Diversion of S-4 Basin Drainage from Lake Okeechobee: Hydraulic Modeling of Alternatives Using HEC-RAS

One of the goals of the current Everglades restoration effort is to reduce the delivery of stormwater runoff to Lake Okeechobee from the drainage basins located south of the lake. The S-4 Basin is one of these drainage basins that has not yet been diverted. An analysis was performed to determine the feasibility of diverting S-4 Basin drainage southward, away from Lake Okeechobee. Unsteady flow hydraulic models of the diversion alternatives were developed using the Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS program. These models are relatively complex with the numerous canals, pump stations, gated culverts and other structures. This paper covers the project background, model setup and the challenges faced by the modelers as well as some of the results obtained through the modeling effort.