Everglades Restoration Secures Drinking Water, Faces Rising Saltwater Risks

The Florida Everglades, a unique and diverse wetland ecosystem, supports a wide array of wildlife including endangered species like the Florida panther and American crocodile, but it faces significant threats from habitat loss, invasive species, disrupted water flow, and climate change. Restoration efforts over the past 25 years have been crucial in improving water quality and maintaining the Everglades as a vital source of drinking water for millions in South Florida, though challenges like nutrient pollution from agriculture and saltwater intrusion persist. The natural seasonal water flow, or hydroperiod, is essential to the Everglades’ ecological balance, supporting critical organisms like periphyton that sustain the food web. Meanwhile, communities along Florida’s coast, such as Tampa Bay’s Shores Acres, continue to suffer from repeated flooding caused by increasingly frequent hurricanes, highlighting the urgent need for adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change. Protecting and restoring the Everglades is not only crucial for wildlife conservation but also for safeguarding water resources and supporting human communities vulnerable to environmental changes. Public support and sound science remain central to the ongoing efforts to preserve this iconic American landscape.