Moreover, the health of the water in Lake Okeechobee, the main reservoir for South Florida, is in jeopardy as a result of human intervention in the Everglades (Ibid.) There are other agricultural uses for Everglades water. Nurseries grow for use in home gardens. Demand for their product is affected by water shortages that arise from poor management of the Everglades water. This issue is significant in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. In Palm Beach County, sugar is the main agricultural crop, dependent on the Everglades for irrigation (Frogameni, 2008).

Water from the Everglades also impacts several other industries as well. Some fishing industries rely on the Everglades to provide clean water and nutrients to estuaries and bays. The mix of salt and fresh water results in a unique ecosystem that supports a rich variety of wildlife, including commercial seafood species including shrimp and stone crabs. The economic impact of Everglades-dependent fisheries is estimated at $1 billion (Audobon, 2007). The tourism industry benefits from the stable environment to which the Everglades contribute. Fishing, bird-watching, diving and sailing in the Florida Bay account for an estimated $5.9 billion in revenues for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties (Ibid).

There are also significant indirect spin-off considerations relating to the resource value of Everglades water. Because of the importance of Everglades water to agriculture, the drinking water supply and other everyday uses, the Everglades is considered the lynchpin of quality of life in South Florida. Further deterioration in water...

Nearly 7 million people depend on its fresh water. It contributes to rich fisheries, agricultural product and a high quality of life. Twentieth-century projects that diverted water for development and agriculture have reduced this quality of life and the government is reducing use of Everglades water for agriculture. This will place additional emphasis on the value of the resource for basic water needs, tourism and the fishing industry in Florida Bay.
Works Cited

USGS Circular 1182. Retrieved March 19, 2009 at http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1182/

Cave, Damien. (2008). Florida to Buy Sugar Maker in Bid to Restore Everglades. New York Times. Retrieved March 19, 2009 at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/us/24cnd-sugar.html?hp

No author. (2002). Everglades Information: Water Resources. South Florida Water Management District. Retrieved March 19, 2009 at http://glades.sfwmd.gov/empact/home/02_everglades/05_water_resources/index.shtml

No author. (2007). The Southern Everglades and Florida Bay. The Audobon Society. Retrieved March 19, 2009 at http://www.audubon.org/states/fl/fl/PDFs/pubs_policydocs-florida_bay_report_main.pdf

Frogameni, Bill. (2008). Changing Times, Mixed Outlook for South Florida Farming. South Florida Business Journal. Retrieved March 19, 2009 at http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/06/30/story8.html

USGS Circular 1134. Retrieved March 19, 2009 at http://sflwww.er.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1134/esns/hydro.html