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Altogether, these problems seriously threaten the natural and human
environment of the south Florida ecosystem.
What Is Expected to Happen Without the Recommended Comprehensive Plan
Although some level of ecological improvement will occur in the south Florida
ecosystem as a result of implementation of projects currently planned outside of the
Restudy, the cumulative, regional benefits from these projects would not result in a
sustainable south Florida ecosystem. Specifically, based on an evaluation of
conditions in the year 2050 without the recommended Comprehensive Plan, it was
determined that the overall health of the ecosystem will have substantially
deteriorated. This type of assessment was carried out for all planning alternatives
evaluated during the course of the Restudy. The analyses show that making
modifications to only some portions of the C&SF Project in order to achieve
sustainable natural systems will not succeed. Conditions predicted in 2050 fail to
meet the basic needs of the south Florida ecosystem.
Demands placed on Lake Okeechobee result in damaging water levels and
extreme harm to the littoral zone. Damaging fresh water discharges into the
Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries result in major harm to fisheries. Damaging
high flows alter salinity balances in Lake Worth Lagoon. Hydropatterns predicted
for the Water Conservation Areas are harmful to tree islands. Everglades National
Park does not receive enough freshwater flow to maintain important aquatic
habitat in Shark River Slough. Low flows to Florida and Biscayne bays also result
in harm to the resources in these areas. These ecological problems would not be
corrected solely by implementation of currently planned or ongoing projects.
Relatively greater levels of improvement were identified for water quality
conditions in the future compared to existing conditions in south Florida. It is
expected that state, tribal, regional, and local programs to improve water quality
Summary
Final Feasibility Report and PEIS April 1999
v
will be implemented to varying degrees throughout the study area during the next
50 years. Ongoing restoration projects in the Kissimmee River watershed are
expected to beneficially affect water quality. Current efforts to reduce inputs of
excessive nutrients into the Everglades through the Everglades Construction
Project should substantially slow the spread of cattails and other plants with high
nutrient tolerances and result in a slow recovery of natural vegetation patterns in
some nutrient-stressed parts of the system. Proposed modifications to the Lake
Okeechobee regulation schedule and water quality improvement projects suggested
by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Working Group’s Lake Okeechobee, St.
Lucie, and Caloosahatchee Issue Teams should improve water quality conditions in
those water bodies. Nonetheless, the future without plan condition, while resulting
in water quality improvements over existing conditions in certain subregions of the
Restudy area, was still determined by the Restudy’s water quality team to be
unacceptable for sustainable ecosystems.
The future demand for suitable water is expected to exceed the limits of
readily available sources. Predictions of water restrictions in the future indicate
serious – and probably unacceptable – levels of water supply cutbacks. Modeling of
the future “without plan” condition shows that for the Lake Okeechobee Service
Area, 24 percent of water supply demands could not be met over a 30-year period.
This translates into water supply restrictions every other year. In the Lower East
Coast, water restrictions would be expected to occur every other year in Palm
Beach, Miami-Dade, and the Florida Keys portion of Monroe County. In Broward
County water restrictions would occur on nearly an annual basis. The ability to
sustain the region’s natural resources, economy, and quality of life depends, to a
great extent, on the success of the efforts to enhance, protect, and better manage the
region’s water resources.
A major advantage of the Comprehensive Review Study is that it has used
tools and methods to evaluate the entire C&SF Project area together as an
integrated system. Thus, the effects of making modifications in one area on another
area were able to be seen and then used to develop a plan that maximized positive
system-wide benefits. The South Florida Water Management Model is the tool that
demonstrates the hydrologic effects of changes in one region on other regions. The
Restudy Team developed measures to evaluate an alternative plan’s effect on the
entire C&SF Project area. The use of system-wide tools and a science-based
analytical approach supports the conclusion, as shown in the following table, that
the future without plan condition is not favorable - nor is it sustainable - for the
south Florida ecosystem.
Summary
Final Feasibility Report and PEIS April 1999
vi
PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
COMPARED TO THE NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE
Area
Future
Without
Plan
Future
With
Plan
Lake Okeechobee Y G
Caloosahatchee Estuary R G
St Lucie Estuary R G
Lake Worth Lagoon Y Y
Holey Land & Rotenberger WMA Y G
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Y G
Water Conservation Area 2A G/Y
Water Conservation Area 2B R
Northwestern Water Conservation Area 3A G
Northeastern Water Conservation Area 3A Y
Eastern Water Conservation Area 3A Y
Central & Southern Water Conservation Area 3A G/Y
Water Conservation Area 3B
R
Y
Everglades National Park – Shark River Slough R G
Everglades National Park – Rockland Marl Marsh R Y
Florida Bay R G
Biscayne Bay Y G
Model Lands R G
Big Cypress National Preserve Y G
Lake Okeechobee Service Area R G

Altogether, these problems seriously threaten the natural and human

environment of the south Florida ecosystem.

What Is Expected to Happen Without the Recommended Comprehensive Plan

Although some level of ecological improvement will occur in the south Florida

ecosystem as a result of implementation of projects currently planned outside of the

Restudy, the cumulative, regional benefits from these projects would not result in a

sustainable south Florida ecosystem. Specifically, based on an evaluation of

conditions in the year 2050 without the recommended Comprehensive Plan, it was

determined that the overall health of the ecosystem will have substantially

deteriorated. This type of assessment was carried out for all planning alternatives

evaluated during the course of the Restudy. The analyses show that making

modifications to only some portions of the C&SF Project in order to achieve

sustainable natural systems will not succeed. Conditions predicted in 2050 fail to

meet the basic needs of the south Florida ecosystem.

Demands placed on Lake Okeechobee result in damaging water levels and

extreme harm to the littoral zone. Damaging fresh water discharges into the

Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries result in major harm to fisheries. Damaging

high flows alter salinity balances in Lake Worth Lagoon. Hydropatterns predicted

for the Water Conservation Areas are harmful to tree islands. Everglades National

Park does not receive enough freshwater flow to maintain important aquatic

habitat in Shark River Slough. Low flows to Florida and Biscayne bays also result

in harm to the resources in these areas. These ecological problems would not be

corrected solely by implementation of currently planned or ongoing projects.

Relatively greater levels of improvement were identified for water quality

conditions in the future compared to existing conditions in south Florida. It is

expected that state, tribal, regional, and local programs to improve water quality

Summary

Final Feasibility Report and PEIS April 1999

v

will be implemented to varying degrees throughout the study area during the next

50 years. Ongoing restoration projects in the Kissimmee River watershed are

expected to beneficially affect water quality. Current efforts to reduce inputs of

excessive nutrients into the Everglades through the Everglades Construction

Project should substantially slow the spread of cattails and other plants with high

nutrient tolerances and result in a slow recovery of natural vegetation patterns in

some nutrient-stressed parts of the system. Proposed modifications to the Lake

Okeechobee regulation schedule and water quality improvement projects suggested

by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Working Group’s Lake Okeechobee, St.

Lucie, and Caloosahatchee Issue Teams should improve water quality conditions in

those water bodies. Nonetheless, the future without plan condition, while resulting

in water quality improvements over existing conditions in certain subregions of the

Restudy area, was still determined by the Restudy’s water quality team to be

unacceptable for sustainable ecosystems.

The future demand for suitable water is expected to exceed the limits of

readily available sources. Predictions of water restrictions in the future indicate

serious – and probably unacceptable – levels of water supply cutbacks. Modeling of

the future “without plan” condition shows that for the Lake Okeechobee Service

Area, 24 percent of water supply demands could not be met over a 30-year period.

This translates into water supply restrictions every other year. In the Lower East

Coast, water restrictions would be expected to occur every other year in Palm

Beach, Miami-Dade, and the Florida Keys portion of Monroe County. In Broward

County water restrictions would occur on nearly an annual basis. The ability to

sustain the region’s natural resources, economy, and quality of life depends, to a

great extent, on the success of the efforts to enhance, protect, and better manage the

region’s water resources.

A major advantage of the Comprehensive Review Study is that it has used

tools and methods to evaluate the entire C&SF Project area together as an

integrated system. Thus, the effects of making modifications in one area on another

area were able to be seen and then used to develop a plan that maximized positive

system-wide benefits. The South Florida Water Management Model is the tool that

demonstrates the hydrologic effects of changes in one region on other regions. The

Restudy Team developed measures to evaluate an alternative plan’s effect on the

entire C&SF Project area. The use of system-wide tools and a science-based

analytical approach supports the conclusion, as shown in the following table, that

the future without plan condition is not favorable - nor is it sustainable - for the

south Florida ecosystem.

Summary

Final Feasibility Report and PEIS April 1999

vi

PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

COMPARED TO THE NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE

Area

Future

Without

Plan

Future

With

Plan

Lake Okeechobee Y G

Caloosahatchee Estuary R G

St Lucie Estuary R G

Lake Worth Lagoon Y Y

Holey Land & Rotenberger WMA Y G

Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Y G

Water Conservation Area 2A G/Y

Water Conservation Area 2B R

Northwestern Water Conservation Area 3A G

Northeastern Water Conservation Area 3A Y

Eastern Water Conservation Area 3A Y

Central & Southern Water Conservation Area 3A G/Y

Water Conservation Area 3B

R

Y

Everglades National Park – Shark River Slough R G

Everglades National Park – Rockland Marl Marsh R Y

Florida Bay R G

Biscayne Bay Y G

Model Lands R G

Big Cypress National Preserve Y G

Lake Okeechobee Service Area R G