When most people think of the Everglades, they probably picture swampy wetlands, mangrove islands, and the occasional alligator sunning itself on the bank. But this ecosystem is so much more than that – and one of its most important, yet often overlooked, parts is Florida Bay. Tucked between the southern tip of mainland Florida and the Florida Keys, Florida Bay is where the freshwater flowing down from the Everglades finally meets the sea. And what happens there matters – a lot.
Florida Bay makes up nearly a third of Everglades National Park, and it’s kind of like the final chapter in the story of the Everglades. Water starts flowing south from around Orlando and slowly makes its way through the wetlands, eventually reaching the bay. It’s a place where saltwater and freshwater mix, creating an incredibly rich and productive habitat for everything from fish and birds to seagrasses and crustaceans.
But when there’s not enough freshwater coming in – especially during dry seasons – things can go downhill fast. That’s exactly what happened back in 2015, when salinity levels skyrocketed and over 40,000 acres of seagrass died. The bay turned into a graveyard of floating, rotting vegetation. It wasn’t just the seagrass that suffered – the entire ecosystem took a hit, including the fish that local economy relies on.
Despite a good chunk (currently some 40%) of Florida being in drought again this year, scientists like Steve Davis from The Everglades Foundation say he is cautiously optimistic that we won’t suffer from another mass sea-grass die-off this year. He says salinity levels are still lower than they were at this time in 2015, and an early wet season could help keep things that way. There’s also been real progress on the infrastructure side. For decades, a stretch of road called the Tamiami Trail blocked freshwater from flowing naturally into the southern Everglades. But in recent years, parts of the road were replaced with bridges, restoring some flow to Florida Bay, that is helping regulate salinity levels.
A section of submerged trail in Everglades National Park
Florida Bay is more than just a beautiful spot to fish or kayak – it’s a key part of one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. And its future depends on smart water management, continued restoration, and making sure that the Everglades can flow the way nature intended. If you care about the Keys, the coast, or just preserving wild places for future generations, this is a story worth paying attention to. Because in Florida, everything flows downstream – and it all leads to the bay.