January Luncheon | ASCE Palm Beach

Going Deep:  The SFWMD Estuary Protection Well Program 

+1PDH Approved

Summary:  

The topic of the presentation is the conceptual utilization of deep injection wells as a means of reducing damaging discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee River estuaries.  Deep injection wells have been used by utilities for decades throughout south Florida for wastewater disposal, but until recently, application of the technology as an environmental restoration and protection measure has not been considered.  The presentation will include aspects of south Florida geology and hydrogeology, surface water management, deep well siting and design, and geophysical evaluations.  Also included will be the historical evolution of the deep well concept as a component of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project, currently underway by the SFWMD and the USACE, which also includes the use of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) well systems as a means of subsurface storage and water supply.

Speaker Bio:  

Bob Verrastro was born in Connecticut, raised in New Jersey, schooled in Louisiana, started his professional life as an exploration geologist  in Texas, and has been working as a hydrogeologist in Florida for the past 30 years.  Nearly all of his Florida experience has focused on construction and testing of large diameter, deep wells for water supply, recharge, injection and recovery.  For the past 19 years, Bob has worked at the SFWMD managing the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) projects associated with the greater Everglades Restoration and most recently was the progenitor the deep injection well program that the SFWMD has initiated.