Spring thunderstorms begin the wet season and as water covers the landscape, wildlife disperses throughout the park. Insects, fish, and alligators repopulate the 'glades, replenishing the food chain. But elaborate water controls now disrupt the natural flow and water cycle, ruining crucial feeding and nesting conditions. Nutrient-heavy runoff from urban and agricultural areas add polluted water to the system. Toxic mercury accumulates in fish.
Sea grasses die off.
Fewer and fewer wading birds and dwindling numbers of Florida panthers challenge south Florida s image of abundance. Short of clean water at critical seasons, and in the correct quantities, the Everglades will die. The question is no longer why we should protect the Everglades but how we should restore it. Though a return to what flourished a hundred years ago is not possible, much can be done to restore the natural functioning of the greater Everglades watershed. What has been learned from observing the effects of altering the quantity, distribution, timing, and quality of its waters now instructs scientists, engineers, and managers on how to approach replumbing this unique ecosystem.