Q: Hello! Can you tell me if the Glades' water is salt water? Thank you -- Robert George

A: Thanks for your question, Robert.

The Everglades is known as the "river of grass," and it starts with a river -- the Kissimmee River. That flows south into Lake Okeechobee, which dispenses the water south to Florida Bay, and into the ocean. So you can see that the Everglades is fresh water. However, the portion of the Everglades near Florida Bay can be brackish water and, of course, Florida Bay itself is salt water.

Originally, the Everglades covered most of southern Florida. But a dike was built around Lake Okeechobee so it wouldn't flood nearby houses and farms. Roads cut across the Everglades. And farms and houses were built on formerly swampy ground that was drained for development.

The $8 billion project to restore the Everglades won't put the Glades back to their original glory, but hopefully it will increase water flow and reduce many problems that have come about, such as smaller bird populations (there's less food available) and a troubled Florida Bay.

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