Saving Florida Bay
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Everglades Foundation Lauds Benefits of Project to Save Florida Bay
Work is scheduled to begin this week on the C-111 canal; a project considered vitally important to Florida Bay fisheries and the health of Everglades National Park.
“People depend on Florida Bay to make a living,” states Fordham. “The prognosis for the health of this delicate estuary is looking a lot better with this restoration project acting as an ecological booster shot.”
The C-111 restoration project is a joint effort between the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Referred to as a Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) project , the goal is to repair damage inflicted on a prominent feature of the Everglades ecosystem — Florida Bay.
Currently, the C-111 canal pours a large volume of water into a small region of Florida Bay. This upsets the balance of fresh and salt water, devastating the ecology in the bay. Improving the timing and volume of water entering the bay should result in improved levels of salinity, thus enhancing the growth of aquatic plants that provide shelter and food for species including manatees, wading birds, and a myriad of varieties of juvenile fish. Long term benefits will be the enhanced productivity of Florida estuarine fisheries such as mullet, snook, and shrimp.
The project comes on the heels of groundbreaking on restoration efforts that include the Tamiami Trail Bridging and the Picayune Strand – projects designed to improve the natural flow of fresh water in the Everglades. Fordham concludes, “Nothing says ‘progress’ more than turning dirt!“
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Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] In a budget agreement hammered out late Monday night, the Florida legislature committed $50 million dollars for Everglades restoration. Does the protection of the Everglades directly impact our lives in Palmetto Bay? Should our residents care about saving what to many might seem a large, useless swamp? If we care about our health, quality of life, and the economic future of South Florida, the answer is a resounding, “YES.” The Jim Araiza for Mayor, Palmetto Bay campaign envisions a small-town community in which our village government protects residents’ health, safety, and well-being, and safeguards the environment. A long-term supply of clean, safe drinking water must remain a priority for municipalities like Palmetto Bay, as well as Miami-Dade county. Many people are unaware that our water supply comes directly from the Everglades – a supply that sustains millions of people in South Florida. Failure to protect this supply will mean higher costs to consumers for clean water in the future, and it will put the health of Palmetto Bay residents in jeopardy. The flow of clean water from the Everglades also impacts the environmental health of Biscayne Bay, the large body of water that borders Palmetto Bay to the east. A clean Biscayne Bay draws tourists to South Florida to enjoy boating, fishing, and watersports. In turn, these recreational activities sustain local jobs — from tour boats and fishing charters, to hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists. “Boaters, fishermen, small business owners, conservationists, tourism officials and many others who enjoy the recreational and economic benefits of the Everglades are enormously grateful to legislative leaders for their commitment to protecting one of our state’s most valuable natural resources,” said Kirk Fordham, CEO of the Everglades Foundation, based here in Palmetto Bay. Yes, Palmetto Bay residents and all South Floridians should care about saving our Everglades: a. To protect water quality b. To preserve a quality of life offered nowhere else on earth c. To save a water supply that sustains millions of people d. To create and sustain jobs in tourism, commercial fishing, agriculture and recreation e. To ensure the survival of 67 endangered species and one of the world’s last great places f. To encourage and plan for future growth of the economy See this similar story: Saving Florida Bay [...]