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It might be surprising for a lot of people to learn that the drinking water for Miami-Dade’s 2.7 million residents comes from the Everglades. And it might be equally surprising to learn that Lake Okeechobee, which is nearly 100 miles away, is the historic source of that water.
Due to this connection between the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee, a complex technical process led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is underway to make the water flow like it once did. This is a big deal, particularly during the dry season.
The Corps is deciding right now where to send the freshwater. For Miami-Dade the message is simple – send the water south to the Everglades!
Local governments, including the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County, Governor Ron DeSantis, dozens of outdoor recreational and tourism industry leaders, and environmental organizations across Florida have united in asking the Corps to capitalize on this opportunity to rectify a water flow issue that has been nothing short of catastrophic to our State.
Here’s a quick history lesson: Lake Okeechobee used to provide clean freshwater each year to the Everglades. That water flow, which was the Everglades’ lifeblood, was cut off to accommodate agriculture and development in the 1940s. Disconnecting the Everglades from Lake Okeechobee has led to widespread environmental harm and water shortages both of which harm Miami-Dade’s 21st century economy based on tourism and recreation.
This latest review is our opportunity to ensure a fairer and more equitable plan to manage the public’s water.
The Corps will also be able to significantly reduce the volume of filthy water discharged into our Treasure and Gulf coasts. The discharges from a polluted Lake Okeechobee have long-been problematic, sending harmful pollutants east along the St. Lucie River and west along the Caloosahatchee River, triggering harmful toxic algae blooms and red tide that kill wildlife, cause health issues in humans, and hurt businesses along both coasts.
For Miami-Dade County residents, the issue is more subtle, but no less consequential – we depend on water from Lake Okeechobee to replenish the aquifer from which we draw our drinking water, and to hydrate and protect habitats across the Everglades, including Everglades National Park, during the dry season.
The future of our community is at stake, as without freshwater being sent south to Miami-Dade, the future of our drinking water supply – and our tourism-dependent economy – may be at risk.
Restoring the historic freshwater flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades is a matter that concerns us all because our water supply, our economy, and the health of our River of Grass is at stake. Everglades restoration involves long-term infrastructure projects to store, clean and move water as nature once intended. But, it also depends on policy and management decisions.
Let’s hope the Corps of Engineers can seize this moment to get us closer to a restored water flow in South Florida.
