Update on Everglades Funding

February 28, 2017 by

evergladesIn December, President Obama signed a bill that authorized $2 billion to go towards restoration efforts in the Everglades. This bill was called The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016. This act provides half the funding needed for the Central Everglades Planning Project, and the other half of the funding will come from Florida.

According to the Everglades foundation, the Central Everglades Planning Project will remove levees, so a more natural flow of the water will flow across the plain. As of now, and for decades, the water is diverted east and west. With this project, the water will no longer be restricted from flowing south from Lake Okeechobee, which is the natural flow. For many years, people have been complaining about the negative impact of this water restriction and were looking for a permanent fix to redirect the water to its natural flow.

This issue is important to many Floridians because they want to ensure their water is clean; the water people used to drink, shower, water their lawn, and so on, comes from the Everglades.

This bill was pushed by Congresswoman Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach, Congressman Ted Deutch of Boca Raton, and Congressman Patrick Murphy of Stuart. Congressman Deutch hopes there will be a future commitment on the federal level for funding.

With this project, the state is also looking for solutions on where to put the water. It has been proposed that the state could by 60,000 acres of land in western Palm Beach County, which is currently owned by sugar producers. This land would be used as a reservoir to store water from the Lake, so it will no longer run east and west. This will be further discussed by state lawmakers in March of this year (2017).

Visit the Everglades

The Everglades is one of the world’s gems, and thankfully more efforts are being taken to restore it before it disappears. If you want to take a trip through this beautiful wetland, jump on an airboat tour with Captain Mitch. Captain Mitch’s airboat tours will give you an up-close-and-personal look into this mystical place. To book an airboat tour, click here or call 800-368-0065.

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Everglades Flooding: how El Nino threatens the ‘Glades

February 25, 2016 by

Heron In The Everglades Park In FloridaSouth Florida’s rainfall last month broke records. In fact, the area saw more rainfall than a typical summer during Florida’s wet season. Meteorologists attribute this excessive rain to this year’s intense El Nino weather patterns. El Nino occurs irregularly every two to seven years, and the force of this year’s anomaly threatens Everglades wildlife. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), El Nino isn’t easing off anytime soon. The organization predicts El Nino to last through early spring, which means more complications for the Everglades.

El Nino in South Florida

El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) spans from warm water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. During El Nino periods, Florida sees a wet winter despite its normally dry conditions. For instance, Fort Lauderdale has already seen five inches above the normal rainfall this year. And South Florida’s seeing the highest tides so far in 2016.

How does El Nino affect the Everglades?

Everglades flooding results from extreme El Nino conditions. During the current El Nino weather pattern, South Florida saw a massive increase in water levels. This affects all sorts of Everglades wildlife from shore birds to small mammals that rely on mudflats and higher terrain to thrive.

Saving the Everglades

Though Everglades restoration projects are already in place, much more can be done to preserve this vast, dynamic wilderness. This week, President Obama proposed to add $190 million to the Everglades funding budget in 2017. The budget increase is currently pending Congress approval.

Visit the Everglades before it’s gone

Do you want to experience the Everglades? The sooner you visit, the better. Everglades flooding isn’t the only force threatening this delicate wilderness. Climate change, pollution, development and other factors all endanger the ‘Glades. See the Everglades by airboat before it’s too late. To schedule your private airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377.

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