Alternative Text Description for CERP Regions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic boundaries of Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Regions across southern and central Florida. The map shows multiple discrete planning regions covering a large portion of the Florida peninsula, from the Orlando area in the north to the Florida Keys in the south. These regions represent areas designated for comprehensive restoration planning and management under the CERP initiative.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers a substantial portion of the Florida peninsula, extending from Orlando in the north to Key West in the south. Major cities visible on the map include Miami, Tampa, Cape Coral, Sarasota, and Port St. Lucie. The mapped regions span both Florida's east and west coasts, including areas around Lake Okeechobee in the central portion of the state. The coverage extends westward to include coastal areas near Naples and Cape Coral, and eastward to encompass the Miami metropolitan area, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton. The southernmost extent includes the Florida Keys, with Key West marked at the bottom of the map. Areas outside the CERP regions, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Melbourne, are visible for geographic context but fall outside the designated planning areas.

KEY INSIGHTS

The CERP Regions form three major geographic clusters across southern and central Florida. The largest and most prominent region encompasses a vast area of south-central and southwestern Florida, stretching from Lake Okeechobee southward through the Everglades to the Florida Keys, and extending westward to include the Cape Coral and Naples areas. A separate substantial region covers portions of central Florida extending from the Orlando area southward. A third distinct region is located along the southeastern coast, covering areas around Port St. Lucie and extending toward the coast. The regions notably exclude major urban centers along the Gulf coast such as Tampa and Sarasota, focusing instead on the interior wetlands, the Everglades ecosystem, and southern coastal areas. The spatial pattern reflects a focus on interconnected water management and ecological restoration areas rather than strictly administrative boundaries.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

CERP Regions Layer

This layer represents the geographic boundaries of planning regions designated under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

CERP Regions (pale yellow/tan shaded polygons)

Appearance:

The CERP Regions are displayed as pale yellow or tan shaded polygons with visible boundary lines delineating each region.

Distribution:

The regions are distributed across southern and central Florida, with coverage concentrated in three primary areas: a large south-central area encompassing Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, a central Florida region near Orlando, and a southeastern coastal region near Port St. Lucie.

Notable locations:

The most extensive region covers areas around Immokalee, Lake Okeechobee, the greater Everglades area extending through Miami-Dade County, and southward to include the Florida Keys near Key West. Another significant region extends from the Orlando area southward into central Florida. A third region covers portions of the Treasure Coast along the southeastern Atlantic shore.

Spatial patterns:

The regions follow irregular boundaries that appear to correspond with watershed areas, ecological zones, and water management districts rather than county or municipal boundaries. The regions are non-contiguous, with gaps between the northern, central, and southern planning areas. The southern region shows the greatest spatial extent and includes both inland and coastal areas, reflecting the interconnected nature of the Everglades watershed and restoration zone.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns are present; the CERP Regions appear as distinct, non-overlapping planning areas.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map focuses solely on the spatial extent of CERP planning regions and does not display other thematic information such as project locations, water flow patterns, or ecological features within these regions. The base map provides geographic reference points including city names and major features to help orient viewers to the location and scale of the planning areas. The irregular boundaries of the regions reflect the ecological and hydrological characteristics that define restoration planning areas rather than political jurisdictions.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data represents Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Regions maintained by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Source layer: SFWMD_BDWMDRGNNAD.

Definition Query:

No definition query or filter criteria was applied; the map shows all CERP Regions in the dataset.

Scale Information:

The map displays a regional-scale view appropriate for understanding the overall geographic distribution of CERP planning areas across southern and central Florida.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The time period of data collection or validity is not provided.

Limitations:

Specific limitations regarding data completeness, accuracy, or methodological constraints are not available.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers central and southern Florida from approximately Orlando in the north to Key West in the south, and from the Gulf of America coast in the west to the Atlantic coast in the east, providing regional context beyond the immediate CERP Region boundaries.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.