Everglades Restoration | Kissimmee River Everglades Restoration | 212-789-9077

The Natural Kissimmee River00:00:00

The Kissimmee River originally meandered over 100 miles from Lake Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee. During heavy rains, it would swell into a large, shallow flood plain almost two miles wide. In drier seasons, the river would shrink back to its twisting course, a cycle crucial for the diverse organisms within its ecosystem.

Channelization and its Consequences00:00:26

Due to demands for flood protection, the Army Corps of Engineers channelized the river, transforming it into a 56-mile canal. This project drained nearly 35,000 acres of flood plain and caused over 68 miles of the original river to cease flowing. The loss of wetlands removed natural filters, leading to phosphorus and other agricultural/urban runoff directly contaminating the heart of the Everglades.