The USGS South Florida Ecosystem Program

The USGS South Florida Ecosystem Program is part of an intergovernmental effort to restore and maintain the ecosystem of south Florida. One element of the restoration effort is the development of a scientific basis for resource management decisions. Mercury contamination in the Everglades has been identified by local, state, and national agencies as a topic of great concern, and in need of research to provide the information to base restoration plans. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the National Marine Fisheries Service need information on mercury cycling to predict the effects of proposed restoration plans on mercury exposure. The Everglades Forever Act of 1994 has mandated management decisions regarding what can be done to mitigate the toxic effects of mercury in the Everglades.