Dade County’s Plan for Aquifer Management

The Dade County Environmental Resources Management Department has developed an innovative program to protect the Biscayne Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water in southeastern Florida. Studies conducted prior to and as a part of the 208 water quality planning program established the presence of volatile organic compounds and nitrates in certain portions of the aquifer. The studies indicate a relationship between land uses and the presence of these contaminants. A program to protect wellfields from contamination is based upon land use control within the cones of influence (drawdown areas) of the wells. Regulations would be increasingly stringent as the hydraulic travel time between a well and a potential pollutant source decreases. Additional research is being conducted to minimize leaching of nitrates from fertilizers. These approaches, in combination with other Departmental and agency efforts, constitute a management model which may be transferable to other areas having shallow, permeable, flowing aquifers.