal Wetlands Project in Miami-Dade County; 12,000 acres ($168 million) for the 

Acceler8 C-44 Reservoir and STA project, purchased with $27 million from Martin County and 

several other sources; and 321.95 acres to complete acquisition of all lands necessary to build the 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

Acceler8 phase of the C-111 Spreader Canal project. Future partnerships may help to fund the 

purchase of additional land for CERP projects. Additional information on CERP land acquisitions 

is contained in Volume II, Chapter 6. 

Certificates of Participation To Fund Acceler8 

In February 2006, a state circuit court judge formally approved the District’s plan to use 

COPs to finance Acceler8 projects. This bond validation hearing moved the agency closer to 

putting its innovative financing plan into place, and marks the first time in the nation that COPs 

will be used for environmental restoration purposes. This action paves the way for financing of 

other restoration initiatives around the country. In July, the COP series 2006 received ratings 

of Aa3, AA+, and AA- from the Moody’s Investor Services, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch rating 

agencies, respectively. A bond insurance wrap from Ambac raised the rating of the COPs to 

Aaa/AAA/AAA. 

On October 25, 2006 (in FY2007, nonetheless reported in this FY2006 report), the District’s 

inaugural Acceler8 financing consisting of $546 million, Series 2006 Certificates of Participation 

(COPs) was successfully offered in the primary market through Citigroup Global Markets in New 

York City. Most of the more than $500 million of capital was raised during a two-hour order 

period. Strong early sales resulted in an additional $26 million raised for Everglades restoration, 

above and beyond the COPs' total par value of $546 million. 

COPs will be used to fund eight accelerated Everglades restoration projects (Acceler8) and 

considered critical to the overall revitalization of this fragile ecosystem. Borrowing the money 

early will help to avoid inevitable increases in construction materials and labor costs over the life 

of these key projects. 

Job Training 

The scope of the Acceler8 construction program, along with proposed FDOT roadway 

construction projects is expected to create a shortage in skilled construction workers. As part of 

an expanded business outreach initiative, the District launched a job-training program to assist 

unemployed workers and small and local businesses to benefit from the Acceler8 program. The 

District collaborated with local agencies and Palm Beach County Community College to sponsor 

workforce-training programs to position trainees for job opportunities on Acceler8 projects. 

Programs are in place in Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay, and are planned for LaBelle. 

May 2006 saw the first graduation ceremony in Belle Glade. Students in the first Introduction to 

Construction class gained skills in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, and rigging, and learned about 

construction site safety. Partnering with agencies such as Workforce Alliance and the Palm Beach 

County School Board has helped the District to offer this training at a low cost to the students. 

The District is reaching out to small business owners for services including removal of 

vegetation from thousands of acres of former agricultural land to make way for Acceler8 

reservoirs and other facilities. Contractors are being sought to perform demolition work, ditch 

digging, fence building, concrete placement, and other construction activities. Large construction 

contracts will be divided into portions to allow small businesses the opportunity to participate. 

For larger projects, the District will work directly with local businesses to ensure their 

opportunity to participate as contractors or sub-contractors. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Cultural Resource Issues 

Surveys conducted in several locations where CERP restoration is planned have revealed the 

presence of archeological sites, some of which are substantial. Studies indicate that the sawgrass 

plains south of Lake Okeechobee, now the EAA, were a transitional area historically used for 

canoe travel and tribal encampments. To protect Indian artifacts and archaeological finds, the 

District engages a consultant to monitor restoration projects and ensure that artifacts unearthed 

during construction are salvaged or preserved. 

In April, prehistoric sloth bones were discovered by District crews digging a borrow pit in a 

field that had been part of the original Everglades. The construction activities within this 

Acceler8 STA project, was stopped and moved to another site to keep the project on schedule. 

Less than two weeks later, paleontologists excavated half the skeleton of one giant sloth and 

bones of another. Among the find were mixed the bones and teeth of prehistoric deer, horses, 

dugong and turtles. The Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida in Gainesville is 

analyzing the fossils, along with sediments from the site. 

CERP PROJECT PLANNING AND PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES 

National Academies Research Council Report to Congress 

Progress has been made in developing the scientific basis and management structures needed 

to support the massive effort to restore the Florida Everglades ecosystem, but some projects 

important to the restoration have experienced delays. This is affirmed by a new report from the 

National Research Council. 

As required by WRDA 2000, the Research Council, which is the principal operating agency 

of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, submitted its 

first formal report about the progress that the state and District have made. The National 

Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National 

Research Council comprise the National Academies. They are private, non-profit institutions that 

provide science, technology, and health policy advice under congressional charter. 

The Academies’ panel of internationally known experts noted these and many other state 

contributions to Everglades restoration progress: 

• State funding of $1.8 billion for Acceler8 projects 

• Sound science to support restoration projects, including an “impressive array of 

hydrologic models” and well-executed adaptive management strategies 

• Early land acquisitions of more than $1 billion, thus acquiring essential sites before 

rapidly rising land prices made restoration projects cost-prohibitive 

• A successful phosphorus control program, made up of STAs and agricultural and 

urban Best Management Practices, which together have prevented almost 2,500 

metric tons of phosphorus from entering the Everglades 

• Kissimmee River Restoration, located at the headwaters of the Everglades watershed, 

noted for already showing significant benefits to the natural system 

The report also pointed to challenges with Everglades Restoration such as the Mod Waters 

Project not yet being completed and lack of fiscal resources from the federal government. 

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Scientific uncertainties also are contributing to delays in planning and authorizing projects, 

especially for projects that are complex or contentious, the report observes. But the restoration's 

scientific program is of high quality, the committee said, finding no uncertainty so significant that 

it should stand in the way of progress. To help move the effort forward while resolving critical 

scientific unknowns, CERP in many cases could use an "incremental adaptive restoration" 

approach. This method takes steps toward restoration sizeable enough to secure some 

environmental benefits, but stops short of implementing an entire project at once. This approach 

would complement CERP's existing adaptive management approach, allowing scientists and 

project managers to learn how the natural system will respond to interventions and guide the 

remainder of the project's implementation. 

Governor Jeb Bush reviewed the report and affirmed that restoring the Everglades is a top 

priority for the state and that Florida is steadfastly committed to securing the future of this 

national treasure. 

CERP Five Year Report to Congress 

In September 2006, the secretaries of the Army and Interior jointly transmitted to Congress 

the Central and Southern Florida Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan 2005 Report 

(http://www.evergladesplan.org/pm/program_docs/cerp_report_congress_2005.aspx). This is the 

first in a series of periodic reports fulfilling requirements of WRDA 2000. The report updates 

members of the U.S. Congress on progress and expenditures during the first five years of CERP, 

and summarizes milestones and forecasts for requirements expected over the coming five years. 

During the first five years under CERP, the focus has been on constructing CERP Foundation 

Projects, developing PIRs, and adopting the regulations and policies that constitute the legal and 

process framework for ensuring successful restoration. 

Site 1 Impoundment (Fran Reich Preserve) 

The Site 1 Impoundment Final PIR and Environmental Assessment (EA) were completed 

in May 2006. This was the first CERP PIR to be approved by the USACE Civil Works 

Review Board. Site 1 includes an impoundment, seepage management system, improvements to 

the L-40 levee and recreational features. This project will capture about 13,280 ac-ft of runoff in 

an 8-foot deep pool. A series of canals and pump stations will cover the 1,668 acre project site, 

which the District purchased in 1995 for $8 million 

The 2006 Florida legislature designated this project the Fran Reich Preserve, to honor the 

founder of the West Boca Community Council. Before the CERP project was envisioned, Palm 

Beach County planned to build a landfill and incinerator on the site, but the plan was defeated. 

The preserve is located north of the Hillsboro Canal, South of the Loxahatchee National Wildlife 

Refuge (Refuge) and beyond the western end of Palmetto Park Road. 

ASR Pilot Projects 

CERP proposes large-scale development of ASR facilities as the preferred method for 

providing additional freshwater storage required for overall restoration success. Six ASR 

components will collectively form the proposed CERP ASR System. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

Seven broad technical uncertainties related to ASR implementation on the unprecedented 

scale proposed in CERP were previously identified by the ASR Issue Team, which was formed at 

the request of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force’s Working Group. The issues 

identified are: 

• Characterization/suitability of the quality of prospective source waters, 

and spatial and temporal variability 

• Characterization of the regional hydrogeology of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, its 

hydraulic properties, and its water quality 

• Analysis of critical pressure for rock fracturing 

• Analysis of site and regional changes in head and patterns of flow 

• Analysis of water quality changes during movement and storage in the aquifer 

• ASR potential effects on mercury bioaccumulation for South Florida ecosystem 

restoration projects 

• Relationship among ASR storage properties, recovery rates, and recharge volume 

Local-scale pilot projects and regional-scale scientific studies designed to address these issues 

are in progress. The District’s contractor started construction of the Hillsboro ASR Pilot Project 

during FY2006; and a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Lake Okeechobee ASR Pilot 

Project, which will be constructed by the USACE. Regional model runs for ASR are scheduled to 

be performed by the Interagency Modeling Center during FY2007. 

North Palm Beach County – Part 1 

Six separable elements were combined into the North Palm Beach County – Part 1 Project, 

which is designed to increase water supplies to the Grassy Waters Preserve and Loxahatchee 

Slough, and enhance the timing, flow and depth of water in the slough. Furthermore, flows to the 

Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River should be increased, and high discharges to the Lake 

Worth Lagoon should be reduced. During FY2006, construction proceeded on the G-161 

structure and widening of the M Canal project components. Dredging of organic sediment from 

the C-51 Canal, a partnership among the District, Palm Beach County, and the City of West Palm 

Beach, also began during FY2006 with the objective of improving downstream water quality in 

the Lake Worth Lagoon. 

Southwest Florida Feasibility Study 

The Southwest Florida Feasibility Study is moving forward notwithstanding federal direction 

in February 2006 to incorporate features that would reduce flooding problems and boost water 

supplies for urban and agricultural consumers. USACE headquarters sought to lessen the focus on 

environmental restoration to emphasize drainage and water supply issues. The Project Delivery 

Team (PDT) considers restoration the foremost priority. During FY2006, the feasibility study 

efforts produced a list of 115 potential restoration projects within a 4,300-square-mile area that 

includes all of Lee County; most of Collier and Hendry counties; and parts of Charlotte, Glades, 

and Monroe counties. 

In a report to the U.S. Congress during 2005, the USACE acknowledged delay of the study 

due to difficulties in obtaining and reconciling necessary water flow data for the region, and in 

developing and calibrating new hydrologic models. Because decision making depends on the 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

water flow data and modeling tools, the study’s target completion date was moved from March 

2005 to October 2008. Some of the proposals the PDT is considering in the study include: 

removal of spoil berms that are blocking water exchange with mangroves, construction of filter 

marshes, restoration of flow-ways in farm areas, return of land to its pre-development state; 

filling of ditches and canals that interrupt flows, and installation of wildlife crossings to prevent 

traffic deaths of Florida panthers. 

CERP FOUNDATION PROJECTS 

While the focus of the CERP Annual Report is on the accomplishments of CERP 

implementation, it is useful to look at the broader South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Program 

to better understand the context within which CERP exists to improve the conditions of different 

aspects of the greater Everglades ecosystem. Significant milestones have been accomplished in 

implementing these projects, some of which already are benefiting the natural system. These 

projects are discussed briefly here. 

During the planning of CERP, certain federal and state Everglades restoration efforts were 

regarded as the foundation for CERP. These Foundation Projects include: 

• Federally authorized Kissimmee River Restoration Project 

• Modified Water Deliveries to the Everglades National Park (Mod Waters) Project 

• Modifications to the C-111 Project 

• Combined Structural and Operational Plan 

• Critical Restoration Projects 

• C-51/STA-1E Project 

• State of Florida’s Everglades Construction Project 

• Invasive Plant Research Laboratory 

• Everglades Ecosystem Water Quality 

The most significant near-term efforts to restore hydrologic flows into the ENP are the 

remaining elements of the Modified Water Deliveries to ENP (Mod Waters) Project, consisting of 

the 8.5 Square Mile Area Flood Mitigation Project, construction of additional 

Conveyance/Seepage Control features, and the reconstruction of the Tamiami Trail. 

Observable benefits to the natural system and the human environment continue to accrue 

from continued implementation of the Foundation Projects. The results of backfilling just a 

portion of the Kissimmee River have proved remarkable, with project operations generating a 

return of natural flow patterns in the restored area and native flora and fauna returning in 

significant numbers. Completion of several CRPs has reduced freshwater losses from the 

Pensucco Wetlands and reduced nutrient discharges from populated areas into WCA-3A, 

improving the health of these valued wetland systems. 

While this CERP Annual Report focuses on the accomplishments of CERP implementation, 

it acknowledges the significant milestones already accomplished in implementing Foundation 

Projects, some of which already are benefiting the natural system. 

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The District, USACE, and USDOI, in partnership with other federal, state, and local agencies 

and tribal governments, are working to complete the Foundation Projects, while moving forward 

with the planning and design for construction of CERP projects, which are scheduled to be 

completed in the next five years. Accomplishments of note among the Foundation Projects are 

highlighted below. 

Kissimmee River Restoration 

The Kissimmee River and its floodplain, along with the Upper Chain of Lakes, form the 

headwaters of the greater Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades ecosystem. Historically, the river 

meandered over 100 miles from Lake Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee, through a wide 

floodplain. The river and floodplain comprised a mosaic of wetland plant communities and 

supported diverse waterfowl, wading birds, fish, and other wildlife. The goal of this project is to 

restore ecological integrity to the Kissimmee River and its floodplain ecosystem and improve 

water quality, water supply, natural resources, and flood control level of service in the Kissimmee 

Watershed. 

Building on the success of the first phase of the Kissimmee River Restoration, heavy 

equipment was mobilized during July 2006 to return another four miles of the Kissimmee River 

to its historic, meandering route. The construction is reconnecting oxbows and re-carving sections 

of the river that were lost during the 1960s. 

The first phase of construction (June 1999–February 2001) effort recreated about 15 miles of 

the meandering Kissimmee River. Approximately seven miles of the C-38 previously had been 

backfilled using dredged spoil. Construction for the second phase began at the northern end of the 

first phase of restoration and is progressing northward, eventually to backfill about 1.5 miles of 

the channelized river. Three weirs were scheduled for removal during this demonstration 

project’s second phase, scheduled for completion in October 2007. 

The total Kissimmee River Restoration Project is scheduled to be completed in four phases 

by 2012 at an estimated investment of $578 million. It is a partnership between the District and 

the USACE, with each partner providing 50 percent of the cost. The goal is to return flow to 43 

miles of the river’s historic channel and restore about 40 square miles of river and floodplain 

ecosystem. Instead of the straight, deep, and wide channel dug 40 years ago, the restored section 

of the Kissimmee River will again meander through its historic and wetland-rich floodplain, 

benefiting more than 300 species of fish and wildlife. The Kissimmee River Restoration Project is 

one of four finalists for the prestigious 2006 International Thiess River Prize award for excellence 

in river and water management. The winner of this global award for outstanding achievements in 

river repair and management will be announced in September. 

Modified Water Deliveries to Everglades National Park 

Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) and L-29 form an ecological and hydrological barrier between 

WCA-3 and ENP. Two ongoing projects have identified ways to improve hydrologic and 

ecological conditions within ENP: the Modified Water Deliveries and C-111 South Dade 

projects. These projects will help improve conveyance into ENP and provide some seepage 

control south of Tamiami Trail. The goal of Mod Waters is to improve water deliveries to Shark 

River Slough, and to restore natural hydrologic conditions of the ENP, and enhance and restore 

its ecological values. A rainfall-driven water delivery plan was developed and implemented in 

place of a minimum delivery schedule authorized by congressional mandate (Public Law 91-282). 

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The plan involves the modification of S-334, raising a portion of the Tamiami Trail, 

degrading the existing L-67 extension, and filling the accompanying borrow canal. Construction 

of three gated culvert structures, three gated concrete headwall structures, and two spillway 

structures is planned. The Mod Waters Project must be completed before the implementation of 

portions of CERP. 

The Mod Waters Project was authorized by the U.S. Congress in the Everglades National 

Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 to improve water delivery to the ENP. Heralded as 

the first Everglades restoration effort by the USACE, Mod Waters will restore more natural flow 

through the Everglades; it must be completed before the implementation of portions of CERP. 

This project authorizes modification of the C&SF Project to restore hydrologic conditions in the 

ENP, improve conditions over 190,000 acres of habitat, assist in the recovery of threatened and 

endangered species, and lay a strong foundation for future restoration efforts under CERP. To 

address concerns regarding phosphorus pollution in the Everglades, Congress enacted provisions 

in the FY2004 and FY2005 Interior Appropriations Acts that condition funding for Mod Waters 

upon meeting state water quality standards. 

Work is being carried out as three major components as follows: 

• Eight and One-Half Square Mile Area. This element will restore agricultural 

land to a more natural condition and restore the hydrologic flow regime in 8.5 

square miles of the Everglades ecosystem. The acquisition of lands required to 

construct this component has been completed, and a contract has been awarded 

for the construction of flood mitigation features. 

• Tamiami Trail. This element will raise the roadbed and bridge significant 

portions of the Shark River Slough, to significantly improve and increase the 

amount of water flowing into ENP. Redesign of this component was completed 

in January 2006. Acquisition of lands is in progress and is expected to be 

completed by December 2006. 

• Conveyance and Seepage. This element will construct features to further reduce 

seepage and return waters to ENP and provide flood control protection to 

developed areas. 

Modifications to the C-111 Project 

As the Mod Waters Project is geared to benefit the Shark River Slough, the C-111 Project in 

South Miami-Dade County will attempt to restore Taylor Slough's hydropattern, and enhance 

flood protection for protected areas east of the L-31N levee. Like the Shark River Slough, Taylor 

Slough delivers fresh water through the ENP ecosystem. The C-111 Project is a cooperative effort 

of the District and the USACE. Taylor Slough's hydropattern will be improved through a series of 

construction projects designed to send more fresh water to the slough, eastern ENP and Florida 

Bay. One permanent and three interim pump stations are complete, along with three 

detention areas, replacement of the Taylor Slough Bridge and removal of spoil mounds along the 

lower C-111. This project is expected to be completed by 2010, subject to appropriations. 

Combined Structural and Operational Plan 

The USACE Jacksonville District is developing a Combined Structural and Operating Plan 

(CSOP), with an Environmental Impact Statement, for the Mod Water and the C-111 Projects 

with the assistance of the District, ENP, and FWS. Currently, the two projects are partially 

completed and are operated in accordance with the Interim Operating Plan that was approved in 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

2002. The USACE is using the CSOP study to develop the final operating plan for the two 

projects and to recommend any necessary structural modifications. The USACE is preparing an 

Environmental Impact Statement, which should be completed under a new accelerated schedule 

in mid-2007, for the development of the CSOP for the completed Mod Waters and C-111 

Projects. 

Critical Restoration Projects 

Critical Restoration Projects (CRPs) were authorized in WRDA 1996, with modification in 

WRDA 1999, for the purpose of developing specific water quality related projects that are 

essential to the restoration of the Florida Everglades. Each project selected was expected to 

provide independent, immediate and substantial restoration, preservation and protection of the 

Florida Everglades. CRP selection criteria specifically excluded any CERP features. 

Progress was made toward completing CRPs during FY2006, including efforts on the 

following projects: 

• Lake Okeechobee Water Retention/Phosphorus Removal. Construction was 

completed on schedule for the Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough STA 

components. These STAs will reduce Lake Okeechobee Basin runoff and 

improve the water quality of tributaries flowing into the Lake. Construction for 

the 190-acre STA on Grassy Land Ranch on Taylor Creek was completed in 

FY2005, and the 780-acre Nubbin Slough STA on the former 

New Palm/Newcomer Dairy site was completed in FY2006. 

• Lake Trafford Restoration. The confined dredging disposal facility and 

base-bid dredging were completed for the Lake Trafford Restoration CRP. 

Approximately 3.5 million cubic yards of muck were dredged. Contract issues 

delayed removal of about 1 million cubic yards of additional suffocating organic 

matter along the lakeside littoral zone where aquatic vegetation and native fish 

spawning occur. The muck is easily suspended in the water column by wind and 

wave action. Nutrients in the muck feed algal blooms, which draw oxygen from 

the water, killing fish, thereby adding more nutrients to the water in a noxious 

cycle. Work stopped when low water levels prevented the District’s contractor 

from getting its massive dredge near enough to the shoreline. A dry spring 2006 

had shrunk the near-shore depths to an unworkable level. The District expected 

to award a new contract by October 2006 and to complete the Lake Trafford 

Restoration work within the subsequent year. Test plots of native vegetation may 

be planted in the newly-dredged near-shore zone in the spring of 2007. 

Appendix 7A-1 presents the status of all CRPs. More information is available on the USACE 

web site at: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/projects/index.html. 

C-51/STA-1E 

The USACE substantially completed construction of C-51/STA-1E in June 2004. 

Construction of a field-scale periphyton-based STA, a cost effective means of greatly reducing 

phosphorus levels, was scheduled for completion in 2006, followed by operation and monitoring 

at a cost of $5 million. 

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Everglades Construction Project Stormwater Treatment Areas 

The ability of wetlands to assimilate phosphorus is crucial to Everglades restoration. For this 

purpose, approximately 40,000 acres of freshwater wetlands have been constructed in 

the Everglades. These constructed wetlands (STA-1E, STA-1W, STA-2, STA-3/4, STA-5, and 

STA-6) are designed to remove excess total phosphorus from surface waters entering into the 

Everglades Protection Area. From 1994 through April 30, 2006, these STAs reduced the total 

phosphorus load that would have gone into the Everglades by over 800 metric tons. For 

information on the ECP STAs implemented pursuant to the Everglades Forever Act, refer to 

Chapter 5 of this volume. 

Invasive Plant Research Laboratory 

The development of CERP included a feature to evaluate Melaleuca Eradication and Other 

Exotic Plants, a project reported earlier in this CERP Annual Report. This feature will utilize the 

Melaleuca Quarantine Facility, a research laboratory constructed in 2005 by the USACE with 

funding from the USDOI and the District. This facility will increase the capability to evaluate 

new biological controls for use in CERP. 

Everglades Ecosystem Water Quality 

In the past decade, the state has made significant progress in improving the quality of water 

entering the Everglades. The focus of these efforts has been on reducing phosphorus levels to 

discharges in the EPA, including the Refuge, WCAs, and ENP. Measures being undertaken to 

improve the quality of water entering the Everglades are the subject of the Everglades Forever 

Act, Section 373.4592, F.S., and a 1992 Consent Decree that settled water quality litigation 

between the U.S. and Florida related to the quality of water entering federal areas. The 

Everglades Forever Act requires construction of about 45,000 acres of STAs; to complement the 

state STAs, the federal government constructed the C-51/STA-1E. Florida has established a 

numeric phosphorus criterion for the EPA of 10 parts per billion; in addition, the state has many 

Class III water quality criteria for additional parameters for the area. 

NONINDIGENOUS SPECIES 

The impact of invasive species in South Florida ecosystems is a priority for CERP, as the 

management and prevention of these species is essential in achieving regional restoration goals. 

Introduced nonindigenous species diminish and degrade ecosystem functions, disrupt public use, 

and affect overall ecological health. While past research and control efforts have primarily 

focused on invasive agricultural pests, collaborating state and federal agencies are now beginning 

to direct attention to the extensive list of invasive plant and animal species that threaten the 

distinctive natural areas of the South Florida region. 

CERP implementation must consider control and management of non-native species as a 

critical aspect of ecosystem restoration in South Florida. In support of this goal, CERP addresses 

the presence of non-native species as one of several factors that preclude any serious 

consideration of achieving true restoration of the natural system — one in which nonindigenous 

species are not present. For instance, CERP considers how removal of canals and levees, which 

act as deepwater refuges for non-native fishes and as conduits into interior marshes for other 

species, may help control invasive species by slowing further movement. However, restoration of 

lower salinities in Florida Bay may result in increases of nonindigenous fish, such as the Mayan 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus), which thrives in fresh water. As such, related impacts due to 

CERP implementation are being addressed as part of the detailed design phase of projects. 

Notably, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the wide-scale introduction of melaleuca, a 

vigorous, fast-spreading Australian tree that crowds out native plants. Melaleuca has spread 

through thousands of acres of natural, agricultural, and residential areas, destroying freshwater 

prairies, changing bird populations, and displacing native animals in the Everglades. Funding was 

authorized by the USACE in 2002 for the CERP Melaleuca Eradication and Other Exotic Plants 

Project. This project will enhance efforts to control invasive exotic plant species (primarily 

melaleuca and Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum) in South Florida through mass 

rearing and controlled release of biological agents concurrent with development of a systemwide 

plan. Development of the PIR, which will determine the best method to fund the rearing, release, 

and monitoring of approved bio-control agents, is planned to be completed in 2007. Chapter 9 of 

this volume provides detail on the status of nonindigenous species in South Florida. 

WATER QUALITY 

For information on Phosphorus Source Controls for the Basins Tributary to the Everglades 

Protection Area, please refer to Chapter 4 of this volume. For information on the 

Everglades Construction Project STAs implemented pursuant to the Everglades Forever Act, 

please refer to Chapter 5. For information on the Long-Term Plan for Achieving Water Quality 

Goals in the Everglades Protection Area (Long-Term Plan), please refer to Chapter 8. 

 WATER CONSERVATION 

A discussion of water conservation is included in response to peer review panel comments on 

the CERP Annual Report for FY2005. The District's overall water conservation goal is to prevent 

and reduce wasteful, uneconomical, impractical or unreasonable use of water resources. A 

strategy of the water supply program in the agency's Ten-Year Strategic Plan is to provide 

funding and regulatory incentives to encourage water users to promote efficient use of water 

resources through conservation and reuse, and to increase diversity of water supplies by 

developing alternative sources. 

The District’s conservation program strives to improve management of traditional supplies 

and encourage development of alternative or diverse water supply sources, in addition to 

improving efficiency of water use. This includes reclaimed water for reuse, use of brackish water 

sources, wastewater recycling, recharge and ASR. The District improves water use efficiency by 

funding technology-based conservation projects. Through its Alternative Water Supply Grant 

Program, Water Savings Incentive Program, and Mobile Irrigation Labs, the District assists local 

programs that save or create water. Information on the District’s Alternative Water Supply 

program is presented in Volume II. 

The demand for urban and agricultural water uses is projected to increase significantly over 

the next 20 years in the South Florida region. These water demands must be met without harm to 

the environment and water resources. Regional water supply plans concluded current District 

water sources will not be sufficient to meet projected water demands; however, with appropriate 

management and diversification of water supply sources, there is sufficient water to meet the 

water needs during a 1-in-10-year drought condition through 2020. 

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Chapter 7A Volume I: The South Florida Environment 

HURRICANES 

Hurricanes had measurable impacts on the South Florida ecosystem in 2005 and 2006. In 

August 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s heavy rains poured agricultural and suburban runoff into 

southern Biscayne Bay, dropping salinity levels and causing phosphorus levels to rise. 

In September and October, Hurricanes Rita and Wilma exacerbated problems in the 

southern estuaries. A long-lasting blue-green algal bloom in southern Biscayne Bay and northeast 

Florida Bay appears to have started the month after Hurricane Wilma. Unlike red-tide algae, 

blue-green algae is not toxic. However, blue-green algae can harm sea life by clouding the water, 

in turn blocking sunlight, which prevents photosynthesis and leads to plant mortality. 

The result of Hurricane Wilma’s passage through South Florida had consequences for both 

natural and manmade systems. The storm left lakes and canals piled with debris and fallen 

vegetation, and affected the District’s water management infrastructure, including sections that 

are vital to restoring the Everglades. Impacts occurred from central Florida to the Florida Keys, 

although the greatest impact was to Lake Okeechobee and the STAs. Discussion of the effects of 

Hurricane Wilma on the STAs and on the Lake can be found in Chapters 5 and 10, respectively. 

Hurricane disturbance may increase nonindigenous plant species in natural areas by 

decimating the canopy of native plant communities, making them more prone to invasion. Some 

exotic species have been introduced to the wild as a result of hurricanes. The New Zealand 

Pukeko, or purple swamp hen, for example, escaped to the Everglades as a result of Hurricane 

Andrew in 1992. These birds, whose diet consist of wetland plants, frogs, snails, eggs, and 

ducklings, have been seen in Broward and Palm Beach county wetlands. Research is under way 

to assess the impact of this species on the South Florida ecosystem. More information can be 

found in Chapter 9. 

CERP 470 REPORT 

The CERP 470 Report presented in Appendix 7A-1 of this volume is required to provide 

oversight and accountability for financial commitments under the Everglades restoration section 

and to record progress in CERP implementation, in accordance with Section 373.470(7), F.S., as 

amended during 2005. The District, in cooperation with the FDEP, which conserves and manages 

Florida's natural resources and enforces the state's environmental laws, prepares the 

CERP Annual Report. This report is included as Appendix 7A-1 of this volume, as required by 

Section 373.036(7), F.S. 

The CERP 470 Report includes information on the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust 

Fund, the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, the Preservation 2000 Trust Fund, the Florida Forever 

Trust Fund, the Save Our Everglades Trust Fund and other named funds or accounts for the 

acquisition or construction of project components, features or facilities that benefit CERP. 

The CERP 470 Report also identifies state and local sponsor revenues and itemizes 

expenditures related to CERP implementation. It describes the purpose for which the funds were 

expended, provides the unencumbered fund balance remaining for implementation of CERP, and 

provides a schedule of anticipated expenditures for the next fiscal year. 

The CERP 470 Report fulfills the statutory requirements and includes CERP financial 

information and the progress of CERP implementation information for FY2006. 

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2007 South Florida Environmental Report Chapter 7A 

OUTLOOK 

The Everglades is a venerated American treasure. This subtly beautiful ecosystem epitomizes 

the South Florida region. It is also an ecosystem under stress, for which an ambitious 30-year plus 

restoration plan has been developed. CERP is a roadmap that provides critical direction and 

organizational structure for restoring and protecting the South Florida ecosystem. The 

comprehensive, systemwide nature of the plan and the linkage of its elements to one another must 

be preserved during implementation. Implementation of CERP must proceed using the principles 

of adaptive assessment, and, once restored, the Everglades and South Florida’s natural 

environment must never again be negatively affected by water management activities. 

Florida must forge ahead to implement CERP in keeping with its promise to restore the River 

of Grass. By constructing the massive water storage systems and other projects and components 

in the initial authorization that are reaffirmed in the Acceler8 initiative, water releases will be 

better controlled, wildlife habitat will be restored, and the state’s estuaries will be protected. 

Through Acceler8, 100,000 acres of wetlands will be restored and water treatment areas will be 

expanded by nearly 29,000 acres to provide 428,000 ac-ft of additional storage for Everglades 

restoration a decade ahead of schedule. 

CERP will revitalize the ecosystem while providing future fresh water supplies for the people 

and farms of the region. It is considered the world's largest such project. However, its success is 

up to all: citizens across the nation and state, USACE, USDOI, the District, and other agencies. 

Both input and support will be required over the coming decades as this ambitious ecological 

restoration effort is constructed. The state commitment to continued funding of the projects and 

acquisition of lands must remain strong and constant. The federal government must authorize 

the projects and appropriate the necessary funds to see the restoration of South Florida through 

to fruition. 

Future generations should have the opportunity to visit this majestic and captivating 

ecosystem and see its expansive sawgrass marshes and towering blue skies. CERP and the other 

ecosystem restoration projects, including the Kissimmee River Restoration, Everglades 

Construction Project, and LOER Program, will make South Florida a healthier place than it is 

today, and one that will remain strong and vital in the future. Key CERP, Acceler8, and other 

restoration projects will begin delivering more and cleaner water to the ecosystem. As 

construction completes and these projects begin being placed in service, the natural system will 

increasingly benefit from improving water qualities, water quantities, timing of flows, and 

distribution of water. 

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