Max Quackenbos Collection

The Max Quackenbos Collection provides information about a variety of environmental activities and discussions related to Martin County and South Florida that took occurred from the late 1970s to the turn of the century. In particular, the materials provide a great deal of evidence about the meetings and activities of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) because Quackenbos was a regular meeting attendee and planning participant. The collection includes studies, reports, meeting agendas, correspondence, presentation materials, plans, newsletters, clippings, and notes. Correspondents include SFWMD personnel, environmentalist Nathaniel Reed, members of state and local environmental groups, and various Martin County Commissioners. Some of the correspondence from the 1970s and 1980s is the correspondence of Donald B. Benedict with the Martin County Conservation Alliance.

The files in the collection were divided into multiple categories. The Water files contain materials focusing on water supply and quality, SFWMD, the Everglades, water management plans, and sustainability. The Wetlands files primarily pertain to wetland mitigation, lakes and rivers, restoration of the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, phosphorus levels, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Everglades, and the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan. The Indian River Lagoon files pertain to the National Estuary Program, the St. Lucie Estuary, the SWIM plan, and other matters related to the Indian River Lagoon. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) files focus on the plan to restore and protect the Everglades and the water resources of central and southern Florida. The General files include reports, statistics, correspondence and newsletters covering miscellaneous topics including SFWMD, St. Lucie River, storm water, canals, water quality and use, and general information about Florida's natural environment.

Although the files are divided into categories, there is a great deal of overlap between the groups. For example, all of the groups contain SFWMD reports, evaluations, annual reports and budgets, studies, and plans, particularly relating to Martin County, St. Lucie River, and Lake Okeechobee.