Specifications

Section 1 Introduction
EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006
1-8
highest peaks off discharges to the eastern and western estuaries; and reducing
the range of lake levels by several inches.
Improvements to conveyance capacity in the Miami and North New River Canals
between Lake Okeechobee and the storage reservoir would be required to convey
additional Lake Okeechobee releases. Increased conveyance capacity of the
Bolles and Cross Canals between the Miami and Hillsboro Canals will also be
required to provide conveyance of reservoir agricultural water deliveries and to
allow inter-basin transfers to capture basin runoff.
For the purposes of plan formulation and in accordance with the language of the
Programmatic Regulations, the term “selected plan” is used throughout this
document to refer to the alternative selected for recommendation of
implementation. For the purposes of complying with NEPA implementing
regulations and in the spirit of NEPA, the plan that would be recommended for
authorization is termed the “preferred alternative." For NEPA, a plan is not
“selected” until it has been fully coordinated, subject to revisions based on public
involvement, then formally accepted by Congress or the Chief of Engineers, as
appropriate, and selected at the signing of a Record of Decision (ROD) or
FONSI. Throughout this document, the analysis includes the NEPA evaluation,
and uses the term “selected alternative” or “selected plan” interchangeably with
the preferred alternative. “Selected” throughout this document is meant to
discern which alternative the District Engineer of the Corps of Engineers
recommends to Congress or Chief of Engineers for further development and
implementation.
1.3 PRIOR STUDIES, REPORTS, AND PROJECTS
1.3.1 Flood Control Act of 1948
In 1947, 100 inches of rain fell on South Florida, more than tripling the region’s
total rainfall for 1945 and ending one of the worst droughts in Florida history.
In a few weeks, the rain had drenched farmland and filled lakes and canals.
Then in the space of just 25 days, two hurricanes and a tropical disturbance
placed more water on an already saturated area.
Acting upon the requests of many local agencies concerned with flood control and
water conservation, and under the authority of various flood control acts, river
and harbor acts of Congress, and resolutions of appropriate congressional
committees, USACE Jacksonville District conducted public hearings throughout
the area to determine the desires of the many local interests and to collect data
from which to formulate a plan.
A comprehensive report was prepared by USACE and submitted to higher
authority on December 19, 1947. This report stated that the problems of flood