quality environment. The State and appropriate regional agencies
must develop a comprehensive land and water use plan with
enforcement machinery to limit population. This is especially
crucial in the South Florida region. The population level must
be one that can be supported by the available natural resources,
especially water, in order to sustain a quality environment. A
State comprehensive land and water use plan would include an
assessment of the quality and quantity of these resources.
Moreover, it would set density controls on further development
by regions and sub-regions.

GROUND WATER
 Localized ground water problems are common in South
Florida, but they are especially severe in South Dade County and
in portions of Collier and Lee Counties. Ground water contamin-
ations and depletion problems include salt water intrusion.
uncontrolled drilling of wells, drainage well pollution, inefficient
waste water disposal systems, septic tanks and sanitary land fill.
Solutions to ground water problems include:
 1. A State Drilling Code requiring licensing of all wells and
 well drillers.
 2. Purchase or zoning of lands to protect recharge areas.
 3. Plugging of abandoned artesian wells.
 4. Installation of secondary controls in major canals to hold
 higher heads of water.
 5. Construction of additional salt water intrusion control
 facilities, except on natural rivers, according to a salinity
 control line established along the entire South Florida coast.
 6. Elimination of the disposal of improperly treated waste
 waters.
 7. Consideration of all artificial recharge methods which do
 not impair the quality of the ground water.
 8. Consideration, after study, of filling in certain canals in
 the South Dade County area to improve ground water
 quality.
 9. Prohibition of deep cuts made into the aquifer at the salt
 water line which cannot be adequately controlled by
 salinity barriers to prevent salt water intrusion.
Water quality, quantity and development controls described else-
where in this report will also improve ground water conditions in
the basin.
GEOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS
 The South Florida water resources can only be understood by
considering the entire area. The area begins with the Kissimmee
Valley chain of lakes in the north, extends southward through
Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades (including the Big Cypress) and
encompasses all coastal and estuarine areas. Any significant
change in water quality or quantity in one part of the total area
must be considered in light of its effects on the rest of the system.
(A) The Kissimmee Valley
 Pollutants entering the Kissimmee Valley have cumulative
adverse effects on water quality in the Kissimmee chain of lakes
and in Lake Okeechobee. The Kissimmee lakes nA mL ec
should be restored to their hu c conditions and levels to the
Vflratest Thn r-alin order to improve th quality of the
water entering Lake Okeechobee. Action should be taken to
restore fish resources and wildlife habitats. Contamination by
pastured livestock must be reduced. Techniques should be investi-
gated to increase restoration of selective areas to their natural
condition by use of advance waste disposal and composting


materials.
(B) Lake Okeechobee
 Recognizing that Lake Okcechobce is the hub of water quantity
and quality in South Florida, the most important and overriding
consideration should- be not only to maintain the present quality
of the lake but also to improve it. Specific consideration should
be given to assure that all water inputs into Lake Okeechobce
are of high quality. Two primary inputs which could improve the
quality of water are (1) reflooding of the Kissimmee Valley flood
plain and (2) assuring that only high quality water is back pumped
into the lake. We should consider the following ways, in
addition, to assure high quality lake water:
 1. An appropriate monitoring and enforcement program.
 2. Allowing a maximum high water level mark of seventeen
 and one-half feet. Higher controlled elevations will not be
 considered unless it can be clearly shown that such elevation
 would have no adverse effect on the environment of Lake
 Okeechobee, its water quality or the ecosystem of South
 Florida.
 3. Allowing no cattle or agricultural activities inside the diked
 area of the lake and immediate cancellation of all agricultural
 and mineral leases inside the diked area.
 4. Ways should be sought to replace chemical control of
 aquatic weeds with alternate methods which are not
 harmful to the Lake Okeechobee ecosystem.
 5. Nutrient removal by periodic commercial harvesting of the
 lake's extensive fish population.
 6. Nutrient removal by harvesting of aquatic weeds.
(C) Everglades Outside the Park
 Everything possible should be done to retain and enhance
those areas in their naturaTl ";; There is a need for
continuous monitoring an control of these water resources since
they provide the supplies to total South Florida area, including
urban areas. A specific objective should be to maintain and restore
thi.lrass. Present intrusion of non-public interests should be
removed rom Conservation Areas 1, 2, and 3 and all privately
owned lands in said areas be purchased. It is important that the
Big Cypress area be purchased to the greatest extent possible and
that land use controls be established immediately in the Big
Cypress to control development and to preserve this area for the
public benefit. Other potentially valuable areas that need protec-
tion are the Shark River Slough, its head water areas and the
general area near Canal C-l 11.
(D) Everglades National Park
 We should attempt to maintain the water quality and quantity
of the Park adequate for the purpose for which the Park was
created. Where it is deemed advisable, exotic plants and animals
should be controlled in the Park and throughout the Everglades
area.
SHORT TERM PROBLEMS
 An inter-agency committee should be established immediately
to consider short term water management problems. The purpose
of this committee shall be to develop an ecologically sound body
of guidelines and policy to be followed in the resolution of short
term problems of the region. There should be an educational
program to alert the public to the possibilities and consequences
of water shortage.
(A) Fire Prevention and Control
 Through programmed burning maintain an approximation of


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