 |
| EAA | STAs | WCAs | Control Structures |
Hurricanes and flooding in 1926 and 1928 caused thousands of deaths and the implementation of the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) water management Project in 1948. As part of the C&SF Project, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) constructed about 1,000 miles of canals, levees, gates, dams and pump stations.
Today, the USACE and the South Florida Water Management District direct the waters in order to protect against flooding, to prevent saltwater intrusion, and to provide water for agricultural irrigation and drinking water supplies to large urban areas in South Florida.
Take a look at some of the water control structures and the areas around them.
| Levees |
|
Levees are embankments that prevents flooding or continuous dikes that confine areas of land for irrigation by surface flooding.
|
[larger image] |
Levee L-28 located north of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at the southwestern edge of Water Conservation Area 3 and the eastern outskirts of Big Cypress National Preserve. Canal C-4 is seen in the foreground. |
| Spanish Moss |
| North of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at the southwestern edge of Water Conservation Area 3 and the eastern outskirts of Big Cypress National Preserve, trees along the C-4 Canal are draped with long gray strands of Spanish moss.
Spanish moss is an epiphyte that is related to the pineapple. It does not have roots and is not a parasite; it uses trees for support only. Spanish moss is commonly found throughout Florida.
|
[larger image] |
|
Pickerelweed and
|
Spatterdock |
[larger image] |
Pickerelweed and spatterdock flower in C-4 Canal waters, north of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at the southwestern edge of Water Conservation Area 3 and the eastern outskirts of Big Cypress National Preserve. |
The long heart-shaped leaves (generally 4 to 10-inches long) and violet-blue flowers of the pickerelweed extend above the water. Pickerelweed commonly grows in calm waters throughout Florida and generally blooms in all but the winter months.
Spatterdock is a common freshwater plant of Florida. Its heart-shaped, large leaves may be wide or narrow and are often floating. Spatterdock flowers are yellow and grow at or above the water surface.
|
| Spillway |
[larger image] |
A roadside view of Control Structure S-12 D located north of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at about the (southern) midpoint of Water Conservation Area 3 (WCA-3). Control Structure S-12 D was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is a spillway that passes water, via canals, from WCA-3 to Everglades National Park. |
|
|
A side view of Control Structure S-12 D located north of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at about the (southern) midpoint of Water Conservation Area 3 (WCA-3). To the left of this spillway are canal waters and marshland of WCA-3 and to the right is US 41 (Tamiami Trail).
|
[larger image] |
[larger image] |
Gates are seen near the buoys in this back view of Control Structure S-12 D located north of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at about the (southern) midpoint of Water Conservation Area 3. Gates can either hold water in or let water out. |
|
|
Canal waters and Water Conservation Area 3 (WCA-3) marshland just west of Control Structure S-12 D, north of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), at about the (southern) midpoint of WCA-3.
|
[larger image] |
| Pump Station |
[larger image] |
Beyond the waters of Water Conservation Area 3 (WCA-3), a view of Pump Station S-9, as seen from Everglades Holiday Park, located just south of the US 27/ I-75 (Alligator Alley) intersection. Pumps are used to pump water from one location to another. Here, pumps discharge water from WCA-3 via Pump Station S-9 and Canal C-11 located on the other side of the structure. |
[larger image] |
Diesel engine and other mechanics inside a pump station wall (Pump Station S-5A located at the northwest corner of Water Conservation Area 1). |
Related SOFIA Information
Below we have listed science projects and publications for studies that are being conducted, or have been conducted, in association with control structures. Follow these links to read about each project and to see project-related publications and data.
Science Projects:
Related Publications:
TOP
|
