180 likes | 364 Views
Water Management in South Florida. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers In partnership with the South Florida Water Management District. Water Management Environment. Challenge. Incorporate environmental enhancements into projects. While meeting other project requirements.
E N D
Water Management in South Florida • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers In partnership with the • South Florida Water Management District
Water Management Environment Challenge Incorporate environmental enhancements into projects While meeting other project requirements
South Florida Water System • 18,000 Square Miles • Highly managed system • 6.5 Million people • Multi-BillionDollar economy focused on tourism, agriculture, and commercial activities
Water Management Infrastructure • 2nd largest freshwater lake in US – 700 square miles • Over 1,000 miles of levees and canals • Over 150 water control structures • Over 18 major pump stations • Inland Waterway across peninsular Florida
Operating Purposes • Flood Control • Water Supply including Everglades National Park • Fish and Wildlife Protection • Environmental Restoration • Groundwater recharge • Navigation • Prevention of saltwater intrusion
Water Management and Meteorology Decision Support Tools Corps Water Management System (CWMS) Graphical Plots Statistical analysis Realtime gaging network Domestic Satellite (DOMSAT) Receive Station (DRS) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) NOAAPORT Weather and flood forecasting Tropical storm information NEXRAD radar rainfall Graphical weather maps Satellite images
S-2 & S-351 Lake Okeechobee – Major Outlets Lake Okeechobee S-308 S-77 S-352 S-3 & S-354
Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule WetSeason DrySeason ZONE A ~100% Capacity Flood Discharges ZONE B ~50% Capacity ZONE C ~40% Capacity ZONE D ~25% Capacity Pulse Release to Minimize Estuary Impact Water Supply Releases Apr Feb Mar May Jun Jul Aug Oct Nov Dec Jan Sep
An entire Ecosystem in Trouble…. • Too much/too little water for the Everglades/south Florida ecosystem • Massive reductions in wetland areas and wading bird populations • Degradation of water quality • Repetitive water shortages and salt water intrusion • Declining estuary health • 1.7 billion gallons of water a day wasted to tide
Revised Lake Okeechobee Operating Schedule Lake Okeechobee Water Supply / Environmental Regulation Schedule (WSE) Incorporates tributary hydrologic conditions and climate forecasts for operational decisions Utilizes pulse releases to mimic natural rainfall and runoff
Water Management Actions Elsewhere Kissimmee Headwaters Revitalization Schedule The goal is: “Management to approximate historical flow characteristics.” S-65B Demolition
Operational Changes Throughout the System Rain Driven Operations for Water Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park Incorporates historical water levels and rainfall with current conditions To produce more natural hydrologic patterns
System Wide Aspect Enhancing operations through Adaptive Management Testing and Monitoring Flexible Operations Operational Experience
Water Management Summary Implementation + System operations = Success