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The first major canals were dug to drain the land for farming. This lowered the water table, creating several problems. The peat soil dried, oxidized, and blew away. Salt water moved inland along the canals, infiltrating the ground and contaminating the ground water.

In response to these problems, the Dade County Water Conservation District and the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District were established in the late nineteen forties to control floods, conserve water, and control salinity. Canals, levees, and control structures were built and water-conservation areas were established.

The flood-control and conservation facilities significantly altered the hydrologic regimen of Dade County. Although some lowlands still experience short-term flooding annually, many low areas are no longer flooded. The canal system reduces flooding by allowing water to run off rapidly, and by lowering the water table. The lowered water table increases the amount of underground space available for storage of rainfall and permits septic-tank systems to function satisfactorily.

A dense network of drainage canals has greatly altered the hydrologic regime of the south Dade area. [larger image]

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