Major Step Forward for Everglades Restoration

everglades restorationYesterday, October 21, a huge milestone occurred for Everglades restoration. Work has begun! The work will help water move better in the Everglades.

This project, The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, (CERP) is aiming to remove 240 miles of canals and levels to restore the sheetflow of water to how it was historically. This restoration is about restoring the livelihood of the entire ecosystem that will benefit the plant life, wild life, and human population.

This project has been in the works for nearly 9 years. The building stage begun yesterday. Water from Lake Okeechobee will be sent south instead of only east and wet.

This plan will include a system of tunnels where water will flow south into the Everglades, under Tamiami Trail, and into Florida Bay with the goal to remove canals and levees in the Everglades and help coastal communities.

This plan will be a huge undertaking and it set to be completed in 2030.

Here are five components of Everglades Restoration that were put together in 2007 by the Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration Progress.

  1. Creating enough water storage capacity and appropriate volumes of water that make healthy estuaries and bring the return of sheet flow.
  2. Bringing the water back to its natural flow patterns, volume, depth, velocity, direction, etc.
  3. Creating barriers so that higher water levels can be maintained in the Everglades.
  4. Creating methods for securing water quality conditions.
  5. Retaining, improving, and expanding habitats by protecting lands.

The plan is also that all Everglades restoration plans will be prepared for all climate changes in the future, as well.

See the Everglades in an Airboat

It’s important to restore the Everglades. If not, the area will flood, erode, and disappear. Animals and plant species will also disappear, as well, if we do not take care of this area.

At Captain Mitch’s Private Airboat Tours, we respect the Everglades and want it to be a part of our lives forever and for future generations.

Come on down and check out the beautiful Everglades on an airboat ride. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To book an airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click our Private Everglades Airboat Tours page.