7.5 Southeastern Tribes

In 1994 the government began a 400 million-dollar project to reverse the effects of the 1958 Everglade Reclamation Project and the straightening of the Kissimmee River. This project had been done despite the objections of the Miccosukee Indians. The draining of the Kissimmee River had dried up 40,000 acres of marchland and straightened the 103 mile river into a 56 mile concrete canal. The loss of marches caused the disparition of 90% of the fish and wild life, altered the wetlands, changed the water flow in Lake Okeechobee (causing a build-up of algae, water weeds and deformed wildlife).