Palm Beach Daily News

Restore Everglades ecosystem to better manage droughts, floods, reduce costs

By VANESSA APARICIO, DAVID DIAZ, JUDITH HARTSHORN AND ROBERT R. HILL

SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS

August 27, 2011

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/restore-everglades-ecosystem-to-better-manage-droughts-floods-1799616.html?cxtype=rss_news

The first thing to realize is that Florida experiences natural cycles of wet and dry periods, and, in the absence of humans, the natural system copes with both extremes just fine. The second thing to realize is that droughts and floods are normal and that these terms are human concepts.

Problems arise when we build in historic lowlands and natural cyclical periods of high-water levels ruin our properties. Conversely, in times of drought, problems arise with increased demand for freshwater and uneven distribution of this precious resource.

Debate has arisen over whether the current drought situation is human-made or human-exacerbated. Note the common denominator, human. Problems with drought in Florida started when humans began to ditch, drain, dam and divert water flows in the Everglades ecosystem. Today, only half of the original 11,000 square miles of it remain.

If the Everglades ecosystem is restored, we will be able to better manage droughts and floods. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was developed to restore the Everglades ecosystem and restore natural sheet flow.

The reality of the situation is that since the restoration plan has started, we have had three droughts, which have cost millions, perhaps billions, of dollars in damages. In 2011, 4,155 wildfires have burned a total of 267,032 acres. If droughts continue with the same intensity and frequency, we calculate that the cost of fire suppression will be upward of $14 million for 2011 and $171 million over the course of the 
restoration plan.

During droughts, agriculture and horticulture suffer as well. We estimate that in 2011, Florida growers will have losses between $150 million and $200 million.

Based on a 2009 study conducted by the University of Florida, we estimate horticulture in South Florida will have $58 million in losses this year.

We have calculated that in 2011 losses will be in excess of $976 million in drought management. Many economic impacts, such as soil loss due to oxidation and burning of peat, were difficult to calculate and are not included in this estimate. Over the course of the restoration plan, if we continue to have droughts of the same intensity and frequency as we have had over the last 10 years, drought management costs are likely to approach $11 billion. Our calculations indicate its implementation will significantly reduce the need for costly drought management.

We have plenty of freshwater in Florida, with an average rainfall of 54 inches throughout the state. However, not all of this water is evenly distributed and much of the water is not properly managed. Every year, an average of 65 billion gallons of freshwater is released to the ocean per day in Florida!

According to the South Florida Water Management District, “the 2011 wet season is off to its driest start in more than 20 years, following below-normal rainfall levels that began in October.”

Furthermore, the current rate of rise of Lake Okeechobee will lead to another disastrous water-supply shortage and drought situation unless we receive 20-plus inches of rain from a tropical system or we restore the Everglades.

We need to consider, both short-term and long-term solutions, to drought management in Florida. Short-term things you can advocate today to save freshwater include: drip irrigation, reclaimed water, conservation, xeriscaping, higher costs per gallon with greater use, and mini wetlands in urban areas. Long-term solutions include: wetland restoration to increase water retention and evapo-transpiration, and to aide in re-peating (re-establishing peat soils) in the Everglades.

The alternative to high-cost drought management is for the town and other entities to band together and insist that the state and federal government act to restore the Everglades.

Speaking from the next generation’s perspective, we need to work together to find solutions to the problem rather than continue to manage the droughts in the moment and then slip into a state of apathetic comfort with each new rainy season.

“And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.”
 — John Steinbeck (shortly after the Dust Bowl)