Kissimmee River History

Centuries Ago…

Historically, the Kissimmee River meandered approximately 103 miles, sloping and twisting gradually to the south from Lake Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee. Approximately 35,000 acres of wetlands covered the historic floodplain.

The Kissimmee River floodplain protected a large and diverse wintering waterfowl population, including ring-necked ducks, American widgeon, northern pintail, and blue-winged teal. The historic winter duck population alone was estimated at about 12,500 birds. The wet prairie was the most important of the wetland communities for waterfowl. Under historic hydrologic conditions, wet prairies were typically dry from spring through early summer, allowing annual plants such as wild millet to germinate and produce seed. Fall and early winter flooding made wet prairies attractive feeding sites for migrant as well as resident populations of waterfowl. White and glossy ibis were common in the grassy wet prairies of the Lower Kissimmee Basin. The floodplain also provided habitat for the endangered Wood Stork, Snail Kite, and Bald Eagle and the threatened Sandhill Crane.

Named “Long Water” by the Calusa Indians, the twisting and turning Kissimmee River flowed slowly to Lake Okeechobee. Hundreds of years ago, the Culsa Indians found the Kissimmee River banks to be teaming with small game and its waters were abundant with fish and shellfish. Calusa canoes could circumvent Lake Okeechobee and travel up the Kissimmee River into other tribal areas.

1940’s

Prior to 1940, human habitation was sparse within the Kissimmee basin. Land use within the basin consisted primarily of farming and cattle ranching. The Kissimmee River was especially renowned for its largemouth bass fishery. During normal water conditions, greater than 75 percent of the total fishing effort on the river was directed toward black bass. Other river fishery produced was black crappie, blue gill, catfishes, and red ear sunfish.

However, rapid growth and development following World War II set the stage for extensive property damage when a severe hurricane occurred within the basin in 1947. The mass flooding during this period intensified public pressure for measures to reduce the threat of flood damage within the Kissimmee basin.

1948 - 1971

In 1948, Congress authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to initiate construction of the Central & Southern Florida Project for flood control and protection. In 1954, Congress specifically authorized the Kissimmee River portion of the project, which was planned and designed from 1954 to 1960. Between 1962 and 1971, the Kissimmee River was channelized and transformed into a series of impounded reservoirs. Inflow from the upper basin was regulated by six water control structures.

1971 – 1991

The physical effects of channelization, including alteration of the system's hydrologic characteristics, largely eliminated river and floodplain wetlands and degraded fish and wild-life habitats of the Kissimmee River ecosystem. The meandering river was transformed into a 56-mile-long, 30-feet-deep, 300-feet-wide canal. Excavation of the canal and deposition of the resulting spoil eliminated approximately 35 miles of river channel and 6,200 acres of floodplain wetland habitat. Approximately 26,000-31,000 acres of pre-channelized floodplain wetlands were drained, covered with spoil, or converted into canal. River channelization and degradation of the floodplain let to severe impacts on the system's biological components. By the early 1970s, floodplain utilization by wintering waterfowl declined by 92%.

1992 – Present

The Kissimmee River restoration project was authorized by the U.S. Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1992. The restoration project will restore an estimated 40 square miles of river/floodplain ecosystem including 26,500 acres of wetlands, 43 continuous miles of meandering river and will provide habitat for over 300 species, including the endangered bald eagle, snail kite, and wood stork. The total project cost is estimated at $578 million. This cost will be equally shared by the State of Florida and the Federal government. Most of the state’s fiscal responsibility was in land acquisition. The federal portion of the project cost will be provided through annual budgetary appropriations.

Construction will be phased over 12 years. The first of the four-phase recovery construction began in 1999 and completed in 2001. That work filled in 7.5 miles of canal and restored water flow to about 15 miles of historic river channel and floodplain. Currently, workers are backfilling canal and reconnecting continuous river channel over four miles. Overall construction is anticipated to be completed by 2011.