Development of Proposed Environmental Resource Permit Criteria for Sensitive Karst Areas: In the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida, USA

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida, USA (SWFWMD) has recorded several instances of karst-related features (e.g. solution pipe formation) forming within constructed, surface, water management systems. Previous studies, including DRASTIC, Florida Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment (FAVA), and parameter weighting/scoring methodologies, provided delineations of areas at risk for surface water contamination of ground water aquifers. Each of those methods identified terrains where discharges of untreated surface waters may introduce contaminants into groundwater aquifers. None of the previous studies recommended a specific area for enhanced, regulatory protection. This study examined the previous studies' methodologies, tested the efficacy of methods to predict known sinkhole and pond failure sites, and recommended a Sensitive Karst Area (SKA) for regulatory purposes. This study recommended several interim actions that are within current regulatory authority, including questions for reviewers to ask and strategies to propose as permit conditions. This study proposed enhanced strategies for possible rule making.