How much Everglades is left?


How much Everglades is left? Since 1900 much of the Everglades has been drained for agriculture and urban development, so that today only 50 percent of the origi- nal wetlands remain. Water levels and patterns of water flow are largely controlled by an extensive system of levees and canals.


Can you swim in the Everglades?

Stay a safe distance from the shoreline (15 to 20 feet; 4.5 to 6 meters) and do not swim, snorkel, or dive where prohibited - in any canal, pond, freshwater lake, marked channel, or boat basin inside the park. Prevent small children and pets from approaching shorelines or basking alligators or crocodiles.


What would happen if the Everglades disappeared?

Without the Everglades as a buffer to hurricanes and as a source of drinking water, it's the people living in South Florida who risk becoming the endangered species.