Evaluation of Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoirs Using Regional Modeling

The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir is a critical element of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) being jointly implemented by the United States Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). The project purposes are to improve environmental conditions in Lake Okeechobee by reducing harmful high and low water levels; reduce the frequency of damaging flood releases from Lake Okeechobee to the estuaries; provide agricultural flood protection and water supply in the EAA; improve the performance of the large constructed wetland treatment systems (stormwater treatment areas) by attenuating inflows; and improve the timing of environmental water deliveries to the Everglades. Because the EAA is centrally located within the massive south Florida water management system and the EAA Project is addressing multiple goals, comprehensive computer modeling is needed. The South Florida Water Management Model is being utilized to simulate major hydrologic/hydraulic processes, including overland, canal, and groundwater flows, water control structure operations, and evapotranspiration. The model will help evaluate alternative plans using evaluation criteria that address benefits/impacts to Lake Okeechobee, the estuaries, agricultural and environmental water deliveries, and performance of stormwater treatment areas. The results of the hydrologic modeling will be applied to evaluation criteria and interpreted using Criterium Decision Plus, a multiple criteria decision support model. The paper will present a summary of alternative descriptions, evaluation criteria, and the approach used to compare alternatives and select the preferred plan.