Shark Valley reopens after two-month closure due to record high water in Everglades
Shark Valley, the popular Everglades National Park visitor center with an observation tower offering stunning views of the wetlands and its famous alligators, has reopened after a two-month closure due to record-breaking flooding.
The 15-mile loop road, which draws tourists from all over the world as well as local bicyclists and hikers, is open, although some areas off the road remain closed because the water is still high. Along the main park road, Pine Glades Lake and Sisal Pond will stay closed until water levels decrease, a spokeswoman said. Park rangers are warning visitors to proceed with caution as there’s still standing water in many spots.
It’s unusual for that side of the park to stay closed for so long, but a record-breaking rainy season left the River of Grass looking like a real river over the past few months.
The road that goes south off Tamiami Trail and leads to Shark Valley’s signature observation tower looked like a canal in aerial images taken from staff in November, and the parking lot was mostly underwater. At least one water gauge in the park reached its highest level since 1962.
The last time Shark Valley was closed this long was in 2017 after Hurricane Irma drenched the Everglades, leading to a three-month closure.
One of the water level stations just east of Shark Valley reported a high level of 8.09 feet on Nov. 16. Another location to the south and parallel to the Shark Valley tram road reported 7.46 feet on Nov. 23 and Dec. 8, 2020, according to water level readings on the Everglades Depth Estimation Network. A water station at the Shark Valley Observation Tower reported 6.45 feet from Nov. 23 to Nov. 28, and also in early December.
Shark Valley had been closed since Nov. 8 after Tropical Storm Eta dumped up to 16 inches of rain in some spots in South Florida.
While that was bad news for visitors, some animals are loving a wetter Everglades: The high water has been a boon for wading birds, increasing the amount of fish they feed on, and also freshening up coastal areas in Florida Bay, which has suffered with seagrass die-offs and algae blooms that have worsened because of high salinity levels.
But terrestrial animals like deer and marsh rabbits were forced to crowd onto canal banks and flood control levees to escape the high waters. Tree islands — scattered areas of higher ground that dot the Everglades and provide habitat for many species — have also suffered for being submerged for too long, water managers said.
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 4:46 PM.
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