Future water needs in southern Florida call for an increase in the storagecapacity of Lake Okeechobee. Seepage from the lake is expected to increase as aresult of raising the lake level. Data concerning the occurrence and amounts ofseepage are needed for the design and operation of flood-control works whichwill remove excess water from the rich agricultural lands along the southernshore. Intensive studies at five sites along the southern shore of LakeOkeechobee between the Caloosahatchee Canal and the St. Lucie Canal indicatethat seepage occurs chiefly through beds of shell and limestone which underliethe Hoover Dike at shallow depth. Seepage rates at the five sites range fromabout 0.1 to 0.9 cfs per mile per foot of head across the dike. Seepage beneaththe 50-mile length of dike should increase from about 22 to 50 cfs if the averagestage of the lake is raised from 14 to 16.5 feet. Seepage is greatest betweenMoore Haven and Clewiston, where deep borrows have been excavated on thelandward and lakeward sides of the dike. Most of the seepage from the lake canbe controlled by properly spaced toe ditches which would intercept the seepageand return it to the lake. (PDF contains 108 pages.)

The rapidly expanding population and economic growth in the sevencounties of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council as shown inFigure 1, herein called the East Central Florida Region or the Region, hasresulted in increasing demands on its water resources. Although there isabundant water in the Region as a whole, the water in some areas of the Regionis of unacceptable quality for most uses. As the population increases the demandfor water will become much greater and the available supply may be reduced bypollution and increased drainage necessitated by urbanization and other landdevelopment- Ground-water supplies can be increased by capturing and storingwater underground that now drains to the sea or evaporates from swamp areas.Research is needed, however, to develop artificial-recharge methods that arefeasible and which will preserve or improve the quality of water in the aquifer.(PDF contains 57 pages)

The Biscayne Aquifer is the principal source of water for the heavilypopulated area in the vicinity of West Palm Beach and Miami. Thepublication of this data is timely and will assist in the intelligent developmentof the water resources of the area.The report recognizes two major aquifers as the source of groundwater in Collier County. The lower aquifer is highly mineralized, butcontains usable water, and the more shallow aquifer is the source oflarge supplies, which are utilized by municipalities and domestic users.Adequate supplies of fresh water are present in the Naples area and byproper planning, these can be developed in an orderly manner and saltwater encroachment can be prevented.(PDF has 99 pages)

The increased demand for water placed upon the water resources ofSt. Lucie County by the expanding agricultural use has brought abouthydrologic changes with ensuing problems. This report documents thesechanges and provides data which are necessary in solving the problems. (PDF has 59 pages)

The Floridan aquifer was found to be principal source of groundwater in the area, containing artesian water in the northern part ofColumbia County, and being recharged in the southern part of thecounty. A few wells in the northern part of the county tap waterpresent in sediments that lie above the Floridan aquifer. Theseshallow waters are generally high in iron and tannic acid. Thedetails on the geology and hydrology necessary to conserve andutilize the water available to the residents of Columbia County arepresented in this study.(PDF contains 86 pages)

This report amplifies and refines some of the data alreadyissued covering the water resources of Volusia County, which were published asReport of Investigations No. 21. The work in the report was accomplished as acooperative program between the Department of Natural Resources, the U. S.Geological Survey and the Board of County Commissioners of Volusia County.Volusia County is almost totally dependent upon the water which falls upon thecounty and has a recharge area contained along the western portion and thecentral portions of the county. Excellent water is produced in the areal rechargeand it is anticipated that this data will expand the existing knowledge of thewater resources to permit the development of a great capacity for existingutilities and to offset and solve some of the problems now in the area. (PDF has 71 pages.)

Ground-water is not widely used in Baker County, but the presenceof a high equipotential area in the artesian system beneath the Countymade it necessary that the resource be understood insofar as this highaffected the ground-water resources of Nassau and Duval counties whichwere being intensively studied and mapped.The method and rates of movement of ground-water from one pointto another in the artesian aquifer are understood more fully by use ofthe data in this report. (PDF contains 30 pages)