 A pattern of political and financial motivation , and a lack of understanding of the geography and ecology of the Everglades have plagued the history of drainage projects . The Everglades are a part of a massive watershed that originates near Orlando and drains into Lake Okeechobee , a vast and shallow lake . As the lake exceeds its capacity in the wet season , the water forms a flat and very wide river , about 100 miles ( 160 km ) long and 60 miles ( 97 km ) wide . As the land from Lake Okeechobee slopes gradually to Florida Bay , water flows at a rate of half a mile ( 0 @.@ 8 km ) a day . Before human activity in the Everglades , the system comprised the lower third of the Florida peninsula . The first attempt to drain the region was made by real estate developer Hamilton Disston in 1881 . Disston 's sponsored canals were unsuccessful , but the land he purchased for them stimulated economic and population growth that attracted railway developer Henry Flagler . Flagler built a railroad along the east coast of Florida and eventually to Key West ; towns grew and farmland was cultivated along the rail line . 
 A pattern of political and financial motivation , and a lack of understanding of the geography and ecology of the Everglades <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>have</mark></a> plagued the history of drainage projects . The Everglades <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>are</mark></a>a part of a massive watershed <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>originates</mark></a> near Orlando and <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>drains</mark></a> into Lake Okeechobee , a vast and shallow lake . As the lake <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>exceeds</mark></a> its capacity in the wet season , the water <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>forms</mark></a> a flat and very wide river , about 100 miles ( 160 km ) long and 60 miles ( 97 km ) wide . As the land from Lake Okeechobee <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>slopes</mark></a> gradually to Florida Bay , water <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>flows</mark></a> at a rate of half a mile ( 0 @.@ 8 km ) a day . Before human activity in the Everglades , the system comprised the lower third of the Florida peninsula . The first attempt to drain the region was made by real estate developer Hamilton Disston in 1881 . Disston <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>sponsored canals <a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>were</mark></a> unsuccessful , but the land he purchased for them stimulated economic and population growth <a href='null_relcl' title='12'><mark>that</mark></a>attracted railway developer Henry Flagler . Flagler built a railroad along the east coast of Florida and eventually to Key West ; towns grew and farmland was cultivated along the rail line . 
A pattern of political and financial motivation , and a lack of understanding of the geography and ecology of the Everglades done plagued da history of drainage projects . TdaEverglades a part of a massive watershed originate near Orlando and drain into Lake Okeechobee , a vast and shallow lake . As thdaake exceed its capacity in thedat season , the water form a flat and very wide river , about 100 miles ( 160 km ) long and 60 miles ( 97 km ) wide . As the land from Lake Okeechobee slope gradually to Florida Bay , water flow at a rate of half a mile ( 0 @.@ 8 km ) a day . Before human activity in the darglades , the system comprised the lower third of the Fdaida peninsula . The first attempt to drain the region was made by real estate developer Hamilton Disston in 1881 . Disston  sponsored canals was unsuccessful , but the land he copped for em stimulated economic and population growth attracted railway developer Henry Flagler . Flagler built a railroad along the east coast of Florida and eventually to Key West ; towns grew and farmland was cultivated along the radaline .