Home >> Projects by Region >> WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Everglades Restoration

Progress [PDF]

Environmental Monitoring

(including Water Quality

Reports)

Everglades Technical

Oversight Committee (TOC)

An in-depth look at STAs

[PDF]

Quick Facts on Recreation

in STAs [PDF]

STA Recreation Use FAQs

[PDF]

Recreational Licenses and

Permits

Long-Term Plan for

Achieving Water Quality

Goals

Science

Florida Habitats and Wildlife

CERP

RECOVER

Agricultural BMPs

Everglades Permits

Okeechobee Permits

Urban/Business BMPs

Urban Stormwater BMP

Manual [PDF]

Stormwater BMPs [PDF]

What YOU Can Do

Treatment, Best Practices and Increased

Water Storage

From the sawgrass marshes and tree islands of the

Everglades to the mangrove stands along our coastlines

and the wetlands, uplands, lakes and river floodplains of

the interior, nutrients like phosphorus were once found at

very low levels. With decades of residential and

agricultural growth, the levels of nutrients and other trace

pollutants making their way into these natural areas

began to rise. As a result, native ecosystems as well as

the plants and animals that are part of those systems

began to change. To protect and restore these

ecosystems, the South Florida Water Management

District is working to remove excess nutrients and other

pollutants, or prevent them from entering natural

systems.

At the top of this page, take an interactive

visual tour of the stormwater treatment

areas that are helping to improve water quality

throughout the region. Be sure to select the

View Panoramic option, then click on the five

icons that appear, and review each one to

learn more about how stormwater treatment

areas work.

A number of efforts can effectively achieve this: building Stormwater Treatment Areas

(constructed wetlands); requiring best management practices for agricultural and urban

In the News

Opinion: Water Management

Districts: Intact, on Task and

Spending Wisely (Nov 30)

Florida's Ranchlands Helping to

Preserve Landscapes, Protect and

Improve Waters (Nov 29)

Opinion: Scientific Monitoring

Continues to Guide Restoration

Efforts at SFWMD (Nov 07)

South Florida Water Managers Take

Steps to Increase Water Storage (Oct

14)

Low Water Levels Provide

Opportunity for Environmental

Work (Sep 29)

NEWS ARCHIVE

Upcoming Events

Central Everglades Planning Project

Public Workshop, December 16, 2011

Stormwater Treatment Area 5 BirdWatching Tour Schedule

WRAC Meetings, Agendas and more

CALENDAR

Related Highlights

Quick Facts on Caloosahatchee River

(C-43) West Basin Storage Reservoir

STA Recreation Use FAQs

Just the Facts: Providing Clean Water

for the Everglades

Quick Facts on Protecting and

Improving the Caloosahatchee River

and Estuary

Just the Facts: Highlighted

Expenditures Benefitting the

Caloosahatchee River and Estuary

Careers Site Map Glossary Help Locations Contact Us Español

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stormwater runoff; and creating surface or groundwater storage for seasonal water

surpluses. All of these solutions for improving water quality are required elements of

federal/state legislation for restoring the Greater Everglades (which includes the Kissimmee,

Okeechobee and Everglades watersheds). They are also mandated by separate state

legislation for water quality improvements in Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee and

St. Lucie estuaries, as well as in the Everglades systems south of Okeechobee. Read more

about these strategies to improve water quality in the sections below.

STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION

Everglades Forever Act & Settlement Agreement (F.S. 373.4592)

Long-Term Plan for Achieving Water Quality Goals

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)

Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Act (F.S. 373.4595)

Lake Okeechobee Protection Act

Long-Term Plan for Achieving Water Quality Goals

The Long-Term Plan is a comprehensive set of water quality improvement measures designed to

ensure that all waters entering the Everglades Protection Area (EPA) achieve compliance with

water quality standards. These measures include enhancements to the existing Stormwater

Treatment Areas (STAs), expanded best management practices, and integration with the

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects. In addition the Plan continues the

strong science-based and adaptive implementation philosophy to allow continuous improvement

until the long term water quality goal is achieved. more »

Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs)

Every plant needs nutrients to survive and thrive, but South Florida's native plants often are outcompeted by other plants better able to use heavier nutrient loads. In constructed wetlands

known as Stormwater Treatment Areas, some of these non-native plants with an appetite for high

levels of nutrients are being used selectively to help remove excess nutrients, so that native

plants can once again thrive. more »

STAs – By the Numbers

STA-1 East, 5,132 acres, northeast of

the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee

National Wildlife Refuge

STA-1 West, 6,670 acres, northwest of

the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee

National Wildlife Refuge

STA-2, 8,240 acres, west of Water

Conservation Area 2

STA-3/4, 16,534 acres in western Palm

Beach County, the largest constructed

wetland in the world

STA-5, 6,095 acres in Hendry County,

west of the northern edge of Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area

STA-6, 2,257 acres, in Hendry County, west of the southern edge of Rotenberger

Wildlife Management Area

STA Operations

Affected by weather (rainfall, drought, hurricanes), plant growth rates and invasion of

undesirable plant species

Water quality is continually monitored by scientists at District laboratories

Operational decisions are made based on real-time data

Scientists and technicians make approximately 27,000 visits per year to water quality

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monitoring stations

Agricultural Best Management Practices

Farming for winter vegetables, sugarcane, citrus, nursery plants or other crops is one of our

region's largest industries. Agricultural practices can contribute excess nutrients or other

pollutants to the rivers, lakes and wetlands of south and central Florida. more »

Urban Best Management Practices

Cities and communities also contribute nutrients and other pollutants to our region's rivers, lakes

and wetlands. Storm water flowing over city streets or the rich green lawns and gardens that fill

our urban and suburban landscapes can carry excess nutrients from the fertilizers and herbicides

we use, as well as all the other contaminants that are a by-product of modern life. more »

Increased Water Storage

Before today's development, much of south and central Florida was land which stored water at

least part of the year. Even while that storage has been reduced as the land has been converted

for cities and farms, this development also makes it critical at times to quickly remove water from

heavy storms or hurricanes to prevent catastrophic flooding. more »

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SFWMD Headquarters: 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406

561-686-8800 | 1-800-432-2045 (Florida Only)

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