Summary: Freshwater In Florida

What if all of the water in Florida was poisonous and polluted? There are nearly 7 million people that live in Florida and many that rely on the Everglades for drinking and bathing water. The Everglades’ water supply is affecting wildlife and people but we are determined to find a way to fix this issue.

The Everglades Restoration Plan is the policy to increase the flow of clean water to the Everglades, in an effort to protect the environment, provide for recreational activities, and supply South Florida with a clean supply of potable water. At a cost of more than $10.5 billion and with a 35+ year time-line, this is the largest hydrologic restoration project ever undertaken in the United States. The Federal Government approved Florida’s landmark water quality project that, once constructed, all parties agree will provide the clean water the Everglades need (Scott, 2013). The Everglades restoration has been hampered by decades of futile bickering over how to decide the most rational approach to restoring the flow of water to the Everglades.

The Everglades is a vast region that stretches from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee and is filled with a unique and world-famous ecosystem that is exclusive to the rest of the world. It is located in southern Florida and takes up 1.5 million of the land. While there are many diverse species, there are around 500 human inhabitants. This region is one of the largest wetlands in the US and the only existing Everglades in the entire world. Because of this and other pressing factors, about one-fifth of the Everglades are protected by the Everglades National Park. The fact that the Everglades are one of kind also means that anything that happens not only affects itself locally, but also nationally and globally. And now, there are many problems

In studying the problem of hydrilla Florida waterways, it was apparent that management of this invasive species must take an interdisciplinary approach. The economic indicators with the possibility of lost revenue, water usage, and habitat biodiversity drive the need for control. According to Corn, at the federal level there is a need for comprehensive legislature to address invasive species. The current process in reporting an invasive species problem can run into time constraints working through the many agencies to achieve funding. A rapid response is desired to quickly remove the plant before it spreads beyond the ability to control. It is believed that hydrilla is so wide spread today that control can only be achieved through managing feasible levels of it within the limits of funding. Two new integrating approaches are proposed to aid in the goal of reaching sustainable

Freshwater biomes make up 1/5 of Earth's surface, and .8% of the total amount of water. They include lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks. The size of these biomes vary, and any small body of water, such as puddles, can also be considered a Freshwater biome if it can support life. These bodies of water can move slow, fast, or be still,  and usually have a depth that is under 6 feet. These waters also contain minimal to no salt, and have many different types of animals and plants living within them. These biomes can be found all over the world, such as Florida and the Amazon River. The Florida Everglades is known as the largest Freshwater biome in the World. Freshwater biomes are vital to our environment, providing plants and animals with nutrients

There used to be a thriving area full of lush plants and exotic animals along with many miles of water flowing through central Florida called the Everglades. A lot of water was drained for development and farming, leaving a queer 50% of the wetlands remaining. Many of the beautiful organisms dissipated due to the water purge. The U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are trying to restore the national park's water system, hopefully bringing back its diverse ecosystem.

The water resoures from the everglades is very important to florida. without them we wouldnt have water to wash your hands,shower or to drink.that can lead to diseases or dying of thirst. with out water factorys cant make sertant products which means less jobs.the floridans would be forsed to leave florida. so we should take care of the evergldes if not the water could get too pallouted and not clean enough to be used.

despise The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission. This is because they have to constantly be looking over their shoulder to make sure the agents have not anticipated their next move. Unbeknownst to the group of people committing these crimes, the F.W.C. wants as little regulations as possible while protecting both the human as well as the wildlife population. "Use minimal regulations to manage sustainable fish and wildlife populations, manage access to fish and wildlife resources, and protect public safety." (myfwc.com 3-7) These people committing crimes hold a gaze of antagonism towards the agency. These potential convicts pose a threat to agents and cause loss of life on either side.

Coral reefs are one our greatest protections in Florida. They provide a huge protections against storm surges from the ocean. Coral reefs are huge host for fish and sea life. In order to help sustain this life and our shores we need to be taking care of our reefs. We could benefit our coral reefs by simply putting less pollution into the ocean. It would also be a great idea to reduce how much we fish coral reefs and instead try to spread out the fishing across other areas. Managing our water cleanliness is the largest point that needs to be acted upon. This is due to us living in Florida and we have a huge affect on what is put into the water, because we are so close to it. Instead of letting all the toxic waste we let soak into the

Next we will discuss the Florida Aquifer System. There are many factors that contribute to the storage and movement of ground water, porosity and permeability are the two most important elements to this equation (Lutgens, 2012.) Porosity is the volume of open space between rock or sediment and permeability is the ability for a fluid to pass through (Lutgens, 2012.) Rock and sediments that allow groundwater to travel freely are called aquifers. These aquifers are natural resources that exist underneath the earths surface to store water. In the case of Florida’s aquifer system the system is considered to be one of the most productive in the world (USGS, n.d.) In its entirety, the aquifer system “underlies an area of about 100,000 square miles

1. Compare and contrast the main types of freshwater ecosystems. Name and describe the major zones or a typical pond or lake.

Rapid population growth in South Florida has significantly increased the demand for water and the strain on the fresh groundwater supplies has triggered more saltwater intrusion to the Biscayne aquifer. Saltwater intrusion has been one the main contaminant that continues to endanger the Biscayne aquifer. It has occurred as a result of the followings: the over-pumping by wells, the construction of drainage canals, and the lowering of the water table by drought. Ongoing efforts by South Florida water agencies to protect the aquifer from saltwater intrusion include groundwater monitoring, water management and conservation.

Roughly two-thirds of the world’s population is expected to face water shortages within the next nine years (Hanjra & Qureshi, 2010). This is likely to be the cause of conflicts and tensions between many nations, especially with the growing population, as water is a basic life necessity. To put the situation in perspective, a mere 2.5 percent of the world’s water supply is actually freshwater, and only about one percent is accessible for human use (Postel, Daily & Ehrlich, 1996). In addition, this water is not evenly distributed, with some countries possessing significantly more than others. Canada is extremely fortunate in this matter, as it holds roughly 20 percent of the world’s total freshwater (Environment Canada, 2015). This puts it at a huge advantage in the coming years. Not all countries are as lucky. For instance, many states in America, such as California, are experiencing serious drought. Many believe that this puts Canadians in a good position to sell freshwater for profit. Arguably, it would be a huge financial advantage for Canada, while simultaneously ending the American water crisis. Despite the possible economic benefits, Canada should not sell its freshwater to the United States, as it ignores Canadians in similar situations, supports unsustainable American practices, has negative implications for the surrounding ecosystems, and ignores the impact of climate change.

Water is necessity for people in everyday life so individuals could shower, clean, drink, have good personal hygiene, etc. All the water being used comes from water supplies that guarantee clean, uncontaminated water; the water that is used becomes waste water. In the Tampa Bay Area, the population is increasing everyday which can cause a problem in the near future for the water supply. Although water shortages are currently not a problem in the state of Florida, the increasing population could make it a threat; water conservation methods should be considered so it can meet the increasing demands of growth, make the water dumped in the river healthier, keep the city's reservoir always full all year –especially during the dry winter months, and even provide extra water for use by other governments.

During dry years, water was (and still is) kept in the lake to irrigate the fields, to the detriment of the central wet plains that are the Everglades. Days of “raining” ash were common when I was a child as the scorched ‘glades burned deep into the muck. Again, too bad for the swamps, who cares? Well, when the water doesn’t seep through the swamps and drain into Florida Bay, that body of water becomes abnormally salty. The folks who live in the Keys, which border Florida Bay, rely on tourism and have been taking notice since diving and fishing are a main concern.