Hurricane shelters in the Keys only hold about 3,550 people in the upper 

 Keys (above Seven Mile Bridge) and 4,450 in the lower Keys. These shelters, 

 located at elevations of 12 ft or less, are susceptible to storm waters and 

 hold less than 15% of the Keys year-round resident population. Evacuation to 

 the mainland requires travelling along the Overseas Highway with its two lane 

 width, many bridges, and low elevation. The majority of the population is at 

 Key West, over 130 mi from shelter on the mainland. 



The National Hurricane Center cannot predict a storm's track or intensity 

 more than 24 hours in advance of the storm with any assurance of accuracy; 

 therefore, most of the people living in the Keys do not have time to evacuate 

 to the mainland (Balsillie et al . 1980). 



Ecological Values 



The ecological importance of the Florida Keys is reflected by the large 

 commercial and sport fishing industry of Monroe County. A wide variety of 

 flora and fauna inhabit the unique ecological communities and there are more 

 endangered species here than any other region of the State. The mangrove 

 communities are perhaps the most valuable in the Keys area. The mangroves 

 contribute an abundance of nutrients, function as nursery areas, provide shel- 

 ter for juvenile fish and other marine organisms, and help absorb potentially 

 destructive waves and currents. Other highly productive biological communi- 

 ties of the Keys are seagrass beds and coral reefs. 



To help protect some of the natural and ecologically important communi- 

 ties, three national wildlife refuges (National Key Deer, Great White Heron, 

 and Key West), several State reserves and parks, and an area of critical State 

 concern were formed. 



BIG CYPRESS AREA 



The Big Cypress Area is a loosely defined, but clearly recognized physio- 

 grahic province in southern Florida. It includes most of Collier County, and 

 small parts of Monroe, Broward, Dade and Hendry Counties. The area of th^Big 

 Cypress watershed in Southwest Florida is about 634,000 ha (2,450 mi or 

 1,568,000 acres). It has a circular configuration and measures approximately 

 96 km (60 mi) east to west and 80 km (50 mi) north to south. Several features 

 of the area are the Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ever- 

 glades National Park, the Ten Thousand Islands, the Naples urban area, the Big 

 Cypress Federal Seminole Reservation, the Florida Miccosukee Indian Reserva- 

 tion, and the Immokalee Community. Alligator Alley (Everglades Parkway) and 

 Tamiami Trail (US-41) traverse the area (Florida Department of Administration 

 1973). 



Legislative Action 



The Florida Legislature passed the Big Cypress Conservation Act of 1973 

 so that the Big Cypress watershed could be designated as an area of critical 

 State concern as authorized by the Land and Water Management Act of 1972. The 

 1973 legislation also authorized a $40 million State contribution for the 

 establishment of the Federal Big Cypress National Fresh Water Reserve (Carter 



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