Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | 8:00am–10:00am

SFWMD Regional Hydrologic Models 101: Modeling for Restoration Planning and Implementation 

NOTE: There is no fee to participate in this workshop. Space is limited and seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Workshop Background:

Hydrologic modeling is perhaps the only way to evaluate the future performance of expensive, restoration projects and their interaction with the urban and agricultural systems which co-exist with the remnant Everglades. The unique hydrology of south Florida due to flat topography, high water tables, sandy soils, high transmissivity of the surficial aquifers, complex coastal systems together with an extensive water control systems makes the southern Florida water management system one of the most complex in the world.

Regional-scale (system-wide) hydrologic modeling using SFWMD’s premier hydrologic model, the South Florida Water Management Model (SFWMM), has provided valuable information for decision making for over three decades. This tool includes all the important components of the land phase of the hydrologic cycle as well as the system operating procedures and provided critical information of the development of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Efforts are underway to develop and implement next generation simulation models to meet the needs of proposed restoration alternatives and address many limitations of the legacy regional-scale hydrologic models.

This workshop will provide basic background on regional-scale hydrologic modeling implemented in the South Florida Water Management Model, how it has been implemented for restoration planning, and the dissemination and interpretation of a large suite of performance of measures used in assessment of restoration alternatives. The presentation material will also cover fundamental formulation of the next generational hydrologic model, Regional Simulation Model (RSM), its application to selected restoration projects and the challenges associated with building a model which combines hydrology and complex operations.

    Workshop Objective:

The objective of the proposed workshop is to acquaint participants with the premier hydrologic models used for the creation and further evolution of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Specific topics will include (a) modeling complex hydrology of the regional system; (b) key performances measures describing the state of the system; and (c) role of hydrologic models in restoration planning and evaluation. Another objective is to provide the participants with the current state of the next generation simulation model, RSM, and its applications.

    Who Will Attend:

The intended audience for this workshop includes scientists, engineers and program managers with an interest in ecosystem restoration program implementation.

    For more information, contact Beth Miller-Tipton at bmt@ufl.edu