 The
Optimized Regional Operations Plan is designed to determine the best
distribution of pumping from the wellfields in the Central Wellfield
System to meet member government's water demands.
Required by the Partnership Agreement, OROP must be resubmitted
for district approval annually by July 1 of each year, with each
submittal being an arbitration point under the Governance Agreement.
The Plan re-distributes the level of pumping at the wellfields every two weeks,
based on water level data at control point wells and wetlands throughout the
11-wellfield area.
- There are 37 surficial aquifer control points, which are wetlands
with a gauge and surficial aquifer monitor well, and two Floridian
Aquifer control points.
- We can predict the health of a wetland by the level in the well.
- The target level is figured by the Southwest Florida Water Management
District.
- We know the target and current level for all 31 control points.
- We can measure the impact from one production well on all control
points by using a computer model.
- Hillsborough County wants more control points included, in order
to make sure that every wetland area is monitored by a control
point.
- The control points are weighted according to the difference
between the target level and the current level.
- The greater the difference, the greater the weight.
Benefit of the system:
When we get new water systems on-line, it can help us decide where
to reduce pumping to gain the most environmental benefit.
Q: With new sources proposed, how does the OROP
fit in?
A: As additional sources are brought on-line,
they will be tied into the plan. Next on-line will be the Brandon
Urban Dispersed (BUD) Wellfield pumping from the Florida Aquifer.
The OROP will include the BUD at six million gallons daily (mgd)
- not enough to fix the problems of future water shortage. We will
not allow harm at a new source in order to fix harm at an old source. |
