Hydro-Environmental Associates, Inc. (HEA), in association with Cardino/TBE Group, Inc. was selected by the City of Temple Terrace, Florida to prepare and submit their updated Water Use Permit. The City of Temple Terrace wellfield is directly adjacent to the Hillsborough River. The Hillsborough is also the primary source of water for the City of Tampa. The SWFWMD has set minimum flows and levels on the river, and has issued a moratorium on any new or additional impacts to the river. The HEA/TBE team determined the average and peak water use quantities for this complex, multi-use application. Water uses include golf course irrigation, industrial water use, and municipal water use and the wellfield was recently renovated. Determined current water use using the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) AGMOD program and other methods, and established projected water use through the year 2030 using population demands.

HEA developed a groundwater flow model of the area based upon the SWFWMD’s Districtwide Regulatory Model (DWRM II) regional model using Groundwater Vistas, Version 5. to predict environmental impacts from the water use. The model was used to predict the loss of flow into the Hillsborough River from the pumpage and to insure that the established minimum flows and levels of the river would not be encroached upon by the withdrawals. Prepared a Hydrogeologic Report and impact analysis that accompanied the Water Use Permit.

The Water Use Permit was successfully renewed with a slight increase in permitted quantities while reducing overall drawdown impacts. The drawdown impacts were reduced by performing wellfield optimization techniques through the use of the groundwater flow modeling.