Draining and development of the Everglades

Draining the Everglades: A Quest for Agricultural Utopia

Is draining the Everglades a recipe for prosperity or environmental disaster? The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a national push to transform Florida’s vast wetlands into fertile farmlands. This ambitious endeavor was driven by political and financial motivations, but it also led to unforeseen consequences that continue to shape the Everglades today.

The Early Attempts

Hamilton Disston’s 1881 project aimed to drain the Everglades, but it failed due to a lack of understanding about the region’s complex geography and ecology. Real estate developer Henry Flagler’s railroad and subsequent development attracted more settlers, leading to further drainage projects. Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, with his promises to drain the Everglades, sparked a land boom that ultimately destroyed habitats and wildlife populations.

The Hurricanes and Dikes

Severe hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 prompted the construction of dams, canals, and dikes. The Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project further altered the Everglades watershed, separating sections with canals and water control devices that delivered water to agricultural and urban areas.

The Military’s Role

During the Second Seminole War (1836-42), 4,000 Seminoles were killed or removed from their lands. The U.S. military was ill-prepared for the challenges of the Everglades and suffered significant losses due to sawgrass, mosquitoes, and gangrene infections. General Thomas Jesup admitted that the military was overwhelmed by the terrain.

Restoration Efforts

In the late 1960s, national attention turned to restoring the Everglades after a proposal for an airport near the park sparked concerns about the ecosystem’s well-being. Many died of mosquito-borne illness and exhaustion in the military. The value of Florida to the Union was mixed, with some seeing it as a useless land and others as a gift from God for national prosperity.

Conservation and Development

The Everglades were declared an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance by UNESCO. The C&SF’s projects, including Levee 29, controlled water flow into the park, causing drought in the 1960s. This led to a decline in animal populations, including alligators and otters.

The Everglades’ vastness and mangrove trees were cleared for development, including construction of palm trees and homes built from slash pine wood. The 1926 Hurricane devastated Miami, causing widespread destruction and a significant shift in the city’s landscape. The government response was inadequate, leading to re-evaluation of canal effectiveness.

The 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane destroyed levees, causing thousands of deaths. The Herbert Hoover Dike was built around Lake Okeechobee, but it led to peat fires and soil decomposition, resulting in significant environmental damage. Conservationists like Marjory Stoneman Douglas warned that the Everglades were approaching death and advocated for conservation.

Will the Everglades ever fully recover from these human interventions? The answer lies not just in science and technology but also in our commitment to preserving nature’s balance. As we continue to grapple with environmental challenges, the lessons from the Everglades serve as a reminder of the delicate interplay between development and conservation.