May 2006
Volume 1, Issue 3
Fossil Find Adds Mystique to Everglades
ANCIENT MAMMALS ONCE ROAMED PROJECT AREA
For more
information
on Everglades
restoration, visit:
www.evergladesplan.org
www.evergladesnow.org
An average day digging fill for a new Acceler8 stormwater treatment area
suddenly turned not-so-ordinary when earthmoving equipment struck an
extensive fossil deposit. Construction at the location was immediately halted,
and experts were brought in to the discovery at the Everglades Agricultural
Area (EAA) Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) Expansion project.
A giant ground sloth in excellent condition was unearthed along with the
fossilized remains of ancient deer, horse, armadillo and a camel-llama type
animal. Giant sloths became extinct about 4,000 years ago. An analysis is being
conducted to determine the age of the fossils, which could be as old as 1 million
years—long before the Everglades even existed.
Uncovering Bones
Paleontology contractor Mark Renz
(left) stands in a small flooded pit
adjacent to the fossils found during
excavation at the EAA STA
Expansion project.The site is
beneath a former sugarcane field
in Hendry County. The fossils were
moved to the University of Florida
Natural History Museum, where
they will be analyzed and dated.
The site has since been covered,
pending a decision whether further
excavation is needed.
IMPROVING EVERGLADES WATER QUALITY
A closer look at the EAA STA Expansion
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection
www.dep.state.fl.us
South Florida Water
Management District
www.sfwmd.gov
More than a dozen reporters and TV crews visited this Acceler8 project on
April 11 to view fossil bones unearthed during construction. They also got a
first-hand look at Everglades Restoration and the vast stormwater treatment
areas being built to cleanse runoff. When complete, the EAA STA Expansion
will add approximately 18,000 acres to the existing treatment wetlands. These
constructed wetlands naturally reduce nutrient levels in surface water before
entering the Everglades.
The project is being implemented in two phases. The first expands STA-2 into
a 2,000-acre parcel of land in southern Palm Beach County. STA-5 expands
into 2,560 acres in eastern Hendry County. The second project phase builds
additional treatment wetlands on approximately 13,000 acres in this area. All
of the land needed for this extensive project is in public ownership. Project
completion is scheduled for 2010.
South Florida Environmental Restoration Update
EVERGLADES RESTORATION
Page 2 — May 2006
IN OTHER ACCELER8 NEWS...
Workforce Alliance expands job opportunities
¾ Acceler8 projects help more than the environment.
They also create employment opportunities. The
Workforce Alliance in Palm Beach County is a private,
non-profit organization overseeing local workforce
development both for employers and job seekers.
Through weekly networking and recruiting events, the
alliance provides opportunities for conducting applicant
screenings, skill assessments, job skills training and
postings of job opportunities for Everglades Restoration
as well as other opportunities in the county. You can
learn more at www.pbcalliance.com
Construction at five sites putting $74 million to work for Everglades Restoration
¾ Expansions of three Stormwater Treatment
Areas and construction of test cells at the
C-43 and C-44 reservoirs are currently under
construction. Test cells are used to optimize design
of the full-scale reservoirs, which will capture and
store excess water to protect the Caloosahatchee
and St. Lucie estuaries.
Four projects now in design phase
¾ Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetland Restoration,
Picayune Strand Restoration, C-44 Reservoir
and EAA A-1 Reservoir all are undergoing project
design. Public workshops are being held during the
design phase so that stakeholders can bring local
issues and concerns to the table.
ON THE HORIZON...
•
•
Water Preserve Areas: Acme Basin B Discharge
Groundbreaking in mid-June, date to be announced
Water Resources Advisory Commission / Issues
Workshop: C-111 Spreader Canal, Basis of Design
Report June 1, location to be announced
Get Involved! Find out how you can help by visiting:
http://www.sfwmd.gov/site/index.php?id=512
Did you know?
Thousands of birds are attracted to the shallow wetlands
found in Everglades Restoration projects. More than 90
species have been identified in STA-6. Black-necked stilts
(left) are one of many wading bird species nesting and
feeding there. Stilts are about a foot tall, with a long bill and
pink legs. They feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates.