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Shrinking Everglades.


What has happened to the Everglades? The short answer is people and agriculture. In the 1900s, canals were built to drain the northern Everglades. Wetlands just below Lake Okeechobee Noun 1. Lake Okeechobee - a lake in southeast Florida to the north of the Everglades
Okeechobee

Everglade State, FL, Florida, Sunshine State - a state in southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states
 were turned into 550,000 acres of farmland to grow sugarcane.

More wetlands were lost as people moved to Florida in increasing numbers. At the present rate of growth, the population of southern Florida is expected to double to 12 million people by 2050.

The maps reveal the problem. The map of southern Florida in 1900 shows only a few cities, with small populations. In contrast, the map for 2005 shows many large cities, some with populations 10 times as large.

Most of southern Florida's 6 million residents depend on the Everglades and its aquifers The following is a partial list of aquifers around the world. A of aquifers is also available.

North America

Canada
  • Oak Ridges Moraine - North of Toronto Ontario
  • Laurentian River System
United States
  • Biscayne Aquifer
 for drinking water drinking water

supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g.
. That has led to a plan to save what is left of this unique ecosystem (see pp. 8-11). But some critics believe that Florida's rapidly growing population will overwhelm o·ver·whelm  
tr.v. o·ver·whelmed, o·ver·whelm·ing, o·ver·whelms
1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline.

2.
a.
 attempts to save the Everglades.

Study the maps, then answer the questions that follow.

QUESTIONS

1. What color is used to show the historic range of the Everglades?--

2. A slight downward slope of land causes the Everglades to flow in which general direction?--to--

3. In 1900, the Everglades ecosystem extended as far north as which city in Florida?--

4. Today, Everglades National Park extends as far north as which city?--

5. How is the land directly south of Lake Okeechobee now used?--

6. The population of Miami was about 1,700 people in the year 1900. What is Miami's population today?--

7. In 1900, which two lakes shown on the map were located within the Everglades ecosystem?--

8. What is the approximate distance in miles between those two lakes?--

9. What is the estimated population of Fort Myers Fort Myers, city (1990 pop. 45,206), seat of Lee co., SW Fla., on the Caloosahatchee River, near the Gulf of Mexico; founded 1850, inc. 1905. It has a tourist trade and light industry and is a shipping point for citrus fruits, winter vegetables, flowers (especially  today? --

10. What body of water lies between Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys Florida Keys, chain of coral and limestone islands and reefs, c.150 mi (240 km) long, extending from Virginia Key, S of Miami Beach, to Key West, and forming the southern extremity of Florida. ?--

ANSWERS

1. green

2. north; south

3. Orlando

4. Miami

5. It is an agricultural area.

6. More than 300,000

7. Okeechobee and Kissimmee

8. about 50 miles

9. 40,000 to 100,000

10. Florida Bay Florida Bay is the shallow bay located between the southern end of the Florida mainland (the Florida Everglades) and the Florida Keys. Nearly all of Florida Bay is included in Everglades National Park.  
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Article Details
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Title Annotation:GEOSKILLS
Publication:Junior Scholastic
Geographic Code:1U5FL
Date:Apr 11, 2005
Words:349
Previous Article:Saving the Everglades: the Everglades of Florida are one of Earth's most precious resources. More than half have been lost. Is it too late to save...
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