Tropical Areas in Florida Essay -- Tropics

The Trouble with TropicsFlorida, like many tropical areas, has two seasons the wet season and the wry season. During thewet season (June through October), irrigate is plentiful, lawns grow green, farmers grow their crops and kidswakeboard in the park. But, of course, flooding is a problem. In the dry season (seven months Novemberthrough May), grass turns as brown as a desert bush.The source of Floridas water system is the Lake Toho/Kissimmee River/Lake Okeechobee system, andthe level of the lake system rises and falls between the seasons. At low levels during the dry season,Florida residents must be mindful to exert water and animals are left to fend for themselves. water systemresources have the potential to be unsustainable without management.Florida water resources fluctuate, so life can be difficult. The South Florida wet ManagementDistrict was created to maintain sustainability of Florida water resources.Today, tourists come to visit the beautiful tropical climate of Florida s beaches, wildlife, and palmtrees. South Florida wasnt always so pristine. Florida used to be a much soggier swampland. Mosquitoeswere so plentiful, that some early pioneers of the area joked that they must be the state bird. Because ofFloridas flat geography, rainfall was the determinative factor in every facet of South Floridas environment.1After a large rain, water would stand in floodplains and flow from river to river like water in an icetray without canals or dams to control the flow of storm waters. Standing water would remain for weeks ormonths leaving disease and water damage behind.1During the dry season, farming became difficult. Droughts were common and crops and cattlewould thirst without a reliable source of ... ....dep.state.fl.us/coastal/habitats/coral.htm.6. Facility and Infrastructure Location Index Map. May 2002. South Florida Water Management District.http//www.sfwmd.gov/images/pdfs/facility_map_overview.pdf.7. Wetland Wildlife. 8 Dec. 2004. University of Flori da.http//wetlandextension.ifas.ufl.edu/wildlife.htm.8. Land Management Annual Report. 2003. South Florida Water Management District.http//www.sfwmd.gov/org/clm/lsd/images/pdfs/lsd_ar03.pdf.9. Environmental Restoration Efforts. South Florida Water Management District.http//www.sfwmd.gov/org/wrp/env_rest_efforts.htmllakeo.10. underlying and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study (Restudy) Update andBackground. July 1999. http//www.evergladesplan.org/docs/backgd.pdf.11. ACCELER8 Everglades Now. South Florida Water Management District.http//www.evergladesnow.org/a8_overview.shtml.