Everglades Retreating.

Beginning in 1905, the former Governor of Florida, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, pushed for the Everglades to be drained in order to increase both the agriculture and development of Florida. Large plots of swamps were altered into suitable and productive farmland. This was the birth of large cities, such as Miami and Fort Lauderdale. With a growing population, the government began to push towards more radical measures in order to expand. Flood control in Southern Florida was needed so in 1948, the US Congress passed the Central and South Florida Project. This project became known as the “most effective water management system in the world.” Currently, it is the most extensive system of man-made canals and redirect 1.7 billion gallons of water from the Everglades to the ocean daily. Because of this massive loss of water in the marsh, the natural habitat of many species, including birds, fish, and a variety of animals, began to recede. Without the freshwater to balance the saltwater, the marsh experienced an increased amount of saltwater and along with pollution; the water quality disturbed the growth of native plants. Exotic plants and algae began to flourish while natural species began to decline. As a result, the Everglades are currently half the size it was only a century ago.

Citation:
Bellinger, Brent J. "Nutrient Impacted Florida Everglades with Human Impact." Microbial Ecology 64.4 (2012): 893-908. Web.
"Facts of the Everglades." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0214223/facts.html>.