What nutrient levels and loads need to be achieved in order to preserve the integrity of the ecosystem?

• Provides phosphorus concentration goals that treatment technologies must reach to prevent changes in native Everglades flora and fauna.

• Identifies State water quality standards that could be revised due to unique characteristics of Everglades wetland.

• Confirms that EAA Best Management Practices (BMPs) are achieving or exceeding phosphorus reduction targets.

• Confirms that the design basis for Stormwater Treatment Areas (STA) construction was accurate.

• Confirms that STAs will achieve or exceed phosphorus reduction targets, and will remove mercury.

• Identifies advanced treatment technologies that combined with BMPs and STAs may reach phosphorus concentration goals.

• Predicts that recovery of phosphorus impacted areas will take decades due to high internal loading from sediments.

• Estimates that Florida Bay watershed P loads are smaller than Gulf, atmospheric, or Keys' inputs.

Many findings are also published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

• Identifies BMPs to optimize beef cattle production while minimizing surface water nutrient runoff.

• Identifies impacts of phosphorus control practices and land uses on phosphorus delivery to the Lake.

• Identifies basin-scale projects to reduce phosphorus concentrations in water entering the lake.

• Quantifies relation between lake water levels, nutrient cycling, and ecological responses.

• Indicates that lake response to external P load reductions will be delayed due to high internal loading from sediments.

• Presents watershed and lake models used to predict lake responses to local and regional management actions (e.g., the C&SF Restudy).

• Presents a comprehensive ecological monitoring program to track Lake ecosystem health.

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