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In this edition, you will find the latest news and information about the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and community outreach efforts throughout south Florida. As you read through this issue, you will discover more about what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District are doing to inform, involve, and engage our citizens, businesses and communities in the Everglades restoration plan and the protection of our future water supply. |
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Did you know that the Florida Everglades was once a vibrant, free-flowing river of grass that provided clean water from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay? Today, this extraordinary ecosystem is dying. Over the past half-century, the health and size of the Everglades have steadily declined. Severely impacted by drainage and development, the Everglades is suffering from a critical shortage of clean, reliable water sources. To restore and preserve south Florida's natural environment, enhance water supplies, and maintain flood protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District and numerous other federal, state, local and tribal partners, has developed a plan to save the Everglades. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) includes a series of ecological and water system improvements. During the next 30 years, the Corps, the District, and their sponsoring partners will restore water quality, quantity, timing, and distribution in what is being referred to as "the largest environmental restoration project in history." To find out more about Everglades restoration, visit our official website at www.evergladesplan.org. |
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A partnership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District and many other federal, state, local and tribal partners.| March - April 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Journey of Wayne Drop to the Everglades is a curriculum developed for fourth and fifth grade students about the greater Everglades ecosystem and the plan to save it. It was initially distributed to elementary schools throughout the 16 counties of south Florida and at the Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST) Conference in Orlando in the fall of 2005.
The materials have been modified for national use and are available online in a downloadable format. The storybook is also now available in Spanish. “Students from Seattle to Boston and in-between will enjoy learning about America’s Everglades,” said Erica Robbins, outreach program specialist for the Corps of Engineers, and a former middle school teacher. This spring and summer, the Corps will announce availability of the program materials nationwide. To kick things off, the Corps will participate in the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Conference on Science Education in California, where 10,000 teachers from across the country will be introduced to the Wayne Drop materials in English and in Spanish. Following that, the Corps will partner with national teaching and environmental organizations and libraries to spread the word about this engaging teaching resource. Just like a drop of water floating across the nation in a cloud, the word of Wayne Drop should quickly spread. The materials can be found in the Learn and Teach section on www.evergladesplan.org. |
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There are more than 50 projects that comprise the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Public meetings and workshops are The Broward County Water Preserve Areas project will capture and store rainwater, reduce phosphorus and other unwanted nutrients entering the Everglades, reduce seepage out of the Everglades, increase urban drinking water supplies, reduce saltwater intrusion in underground water supplies, and increase the amount of wetlands in south Florida. The project features two above-ground reservoirs and a wetlands buffer strip. A public workshop will be held April 18 at the Weston Branch Library in Weston, featuring an open house at 6:30 p.m. and presentation at 7 p.m., followed by public comments. For more information, visit the Projects section on the www.evergladesplan.org website. The Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoirs project is located on state owned lands in western Palm Beach and Hendry counties. The project will capture fresh water normally lost to tide, and store, treat, and re-distribute this water to
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Children enjoy hands-on CERP activities at the Museum of Science and History’s 2006 Water Education Festival on February 4 |
Participants learn about the Everglades at the annual Sistrunk Festival on February 18 in Fort Lauderdale, an event which celebrates African American and Caribbean culture. |
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If you would like to request a presentation for your organization, please contact Malissa Booth at 561-683-1577, ext. 24 or Bernadette Morris at 305-948-8063, ext. 201 |
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In April, people from around the globe will celebrate our fragile planet and the actions they can take to protect it as part of the 36th anniversary of Earth Day. Originally observed as one day – April 22 each year – activities now often occur throughout the month.
Making the largest impact, the Corps will place billboards in south Florida about Everglades restoration. Included are the 
Also in April, the Corps is placing an interactive computer kiosk at Palm Beach Community College in Belle Glade. The kiosk contains messages about Everglades restoration and will help students and local residents better understand this huge undertaking which will have an impact on their community and lives. The kiosk will remain at the college throughout the summer.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to enlist the help of a little water drop to raise awareness about the Everglades nationwide.
The program includes a storybook and lesson plans, and tells the tale of a fun-loving water drop who travels to the Everglades with his friends. Along the way, they learn about water resources, wetlands, and the value of protecting natural ecosystems.
held throughout the year and across the region to present project details and take comments. A list of all project documents currently available for review and comment, and a list of all upcoming public meetings, can be found on the home page of the 
benefit the natural environment. Two above ground reservoir cells – one at approximately 17,000 acres, and a second at approximately 14,000 acres – will each have a 12-foot storage depth and will provide a combined storage volume of 360,000 acre-feet of water. Additional project features include a Stormwater Treatment Area and improvements to area canals. A public meeting was held March 15 in Belle Glade to present and receive public comments on the revised Draft Integrated Project Implementation Report / Environmental Impact Statement, along with the project’s Draft Operating Manual. Public comments will continue to be taken through April 10, 2006. The Projects section on the 
If you are interested in learning about business opportunities with the Corps, please contact Randy Edney at 561-683-1577, ext. 14. If you are interested in learning about business opportunities with the Water Management District, please call the Procurement Hotline at 1-800-472-5290.