Kissimmee river

• How long is the Kissimmee River?

  165 km
• How wide was the floodplain of the Kissimmee River?

  Up to 5 km wide
• What was constructed to control water flow in the Kissimmee River?

  Canals and water study turn control
• What significant change occurred to the river in the 1960s?

  The river was channelised by cutting and dredging
• How deep was the channel created in the Kissimmee River?

  30 feet deep
• What types of wildlife thrived in the Kissimmee River before channelisation?

  Wetland plants, wading birds, and fish
• Between which years were engineering changes made to the Kissimmee River?

  1962 and 1971
• What was the result of the engineering changes made to the river?

  Transformed into a 90 km, 10 m deep drainage canal
• Why was the river channelised?

  To provide an outlet canal for draining floodwaters
• What fraction of the floodplain wetlands was drained by the canal construction?

  ⅔ of floodplain wetlands
• What was a consequence of draining the wetlands?

  Nutrients no longer absorbed by the wetlands
• How did the changes affect the Florida Everglades?

  Changed water inputs to the Everglades
• What issue arose in Lake Okeechobee due to the river changes?

  Eutrophication from extra nutrients
• What led to the supported restoration study?

  Concerns about sustainability
• When did the restoration of the river start and complete?

  Started in 1999, completed in 2015
• How many wildlife species benefited from the restoration?

  Over 320 wildlife species
• How many hectares of wetlands were created by the restoration?

  Over 11,000 hectares
• What effect did seasonal rains have on the restored areas?

  Now inundate the floodplain in restored areas
• What were the reasons for the Kissimmee River scheme?

  • Provide flood protection for adjacent land
  • Frequent prolonged flooding impacted people severely
• What are the advantages of the Kissimmee River restoration?

  • Flood water stays in the basin for 1 day
  • High water levels support natural ecosystems
  • Decrease in nutrient loads to Lake Okeechobee
  • Increased populations of key avian species
  • Doubled dissolved oxygen levels for aquatic life
  • Potential revenue from ecotourism
• What are the disadvantages of the Kissimmee River restoration?

  • Loss of 2,000 to 14,000 hectares of wetland
  • 90% reduction in wading bird and waterfowl usage
  • Continuing decline in game fish populations
  • Higher water losses due to evapotranspiration
  • Navigation impediments during dry spells
• What was the cost of the Kissimmee River restoration project?

  Over 400 million
• What was the initial cost of channelisation?

  20 million
• Who shares the bills for the Kissimmee River project?

  The state of Florida and federal government