EVERGLADES, Fla. (AP) — The Everglades in South Florida were once about twice the size of New Jersey. Wildlife was abundant and water flowed freely from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee to the Florida Bay. But decades of engineering projects partitioned and drained the water, invasive species have transformed the land, and pollution from agriculture has impoverished water quality. Today, about half the Everglades original size remains.
A massive state-federal project, approved by Congress in 2000 with bipartisan support, aims to undo damages wreaked upon these wetlands. It is projected to cost more than $23 billion and 50 years to complete.
More than two decades into it, there are some signs of progress. Wildlife is returning to some areas, regions dominated by the invasive melaleuca tree have dropped 75%, enthusiasm is high as significant projects are finally underway, others gain momentum and funding pours in. But as leaders and agencies race to “get the water right,” there are worries: the projects are billions of dollars over budget and questions remain about whether some will work.
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Since 2019, the South Florida Water Management District has completed, broken ground on, or celebrated other milestones on some 70 projects. This year, lawmakers earmarked $1.275 billion, the largest annual amount allocated for the next 12 months of restoration efforts. The water district said they anticipate 12 to 15 years of this pace of construction as long as there's funding.
Deemed the flagship project by some is the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project, which includes a reservoir that will store excess water from Lake Okeechobee and an adjacent engineered wetland that will clean it before it’s discharged. But the reservoir is much smaller than originally planned, and some worry the project won't be large or deep enough to significantly clean water.
The Western Everglades Restoration Project had its first groundbreaking in July after decades of advocacy from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. The project's goal is to improve the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water where the Miccosukee and Seminole tribal lands are.
Since sections of the Tamiami Trail started getting elevated, water flows are increasing in the wetlands surrounding the highway, built in 1928 to connect Tampa and Miami. The road cut through the Everglades, acting as a dam and holding back water from ecosystems dependent on it.
As parts of the Everglades are rehydrated and habitats reemerge, so are native species such as the wood stork. Wading bird colonies have returned to the Kissimmee River floodplain. Habitats in swamps or shallow lakes called sloughs are increasing in some areas. And flamingos blown in by Hurricane Idalia have stayed in the Everglades. Some scientists have said it is a sign restoration efforts are working.
Climate change, urban development and water quality are ongoing challenges in restoration efforts. Sea level rise and salt water intrusion pose threats to biodiversity, drinking water supply, habitats and more, and experts warn that rising temperatures will increase evapotranspiration and decrease water runoff.
In a recent report to Congress, a committee of experts acknowledged the enormous challenge of incorporating climate change impacts into restoration efforts. They recommended several actions, including developing a set of climate scenarios that are consistently used across all planning and implementation.
Water quality has improved, but pollution from phosphorous remains a concern. Too much has harmed the wilderness' sensitive ecosystem, contributing to toxic algal blooms, oxygen depletion and excessive plant growth.
Then there's the people. Florida has undergone decades of rapid population growth, becoming the nations’ fastest-growing state in 2022. Pressure to develop is high.
“This is the biggest, most complicated and most expensive ecosystem restoration project in the world,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. “It’s really important that we get it right.”
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