Hydro-Environmental Associates, Inc. (HEA), in association with Cardino/TBE Group, Inc. was selected by the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, Florida to prepare and submit their updated Water Use Permit. The USF Tampa campus is undergoing major renovations and expansion, including construction of several new athletic fields and on-campus dormatories. The HEA/TBE team determined the average and peak water use quantities for this complex, multi-use application.  Water uses include golf course irrigation, athletic field and green area irrigation, industrial cooling tower water use, and municipal water use.  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.