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C-51 Reservoir Adds Water Supply Reliability to South Florida
BY JOE VANHOOSE, MANAGING EDITOR
What started as a collaboration in 2006 among the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and a cohort of counties and communities to address the region’s water challenges has now resulted in the award-winning C-51 Reservoir.
Phase I of the $160 million project, which stores 14,000 acre-feet of excess stormwater runoff supply, was developed as a multi-agency, public-private partnership. The state-of-the-art infrastructure, with engineering expertise provided by Black & Veatch, promotes affordable, long-term water supply quality, resilience and sustainability for eight utilities that are contending collectively with impacts from population growth, climate change and requirements to protect the region’s water.
The cohort included Palm Beach, Broward, and MiamiDade counties; the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Sunrise, Plantation, Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Dania Beach and Margate; Lake Worth Drainage District; Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection; and Palm Beach Aggregates (PBA).
PBA, an aggregate mining company, owns the property in western Palm Beach County that is now home to the reservoir. The reservoir utilizes previously mined cells in an active aggregates mine for below-grade storage within a unique, relatively water-tight limestone unit.
It is also located adjacent to the confluence of two major canals, which allows for ready water supply to the reservoir via an existing intake structure and subsequent distribution to downstream municipalities using an existing pump station and South Florida’s canal system built in the early 1900s for drainage, flood protection and water storage purposes.
“Because of the unique geology, the reservoir could be constructed with relatively little dewatering (pumps installed within the bottom of the mine pit),” said Jeffrey Beriswill, southeast dams practice leader for Black & Veatch. “Seepage from surrounding areas was also limited by the early construction of a low-permeability soil-bentonite cutoff wall along the reservoir perimeter.”
The tie-in with the adjacent active reservoir required well-planned and executed construction in close cooperation with the SFWMD. Black & Veatch provided engineering during construction – including review of submittals and RFIs and construction-related design – as well construction management, construction quality assurance, a redesign of water control structures, operation and maintenance plans, and final construction certification.
“It is a great example of private industry developing and implementing an innovative solution to provide an economical, reliable water source to a consortium of water utilities,” Beriswill said.
