2. September 18, 2002 Master Recreation Plan Team Kick-Off Meeting Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan

3. A group is capable of much more than each member thinks is possible……….

4. Why Are We Here?  Establish Recreation Planning Team  Discuss Team Directives Program-Level Management Plan Master Recreation Plan  Initial Assignments/Taskings

5. How many states in the US sell more fishing licenses than Florida? None. According to the USFWS, Florida ranks #1 with 2.8 million, followed in order by California, Texas, Michigan, and New York.

7. Signing of the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) of 2000

8. Why are the Everglades Unique and Important? As Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote, The Everglades have been designated: a National Park an International Biosphere Reserve a World Heritage Site a Wetland of International Significance home to 68 threatened or endangered plant and animal species “There are no other Everglades in the world.”

9. South Florida Ecosystem  Area - 18,000 square miles  Population 1950s ~ 0.5 million  Population today ~ 6 million

10. The C&SF Project  Project Purposes  Project Purposes : Flood control, water conservation, regional water supply, prevention of salt water intrusion, fish and wildlife conservation, water supply to Everglades National Park, recreation  Project includes :  Project includes : 10 locks, 1,000 miles of canals, 720 miles of levees, over 150 water control structures, and 16 pump stations

11. HistoricFlow CurrentFlow

12.  Too much/too little water for the Everglades/south Florida ecosystem  Massive reductions in wading bird populations  Degradation of water quality  Repetitive water shortages and salt water intrusion  Declining estuary health  1.7 billion gallons of water a day wasted to tide A Region in Trouble….

13.  Study first authorized by Congress in 1992  Reexamination of C&SF Project to:  Restore south Florida ecosystem  Enhance water supplies  Maintain flood control Comprehensive Review Study “The Restudy”

14. Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan a series of environmental and other improvements over 30+ years with an estimated cost of $7.8 B Rescuing an Endangered Ecosystem: The Plan to Restore America’s Everglades The Central and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study (The Restudy)

15. QualityQuantityTimingDistribution Getting the Water Right

16. Water storage areas/facilities 15 surface storage areas 3 in-ground reservoirs 330 aquifer storage and recovery wells 19 stormwater treatment areas 2 wastewater reuse plants Removal of over 240 miles of canals, levees and structures Operational changes Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan

17. l $7.8 billion over 30+ yrs l $172 million/yr to operate & maintain How Much?….Who Pays? FEDERAL50%NON-FEDERAL50% $

18. SOUTH FLORIDA REGIONS LAKE OKEECHOBEE EVERGLADESAGRICULTURAL AREA AREA MIDDLE EAST COAST LOWER EAST COAST COAST KISSIMMEEBASIN N MIAMI UPPER EAST COAST BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE KEY WEST NATIONAL PARK EVERGLADES LOWER WEST COAST ORLANDO FT MYERS SOUTH DADE/ FLORIDA KEYS

19. Partnership  SFWMD and Corps  Two project managers  One From Each Agency  Paul Warner, SFWMD  Tambour Eller, Corps

20. Community Involvement  Integral to plan development and acceptance  Key to successful implementation

21. What will the Future be?

22. The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Create It Let’s Get Started……

23. How many duck stamps are sold annually in Florida? 22,000. Duck hunting is a popular activity, especially in the Water Conservation Areas.