Restoration of the Everglades begins in the vicinity of Orlando. The Okeechobee River drains into Lake Okeechobee, a lake with an average depth of . During the wet season when the lake exceeds its capacity, the water leaves the lake in a very wide and shallow river, approximately long and wide. This wide and shallow flow is known as "sheetflow". The land gradually slopes toward Florida Bay, the historical destination of most of the water leaving the Everglades. Before drainage attempts, the Everglades comprised , taking up a third of the Florida peninsula. Since the early 19th century the Everglades have been a subject
River Lake (Winter Haven, Florida) River Lake (Winter Haven, Florida) River Lake is a Y-shaped natural freshwater lake on the southeast side of Winter Haven, Florida. It has a surface area. This lake is as much a swamp as a lake, since at least half the surface area is covered with swampy vegetation. On the north and west residences line the lake's shore. On the southwest is a wooded area and on the south is a grove of citrus trees. To the east is a swampy area. Just to the east of this is a natural freshwater pond. There is no public access to this