Florida’s water crisis is a manmade problem that requires a manmade solution. The Everglades used to be a river, which has been dammed and drained. The lack of freshwater flow to Florida Bay has caused a 40,000+ acre seagrass die-off. Instead of flowing through the Everglades, the water is stored in Lake Okeechobee.
As water levels rise, the marsh habitat in Lake Okeechobee is flooded. During periods of heavy rain, Lake Okeechobee levels rise so much that the water must be discharged into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers. This feeds toxic algae blooms, kills seagrass and oyster beds, and causes long-term damage to our estuaries.
The solution is simple- Everglades restoration. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) was passed in the year 2000 and provides a roadmap to saving the Glades. CERP projects have stagnated for 18 years due to lack of funding and political will. Captains for Clean Water is currently working on federal authorization for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir, which will store and treat Lake Okeechobee’s polluted freshwater so it can be sent south to the Everglades. We need your help getting this authorized by the US Senate! Click the link below to find out how you can help.
Take Action –> https://captainsforcleanwater.org/eaa-reservoir/
Also be sure to follow @captainsforcleanwater for more updates.
Last Updated on April 1, 2024 by Jared Zissu
