Why BMPs Are Working in the Everglades Agricultural Area in South Florida.

A mandatory Best Management Practices (BMP) program was implemented in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) in south Florida in 1995 as required by the Everglades Forever Act to reduce phosphorus (P) loads from drainage waters that enter the Everglades ecosystem. The BMPs are divided into three basic categories consisting of water management, nutrient management, and sediment controls. A system of BMP “equivalents” was developed by assigning points to BMPs implemented.  Since its inception, the BMP program in the EAA has been very successful in meeting and exceeding the 25% State law required P load reduction. In water year 2015, the EAA basin achieved P reduction of 79 percent compared to a base period before BMP establishment, with an average in past years of more than 50 percent. Monitoring by the South Florida Water Management District shows an average number of 94 parts per billion of P in the drainage water from the EAA. The success of the program is attributed to proper implementation of best management practices (BMPs) by growers, outreach and extension training by university personnel, and cooperation with state and federal agencies. New and innovative best management research is being done to improve P reduction further such as controlling floating aquatic vegetation in farm canals that may reduce phosphorus loads on certain farms by decreasing the generation of highly mobile organic sediments.