The Kissimmee River
This webpage forms part of Virtual River Studies at
Anglia Polytechnic University in Cambridge.
The Kissimmee River in Florida is a vital component of the Everglades. The Kissimmee has had a turbulent history over the past century. Traditionally the river supported a uniquely diverse ecosystem in the surrounding wetlands. However in the 1960's the river was modified to improve 'efficiency' and control flooding. 103 miles of meanders were replaced with 56 miles of straight canal. Consequently the wetlands have dried and biodiversity has dwindled. Controversy between the agricultural and tourist industries has also complicated the situation. Alongside all of these, South Florida's population has soared leading to water deficit issues.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has identified this mis-management of recent years and is slowly replacing the kinks of the Kissimmee. The Everglades restoration project is the most ambitious in U.S. history with an estimated cost of $370 million. (Culotta, 1995).
The Kissimmee River Untouched
In the late 1800's less than 1,000 people lived on Florida's South East Coast. By 2010 the population is expected to reach 6 million. (Culotta, 1995). In the wet season water would spill over the banks of Lake Okeechobee and make its way southward to Florida Bay across the saw grass of the Everglades at about a hundred feet a day. (Duplaix, 1990). This was known as the "River of Grass" which was 50 miles wide and only a few feet deep. (Culotta, 1995).
Before the 1960's the Kissimmee River meandered 166 kilomatres from its origin in Lake Kissimmee down to Lake Okeechobee. The flood plain of the Kissimmee was over a mile wide and formed the habitat of a diverse range of wetland species. "Over 35 species of fish, 16 species of wading birds, 16 species of waterfowl, river otters, many species of invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and other plants and animals swam, roamed, waded and flew over the extensive 18,000 ha floodplain". (http://riverwoods.ces.fau.edu/kissimmee/)
Controlling the Kissimmee River
Flood control dramatically changed the Kissimmee River in the 1960's and 70's as a result of public pressure to reduce damage done to people and their property by floods. (http://riverwoods.ces.fau.edu/kissimmee/). One of the key problems in Southern Florida was the increasingly dense population, which led to encroachment of the floodplains. The natural flooding of the Everglades was exactly that, natural. Only with vast urbanisation came the perceived need to control water flow.
Beginning in 1961 and ending in 1971 the 166 kilometre long Kissimmee River was channelled 9 metres deep into a basically straight 90 kilometre long, 100 metre wide canal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers carried out this work. The river's new name was Canal 38 (C-38) and it controlled the passage of floodwater using six flow control structures (S-65's) startegically placed between Lake Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee. (http://eng.fiu.edu/evrglads/engineer/kissimme/htm).
Changes were also made in Southern Florida due to the industries that were dominant there. Firstly, agriculture was a controversial issue. Close to the thirsty Everglades National Park pumps were used to irrigate crops in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), while residentas suffered water bans. Secondly, the tourist industry, which is enormous in Florida due to the climate and the coastline, also uses massive quantities of water on swimming pools and theme parks.
Rainfall in Florida is generous - 40-65 inches a year. (Duplaix, 1990). However, most falls in the summer season and is quickly channelled into the sea. Much of the remaining water is lost to evaporation and transpiration by plants. (Duplaix, 1990). During the dry winter season, when tourist demands peak, the aquifers are depleted, especially on the crowded coasts.
For more
Go to Bibliography & Links
Look at Photos of the river
This page was created by Ginny Hicks 07/12/99
