Photos courtesy South Florida Water Management District
Battelle Parnership Contributes to
Everglades Restoration Effort

The South Florida Ecosystem Restoration effort is the largest environmental undertaking occurring anywhere in the world. In order to “get the water right” the leaders of this effort, the US Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) and the South Florida Water Management District ( the District), have hired Battelle to provide them with the best available science, and innovative technologies necessary to make informed decisions and initiate appropriate actions to preserve and protect the South Florida ecosystem while providing for the water-related needs of a region. Known as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP), the program is a shared federal and state effort with the cost of restoration estimated to be 12 to 15 billion dollars over the next 20 to 30 years. The District and the Corps have awarded Battelle’s Coastal Resource and Environmental Management and Safety (CREMS) group three significant contracts relevant to the Everglades Restoration program.

The Everglades was once a vast, free-flowing river of grass extending from the Kissimmee chain of lakes to Florida Bay. Wildlife such as wading birds, panthers and manatees were abundant, and the sub-tropical wetlands supported a rich diversity of plants, fish and other animals. Over the past 50 years, the landscape has been dramatically altered from the construction of more than 1,700 miles of canals and levees, a population increase to over 6 million people, expanded agriculture and other development. This has interrupted the Everglades’ natural sheetflow and resulted in a loss of more than half the original Everglades wetlands, a 90 percent reduction in the wading bird population, numerous species placed on the endangered or threatened species list, and an infestation of invasive plants. The South Florida Ecosystem has been seriously degraded by disruptions to its natural hydrology.

The CERP, the world’s largest ecosystem restoration effort, is designed to restore, protect, and preserve the water resources of Central and South Florida. An adaptive assessment approach is being used to evaluate and assess restoration progress by comparing new monitoring data to restoration targets (performance measures) and to existing baseline data. Within CERP, the role of Restoration Coordination and Verification (RECOVER) is to organize and apply scientific and technical information to support the objectives of the program as effectively as possible.

Last year, on behalf of the RECOVER program, the Corps contracted with Battelle to develop an inventory of the existing and relevant monitoring efforts throughout South Florida. This included water quality, and hydrologic as well as biological monitoring data projects. Recently, the District hired Battelle to evaluate and analyze the data and determine which studies could serve as baseline data for the CERP. This information will then be used to establish the baseline for the CERP Monitoring and Assessment Plan as well as identify the gaps in data to determine future monitoring needs.

The District also recently awarded Battelle with a multiyear Science and Engineering contract to provide science services in environmental science, toxicology, chemistry, quality assurance/quality control, and technical writing to assist the District in carrying out its CERP and water resource responsibilities. These responsibilities include conserving and developing water supply, protecting and improving water quality, mitigating impacts from flood and drought, and restoring and preserving natural resources. As a partner in these significant projects, Battelle’s scientific expertise will assist the SFWMD as it carries out its CERP mandate and water resource mission.

For additional information, please contact Ms. Sally Yozell at (561) 656-6302, yozells@battelle.org.