Corps releases comprehensive study on Aquifer Storage & Recovery capabilities

Published June 16, 2015

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District has released a comprehensive study on research related to the use of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), an Everglades restoration component proposed as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) to recharge, store and recover water underground for ecological restoration uses.

The ASR Regional Study was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to reduce uncertainties of ASR implementation on hydrological, ecological, and geotechnical conditions in the Greater Everglades.

“The ASR Regional Study documents the results of over a decade’s worth of scientific and engineering investigations,” said April Patterson, Jacksonville District project manager for the study. “The results of the report will serve as a technical guide when considering ASR implementation as part of future Everglades restoration efforts.”

As part of the CERP, it was estimated that up to 333 wells could store water underground for the Everglades and natural systems. These wells, known as Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells, would be part of a system to take surplus fresh surface water, treat it as required for permit compliance, and then store it in the Floridan Aquifer System (FAS) for subsequent recovery during dry periods. ASR technology offers the potential to store and supply large volumes of water beneath a relatively small surface footprint.

The study investigates the feasibility of regional-scale ASR, using state-of-the-art methods and models. Investigations were performed in collaboration with the SFWMD, U.S. Geological Survey, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

View the key findings of the study: http://1.usa.gov/1G00CYQ

The ASR Regional Study and additional information available at: http://bit.ly/ASR_RegionalStudy.

 

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Contact
Jenn Miller
(904) 232-1613
jennifer.s.miller@usace.army.mil

Release no. 15-061