The South Florida Region

South Florida has been divided into the following areas according to their landscape and landuse:

Lake Okeechobee (LOK) is the largest water reservoir of Florida. To the north is the Kissimee River which connects the lake to the Upper Chain of Lakes. To the west is the Caloosahatchee River that allows controlled drainage from the lake to the Gulf of Mexico. To the south is the Everglades Agricultural Area. To the east is the St. Lucie River, which allows controlled drainage to the Atlantic Ocean. The Lake is required to be maintained higher than a minimum level, within a target range. The target level of the lake varies seasonally. The lake is modeled in the Natural System Model, the South Florida Water Management Model and the Regional Routing Model.

Lower East Coast (LEC) stretches from St. Lucie County to Dade County. This urban area is modeled by the Natural System Model and the South Florida Water Managemetn Model, and also by county models: the Palm Beach Ground Water Model, the Broward Ground Water Model and the Dade Ground Water Model.

Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) is south of Lake Okeechobee, north of the Everglades Preservation Area and east of the Water Conservation Areas. This area is critical to the economy of Florida. This area is modeled by the Natural System Model, the South Florida Water Management Model/South Florida Regional Simulation Model and the Linked Water Quality Model (the latter two currently under development).

Water Conservation Areas (WCA) is east of the Everglades Agricultural Area and west of the Lower East Coast., also known as the Everglades Protection Area. Subdivided into WCA1, WCA2A, WCA2, WCA3A, WCA3B.

Everglades Preservation Area is south of the Everglades Agricultural Area, east of the Lower East Coast and north of the Florida Bay. This area is modeled by the Natural System Model, the South Florida Water Management Model/South Florida Regional Simulation Model, the Linked Water Quality Model and the Regional Routing Model. Water levels in this area have a critical impact on wildlife and vegetation, and on salt water encroachment in Florida Bay.

Everglades National Park (ENP)

Storm Water Treatment Areas (STA's) are six different areas bordering the Water Conservation Areas and the Rotenberger and Holey Land tracts, denoted STA1W, STA1E, STA2, STA3, STA4, STA5, STA6. These areas were created as a result of the Surface Water Improvement Management (SWIM) plan for the Everglades to reduce water quality problems in Lake Okeechobee, the Water Conservation Areas and the Holey Land, and to restore the hydroperiod to parts of the Water Conservation Areas and the Rotenberger Tract.

Holey Land Tract, part of the Protected Natural Areas, borders the Everglades Agricultural Area, the Miami Canal, the Water Conservation Area WCA3 and the Storm Treatment Areas STA3&4.

Rotenberger Tract, part of the Protected Natural Areas, borders the Everglades Agricultural Area, the Miami Canal, the Water Conservation Area WCA3 and the Storm Treatment Areas STA4&6. Major estuaries and basins in the South Florida Region include

Florida Bay is south of the Everglades Preservation Area. This is an area of much environmental concern, the critical issue is salt water encrouchment due to water management.

Biscayne Bay is on the southeastern edge of the Lower East Coast.

Kissimee River Basin feeds Lake Okeechobee. Modeling of the northern basins is increasing in importance as urbanization of Central Florida and associated water supply demand increases. There are at least two different models used by the Planning Department to model this area.

Caloosahatchee River Basin connects Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. Basin runoff can be used to meet Caoosahatchee River estuarine demand or up to 30% of runoff can be routed through backflow to Lake Okeechobee.

St Lucie River Basin connects Lake Okeechobee to the Atlantic Ocean. Basin runoff can be used to meet St. Lucie River estuarine demand or up to 100% of runoff can be released through backflow to Lake Okeechobee.

Miami Canal Basin, an Everglades Agricultural Area subbasin that connects Lake Okeechobee to Holeyland and Water Conservation Area, WCA3. It is used to route agricultural area runoff to Lake Okeechobee, the Holeyland and WCA3.

North New River - Hillsboro Canal Basin, an Everglades Agriicultural Area subbasin that connects Lake Okeechobee to Water Conservation Area WCA2. It is used to route agricultural area runoff to Lake Okeechobee, and Water Conservation Areas WCA1, WCA2A and WCA3A.

West Palm Beach Canal Basin, an Everglades Agricultural Area subbasin that connects Lake Okeechobee to Water Conservation Area WCA1. It is used to route agricultural runoff to WCA1.

Major aquifers in the South Florida Region include

Floridan Aquifer, ground water contained in a confined aquifer. It is of interest because ot is used in Artificial Storage and Recovery (ASR) programs and because upwelling of low quality water can pollute the surficial aquifer.

Biscayne Aquifer of interest because of its extreme transmissivity.

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