TBS Superstation, 2000

Near the southern tip of North America lies an intriguing world filled with rare treasures. Here an intricate web of life links exotic creatures -- tropical plants, unusual wading birds, rare wild cats and creatures thought to be the genesis for the mythical mermaids – to a massive sheet of slow moving water. This is the Everglades -- an expansive two-million acre wetland, truly unique and unparalleled in the world. Once thought of as a useless swamp, the Everglades has been diked, drained and diverted in an effort to accommodate more people and more agriculture in south Florida. Today policy makers are trying to correct mistakes made in the last 100 years and return natural water flow to this slow moving river of grass.

Host celebrity Ed Begley, Jr. examines issues critical to the survival of the endangered Florida manatee, panther and wood stork in TROUBLED WATERS. Begley swims with a one ton manatee, travels to the undertarp of 400 nesting wood storks, and follows the trail of a Florida Panther. As he explores their world, we see the impacts of urban growth and improper water management, and the dangers and challenges the animals face.

Directed and Produced by Holly Stadtler; Hosted by Ed Begley, Jr.