As part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (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, are 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 ASR Regional Study was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to reduce uncertainties of ASR implementation on hydrological, ecological, and geotechnical conditions of the Greater Everglades.
To address technical uncertainties, a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers formulated and completed numerous investigations on state-owned land in south Florida. In tandem with these investigations, the USACE and SFWMD constructed and tested two ASR pilot facilities adjacent to Lake Okeechobee and the Hillsboro Canal to determine site-specific feasibility of ASR system permitting, design and operations. Additionally, the National Research Council provided input and review on the proposed evaluation methodologies and the draft regional study.
The ASR Regional Study documents the results of over a decade’s worth of scientific and engineering investigations and the results of the report will serve as a technical guide when considering ASR as part of future Everglades restoration efforts.