Hydrologic jealousy

Why does the Caloosahatchee get to tap into upstream storage ...

But down south in the swamp we're left with none?

The above hydrograph provides a comparison of discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee, sheetflow under Tamiami Trail in Big Cypress Nat'l Preserve, and water releases into the western half of Everglades Nat'l Park through the S12 water control structures.  Discharges across the Trail have diminished over the past weeks while flows down the Caloosahatchee and, to a lesser extent, through the S12s have been maintained.

I know its more complicated than that and not to begrudge anyone their water (although granted, sometimes the places that get it, i.e. the Caloosahatchee estuary, don't want it), but deep drought season is approaching in the swamp.  The only hope now to prevent a deep drydown in the swamp is the fickle winds of a regionally-significant rain storm.  Don't forget too that we had a good wet season, and more than that -- it ended strong with above-average October rain.

So it's not like we didn't start off with what coffers we have full.


Unlike chance rain events,

Enhancing storage and upstream interconnectivity are drought control we can count on.