Abstract

back
   Back


Real-Time Water Budgets: Operational Decision Support for South Florida
Track: Water Resources
Author(s): Kenneth Stewart, Jack Hampson, Stephen Bourne, Ron Mierau

One of five water management districts in Florida, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is responsible for regional flood control, water supply and water quality protection as well as ecosystem restoration in the Southern portion of Florida. Operationally, this responsibility translates to real-time control of 168 water control systems. Analogous to watersheds in most respects, the water control systems differ in that they have control structures to regulate flow between the systems and out of SFWMD boundaries. Efficient control of these structures ensures that the multiple objectives of flood control, navigability, water supply, and ecological health are met. As part of its efforts to meet its objectives, SFWMD is building an operational decision support system (ODSS) for control of its water-control systems. The hydrological foundation of the ODSS is a gis-based water-budget-based real-time assessment of system state. This paper will describe the design and prototype of this system.

Kenneth Stewart
South Florida Water Management District
3301 Gun Club Road
West Palm Beach , FL 33406
US
Phone: (561) 686-8800
E-mail: sfbourne@pbsj.com

Jack Hampson
PBSJ
5300 W. Cypress St.
Tampa , FL 33607
US
Phone: 813.877.7275
E-mail: jshampson@pbsj.com

Stephen Bourne
PBSJ
2198 Goodwood Blvd
Smyrna , GA 30080
US
Phone: 404.895.0753
E-mail: sfbourne@pbsj.com

Ron Mierau
South Florida Water Management District
3310 Gun Club Road
West Palm Beach , FL 33406
US
Phone: 561-686-8800
E-mail: rmierau@sfwmd.gov