Where Does the Water in the Everglades Originally Come From?

💡 The Answer

• The water originates from rainfall in the Kissimmee River basin near Orlando.
• It flows into Lake Okeechobee, which historically overflowed its southern shore.
• That overflow created a slow sheet of water that moved through the Everglades to Florida Bay.
• Today, canals and levees divert much of this flow, changing natural patterns.