Synopsis of saltwater intrusion in Dade County, Florida, through 1984

The inland position of saltwater at the base of the highly permeable limestone of the Biscayne aquifer in Dade County in 1984 is a consequence of: (1) years of adjustment to lowered water levels resulting from regional drainage for flood control and land reclamation; (2) increased freshwater withdrawals; and (3) water-control and water-management practices implemented at the south part of the hydrologic system as well as in upgradient areas. As water demands in southeast Florida continue to increase, further intrusion could be related to increased pumping from well fields. Implementation of additional management practices to further reduce canal discharge to the ocean would tend to sustain water levels high enough to retard intrusion during dry seasons. (USGS)