Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S. by Cynthia Barnett

Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S. Reviews

• 
  David

  Published in 2007 this highly readable blend of history, science and public policy accurately foretells the problems we witnessed in the USA in 2022. As an essential commodity for all of us I'd recommend this book to nearly everyone. A few passages were just okay but they were in the minority and that's the worst I would say about the book. I highlighted many sections which is a pretty good barometer of my reading satisfaction.
  
  If there's a physical version of the book I guaranty it'll be way better than the kindle version. Although there are 12 chapters the kindle treats the book as one giant chapter so it's very difficult to get a sense of progress. I like to peek ahead sometimes to plan my reading and it was a major chore. Also, the kindle version had some formatting errors that dragged the reading experience somewhat.
• 
  Sheather Nelson

  Cadillac Desert is the definitive work on water in the West, but no one has written the equivalent book for the East Coast. This doesn't attempt to be as sweeping but it makes a good starting point. I found Mirage interesting because it gives the Florida perspective on a lot of the same issues (like the water wars) I cover in Georgia -- and of course all these problems are writ large in Florida. I also got a more accurate picture of Florida's real lack of progress with water issues. Previously I mostly saw Florida are progressive on these things because of the massive Everglades restoration plan and the aggressiveness of many state laws governing water. What I didn't realize was how little funding the plan has actually received and how politics has ensured that many of those great laws aren't enforced. I was especially intrigued by the sections on how the destruction of the Everglades has changed Florida's microclimates (increasing freezes in orange country, for example) and the chapter on bottled water. The unclear origins of most bottled water are something I'd read about before, but I had not learned about what bottlers (don't) pay for pumping and selling the stuff from springs, and the effect that has on aquifers. Barnett writes in a fairly punchy, readable style (although her anecdotes can be a bit pat) and as a journalist I appreciate the extensive endnotes. This makes a good introduction to the East Coast water issues that will likely represent an even bigger commodity and political football in a few short years.
• 
  Jean-Marie

  I learned so much about the history of Florida and its water systems from this read. Boy, what a mess we've made. Mirage was published more than 11 years ago, so I'd like to hope we've made some progress in the restoration of our natural water systems in the meantime. However, another toxic algae bloom this summer has dampened my hopes. Florida's environmental challenges should be a top issue for any future local elections. The state relies on its natural resources and beauty too much for residents to continue to ignore the damage being done.
  
  "Ultimately, the choices we make about her water will help determine how we fare as states, as a nation, as humans.
  
  We can go on wasting copious amounts of water, using treated drinking water to quench suburban lawns, or we can appreciate it’s worth. We can keep giving water away, for free, to anyone with a business plan, or put a price on it to make sure water is protected and valued.
  
  We can continue to bend wetlands and growth laws, or we can demand their consistent enforcement. We can spend more tax dollars on enormous water diversion and other technological schemes that may be risky, or we can spend them on water conservation, land preservation, and restoration projects.
  
  We can watch our children repeat the mistakes of Americas water history: in the East, draining water and giving it away to all comers; in the West, damming it up and doling it out until there is not enough for people or nature.
  
  Or we can teach them how lucky they are to have water -- for drinking, for bathing, or simply for the sheer joy of plunging into an icy, clear-blue spring on a hot summer day."
• 
  Nakedfartbarfer

  A discussion and history of the escalating preciousness of freshwater in the United States. In the overdeveloped state of Florida, where the most valuable crop is rooftops, homeowners are feeling the pinch even as new suburbs pop up in drained wetlands to further strain the water supply. The author drives home the point that in this swampy peninsula, real estate developers wield political clout roughly equal to that of Category 5 hurricanes. Jeb Bush, erstwhile land developer and ongoing sadsack, ran for governor as a bilingual pragmatist and ostensible conservationist and spent eight years slightly impeding the process of knocking down orange groves to make room for pharmacies. Published in 2007, the book also gives a still-pertinent overview of the contentious Tragedy-of-the-Commons-politics of the Great Lakes, the Colorado River, and elsewhere in the world.
• 
  Jim McClellan

  Cynthia Barnett takes readers on a journey through Florida via its rivers, lakes and springs, to show us firsthand the impact of man's actions on these natural gems. What makes this book so important is that in spite of her passion -- or maybe because of it -- she resists presenting water issues as an us-versus-them fight. Instead, she lays out the facts artfully, showing readers how we got where we are and the consequences for continuing on this path.
  
  This book would be my top recommendation for anyone interested in water policy or water conservation issues. I think it should be required reading for anyone seeking public office or accepting a policy-making role in Florida.
  
  I've actually read it twice: Once, as a consultant with an agenda and again as a native Floridian. Both times, I was impressed by the quality, clarity and objectivity with which the information was presented.
• 
  Brandon Pytel

  I read this book simply because I was intrigued by the possibility of a water crisis in a water-drenched state. This is about as comprehensive book as you can get that thoroughly answers that question. Barnett does a great job incorporating the settling of Florida and the policies that followed throughout the Sunshine State's history. Florida was first defined by its water -- the Everglades, swamps, marches and rainfall -- that made the state either unlivable or undesirable. To spark growth, the government began giving away natural resource rights to private developers who then immediately started the ditch and drain process that disrupted the state to its core. The land giveaways, overbonding,m and swampland sales catapulted the state into debt, and eventually drainage was replaced by flood control.
  
  After WWII population growth became the leading contributor to the water crisis, with vast drainage and reckless groundwater pumping depleting the resource.As would happen across the West, dams, canals and other diversion projects served as a Catch-22 to Florida's growth: to keep building, Floridians had to drain swampland, but to quench the thirst of the new residents, Floridians needed that water they were draining. Saltwater intrusion, agricultural and industrial pollution followed (compounded by the lack or organic soils that acted as a filter from drainage)the growth and ecological destruction became inevitable.
  
  Governed by riparian rights -- or the rights of landowners to use water that touched their land for "reasonable use" -- Florida attempted to manage its quickly depleting resource through laws that were consistent with the public interest and did not harm other users. This last half of the book dealt with the reaction to the damage incurred in the late 19th and early to mid 20th century. by the end of the 2oth century and start of the 21st, Floridians were well aware of the problem they had. Environmental projects started sprouting up, politicians took notice and real change started occurring. "Restoring the Everglades was a chance at redemption for all of America," writes Barnett. The solution dint lie in diversion projects but rather conservation efforts.
  
  If we treat water like oil, we allow it to be a commodity that is over-pumped, under-priced and used wastefully, as Peter Gleick from the Pacific Institute is quoted as saying. This leads to water wars between states, international conflict and competition and environmental destruction.
• 
  Jennifer Nanek

  This is a very interesting and well-written book. It made the dry subject of water scarcity rather interesting. The book started out slow but it got more interesting as it went on. I love how the book went into details about different regions of the United States and other places in the world and how they address some of their water issues. Water Wars around the U.S. could have been the title for this book.
  
  I like the basic answer to the whole problem in that we should stop wasting water. The author points this out repeatedly that we use way too much of it and we pay very little for it. Charging bottling companies, increasing prices for water, encouraging conservation, using more reclaimed water and other very simple ideas seem to go a long way.
  
  I found the chapters about the Everglades and water desalination efforts very interesting. The little end bit about Clyde Butcher's photography was good too.
  
  I don't have a lawn to water..I live in an apartment in Florida and don't have a water bill... but the whole book makes me want to conserve water even more.
• 
  David

  What a serendipitous book to have already selected to read immediately after Dune, where water is a valuable resource. This is reputed to be the first book to discuss the problems in the Eastern U.S. (while focusing on Florida) related to how our natural fresh water supplies are in danger of disappearing, history as to how we got to this point, as well as possible solutions. The fact that it is 12 years old makes it even more depressing.
  
  The author does have a habit of repeating some facts often. I don't know how many times she said that, by 2015, Florida was projected to surpass New York to become the 3rd most populated state, which was correct (In 2019, FL has 2.2 million more people than NY) but very often cited as if it was the first instance.
• 
  Lake Wales

  The Stranger Than Non-Fiction Book Club gave Mirage by Cynthia Barnett a 4-star rating. The general consensus was it was slow to start, and it was depressing based on the subject matter. It was also very informative and did improve as the group read farther into the book. The majority felt that all Floridians should read it in order to understand the vital importance to water conservation. A definite recommend.
  
  
• 
  Cortney Mere

  Not the most exciting thing. Chapter nine was a highlight. Whether you’re reading The Wal-Mart Effect, Collapse, or this; it’s terrifying to see the Tragedy of the Commons being repeated again and again and again. The message is clear - we need to pay the ACTUAL value for our resources. Sure we can supplement for the poor, but rich people are paying LESS for these things. We need to be more conscientious of true cost so that we are forced to use wisely and responsibly.
• 
  Kelly

  An absorbing and eye-opening read about water and development in Florida. Barrett is a gifted storyteller, illuminating an underreported and often complicated issue in a way that had me turning pages way past my bedtime. Super curious how the landscape has evolved in the fifteen years since this was published - would read an updated version in a heartbeat!
• 
  Keith

  Slightly less apocalyptical then I was expecting but maybe that is because it was written in 2007. Would love to see some sort of follow-up from the author. I'm sure Florida hasn't made much progress in securing fresh drinking water in the interim.
• 
  hiền

  An insightful look into the history of one of Florida's most important natural resources.
• 
  Kathleen

  I learned from C. Barnett that Florida is overpopulated and kind of unaware that this growth is sucking the water away. Published I. 2007, this book needs an update! I will read it!
• 
  CeAire

  This is a simple book to read on the surface. However, Cynthia Barnett makes some very compelling cases that Florida and the whole eastern seaboard are facing some very serious water threats and that greed is part of the equation. We need to act now to protect what is left of our natural resources.
• 
  Jenn

  This book discusses very important water shortage issues in Florida but it is not the most compelling read.
• 
  Dawn Hadley

  Good eye opening information. But boring in places. Not well organized
• 
  Tony Desantis

  Excellent book about environmental and political corruption in Florida.