Thursday, October 16, 2008
Conservationist sounds alarm over flooding in Everglades
WEST BROWARD, Fla. (WSVN) -- Canals along Alligator Alley have been overflowing, leaving parts of the Everglades underwater, and one conservationist says the situation is affecting wildlife.
One of the 10 natural wonders of the world is now at risk of loosing precious wildlife following massive rains that swept through the Everglades with Tropical Storm Fay, leaving a lot of standing water in the sawgrass.
Seven Skyforce had a bird's eye view of the significant amount of water north of Tamiami Trail, and if that standing water remains, the threat of loosing wildlife increases. "If the water can start going down in the next 30 days, then only the weak will die, and the strong will survive," said conservationist Ron Bergeron. "If it extends beyond those 30 days, then you will have a massacre of wildlife."
To demonstrate the extent of the high water, Bergeron hops from an airboat and into the water. The water goes up to his chest. "In a normal water level schedule, it would be just above my knees," he said.
The above-normal water levels are making it very difficult for deer and panthers to find refuge and other animals to find food. Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are concerned over vegetation and tree islands that vanish yearly because of these rising waters, and they have caught the attention of one land developer with some solutions of his own. "I believe in multi-species management, and I believe that the whole Everglades, globally, should be protected," Bergeron said.
According to Bergeron, the removal of vegetation from the south side of Tamiami Trail would increase the flow of water. A separate solution includes a drainage swail system that runs parallel to that street, redirecting water to the lowest elevation on the south side, where it would have naturally flowed before that road was built. "We should prioritize the Tamiami Trail," Bergeron said. "That would stop irreversible damage to 80 percent of the heart of the Everglades."
FWC officials are concerned with the water levels but even more concerned with the duration of the high water, which may prevent the animals' survival.
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