1. Home
  2. our work
  3. south dade projects

South Dade Projects

South Dade Study

Beginning in September 2015, the South Florida Water Management District held a series of workshops to provide a forum for integrating all stakeholder perspectives on the hydrology in the south Miami-Dade County area. The goals of the intensive six-month effort were to identify options to reduce flood risks in urban and agricultural areas and to provide much-needed water to natural areas.

icon thumbnail imageThe study produced several feasible options that could either be pursued immediately or incorporated into ongoing planning efforts, including:

  • Refining operations at key structures

  • Modifying High Head Cell at S-332D Flow-way to improve efficiency of water delivery to Taylor Slough and reduce seepage back toward developed areas

  • Seasonal lowering of operating range for the S-332B, S-332C and S-332D pump stations

  • Modifying infrastructure in vicinity of Taylor Slough headwaters

  • Increasing S-199 and S-200 pump capacity

  • Constructing seepage collection canal and pump station near S-178

  • Constructing seepage barrier – up to 15 miles in length

  •  

Presentations

South Dade Curtain Wall

The South Dade Curtain Wall is a planning effort being undertaken by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to engage with the public and identify potential locations where construction of in-ground groundwater and seepage barriers may be feasible. The area of focus is the southern part of the SFWMD water management system adjacent to southwest Miami-Dade County developed areas and Everglades National Park. These barriers or “curtain walls” are well established engineering features that help to limit groundwater flow in South Florida’s extremely porous aquifer. Several benefits could be realized though this effort and the subsequent wall construction including:

powerpoint presentation thumbnail image

  • Provide flood protection to homeowners east of curtain wall

  • Support agriculture located to the east of curtain wall

  • Enhance environmental benefits west of curtain wall in the Everglades marsh

  • Improve water quantity to Florida Bay and other estuaries

  • Maintain existing water supply for municipal use and saltwater intrusion prevention

  • Maintain existing level of flood risk reduction in the Las Palmas community (aka 8.5 Square Mile Area)

By working with other agencies, interested parties, and the public, the SFWMD seeks to integrate their input, prior assessments with hydrologic models, and data collected. Together this information will help to inform potential locations for curtain walls and engineering specifications for these features.

Presentations