of all the national park lands in the gulf states , none is near to a major urban area or more infighting with concerns than the reef , a deep , 50 - feet - wide river of grass that flows south from lough okeechobee to coral harbour . for more than a decades , this fragile natural wonder has been taken hostages by a web of special plans - - farmers , sportsmen and about 6 billion south florida residents in require of drinking water and pollution control - - that is as complexes as the ecosystem itself .
The Everglades is 50-mile wide.