SOFIA Virtual Tour - Controlling the Waters

Map showing location of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs), and Water Conservation Areas (WCA).

Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) are man-made wetlands designed to remove excess nutrients from the water. To address phosphorus levels in "downstream" waters of the Everglades, the Everglades Forever Act (1994) mandated the construction of STAs. As a result, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) was directed to construct STAs downstream from the primary canals of the Everglades Agricultural Area in order to filter nutrients from runoff, before the waters enter the Water Conservation Areas and the Everglades.

This tower monitors atmospheric mercury (Hg).
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The District's Everglades Nutrient Removal (ENR) Project, a constructed wetland completed in 1993, served as a prototype for the STAs. It later became part of Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West (STA-1W).

Come along with us as we visit STA-1W, located above the northwest corner of Water Conservation Area 1, and learn how the runoff waters are directed and cleaned.

Stormwater Treatment Area 1W (STA-1W)

Looking northeast, at an inflow pumping station located near the northeast corner of Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 1 West.
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Looking down at a test cell (fenced-in area at the center of the image) located within Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West.
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The pumping station in the photo to the left pumps agricultural runoff water into the STA. The water is directed through the man-made wetlands, which is divided into 4 cells by interior levees.

In the first 2 northern cells, phosphorus is initially removed from the waters. It is then directed to 2 smaller "polishing" cells for secondary treatment. Phosphorus is removed from the waters as it is deposited into the sediments or taken up by algae and plants. After waters have been cleaned, they are pumped into Water Conservation Area 1, also known as the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

Test cells are used for a number of controlled experiments, which allow scientists to test various nutrient removal technologies.

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Looking north from an observation tower, at the land and waters of Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West.

Slider turtle
A cute (but shy!) slider turtle. [larger image]	Slider turtles are found throughout Florida. Florida sliders can grow to lengths of 8 inches. They eat both plants and animals, eating mostly plants as they grow older. Sliders are often found in fresh waters with soft bottoms and vegetation. Slider turtles can stay under water for several minutes before having to come up for air! They are often seen basking in the sun by day.

Chara
While it may look like a flowering plant, Chara is actually a branched algae. Chara is commonly referred to as muskgrass because of its pungent odor. It usually grows in thick beds off the bottoms of ponds, lakes, rivers and ditches.	A long branch of Chara. [larger image]

Apple snails

Apple snails are tropical freshwater snails. In dry periods, they bury themselves beneath the mud and close their shell door to prevent from drying out. Apple snails are mostly vegetarian and eat foods such as soft and tough vegetation, and algae.
The snail kite is an endangered wetland hawk that feeds almost exclusively on apple snails. The kite's curved bill is perfect for extracting the snail from the shell. Because apple snails require a freshwater habitat in which to live, the survival of snail kites is strongly linked with Florida's hydrology.

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Apple snails sitting atop a dense blanket of Chara (common name muskgrass) found within the waters of Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West.

Below we have listed science projects and publications for studies that are being conducted, or have been conducted, in the vicinity of the Stormwater Treatment Areas. Follow these links to read about each project and to see project-related publications and data.