The Problem with Going Straight Will Okeechobee Be OK? Raising Cane Over Development Restoring Nature's Water Filters Chasing After Ghosts Bay Watch

Countless wading birds once flocked to Florida Bay. Now, the sins of draining the Everglades come to roost here at the terminus of the river of grass; the bay is a repository of the challenges of managing the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water in South Florida. Drainage and diversion projects - more than 1,400 miles of canals - have left Florida Bay starving for water. After its near-collapse in 1992, research revealed that algal blooms were becoming more frequent and devastating (including the largest red-tide event ever recorded) and that corals in the Florida Keys had declined dramatically between 1996 and 1999. Local and national water quality issues conspire with climate change to further wreak havoc. Yet, while other impacts exist, hope for Florida Bay and the coral reefs starts with Everglades restoration efforts.