In a recent letter to the Fort Myers News-Press, former Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah inaccurately alleged flawed scientific modeling was used in Everglades restoration planning.
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The science of computer modeling used at the South Florida Water Management District to design, build and operate projects that are restoring the Everglades is among the most advanced in the world. In fact, the models are continuously updated and improved as new science and data become available.
Here are the facts
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- The best available scientific modeling in the late 1990s was used to develop the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Expansive environmental data covered 31 years, from 1965 to 1995, and contained a broad range of rainfall conditions, from very wet to very dry.
- Modeling was updated for the Central Everglades Planning Project, which adds to CERP water quality and storage benefits. The update relied on a 41-year period, from 1965 to 2005.
- As projects are planned and designed, the models are updated with up-to-date rainfall, topographic and land use data.
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The South Florida Water Management District
is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern part of the state. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. Our mission is to protect South Florida's water resources by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.
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