How Florida Brought its Dying Kissimmee River Back to Life

The Kissimmee River is a 166-kilometer river in central Florida. It was once home to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, eagles, fish, waterfowl, and many species of native wetland plants. However, in 1947, the US government repurposed the river as a flood barrier. Army engineers dredged and straightened the Kissimmee, turning it into a dead-straight 90-kilometer-long canal. This caused enormous damage to the local ecosystem.

The fast-running canal depleted the river of oxygen, leading to a collapse in the food chain. Waterfowl numbers fell by 90%, while the number of bald eagle nesting sites fell by 70%.

In 1999, a $1 billion project to reverse this damage began. Led by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, they backfilled 35 kilometers of the canal, reconstructed old river channels, and reconnected them with the parts of the river that had been left behind. More than 100 square kilometers of floodplain and 81 square kilometers of wetland have been restored.

Fish and aquatic invertebrates are returning to the oxygen-rich river. Waterfowl have also returned in expectation-defying numbers. The project has also added 12 million cubic meters of extra water capacity to the area, which will help prevent flooding in the future.

The restoration of the Kissimmee River is a success story. It shows that it is possible to reverse the damage caused by human intervention and restore a healthy ecosystem. The project has also provided a valuable lesson for other communities that are facing similar challenges.

Watch to learn about a 12-year project that is trying to save a vital Indian river