Broward Everglades Working Group | Climate Change Task Force | Water Advisory Board | Water Resources Task Force | All Broward County Boards and Committees
Broward Everglades Working Group
The 1994 Everglades Forever Act set into motion a plan for restoring a significant portion of the Everglades. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, recognizing that phosphorous pollution is one of the primary causes of Everglades degradation, proposed a water quality standard of 10 ppb phosphorous for water discharged to the Everglades, and recommended point source controls as the priority pollution strategy for Broward County as part of its long-term plan.
The Broward Everglades Working Group was initiated in May 2004 by Broward County and the South Florida Water Management District. The group consists of representatives of drainage districts, government agencies, municipal officials, industry, and other affected stakeholder groups in the Everglades Stormwater Program (ESP) basins.
The Working Group is initially focused on the C-11 west basin – the major basin in Broward County that discharges to the Everglades – but the intent of this effort is to serve as a catalyst for similar initiatives County-wide.
The Working Group has reviewed a menu of best management practices which can be tailored to individual community environments and/or ability to implement pollution reduction measures. Each municipality has selected from a list of “Pollution Reduction Options” to develop an area-specific Pollution Reduction Action Plan. These individual plans will then be consolidated to develop an ESP Action Basin plan and will become part of the Long Term Plan through reference.
Climate Change Task Force
Founded by resolution of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners on June 24, 2008, the mission of this task force is to develop recommendations for a coordinated countywide strategy in mitigating the causes, and addressing the local implications, of global climate change. Task force members are appointed by the Board and supported by County staff. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is an important component to Broward County's overall commitment to a healthy, sustainable environment. Broward County is already committed to reducing GHG emissions from County operations to seven percent below 1997 levels by the year 2015. This task force will assist residents, businesses and organizations in setting similar goals and strategies as the County faces the challenges of climate change.
Water Advisory Board
The Water Advisory Board advises the Broward County Board of County Commissioners on matters related to water management. This Board has two committees.
The Technical Advisory Committee provides technical guidance regarding water resource management issues.
The Surface Water Coordinating Committee is a group of drainage and water control district and government water managers that meet quarterly to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern. Two members also serve on the Technical Advisory Committee. The purpose of the Surface Water Coordinating Committee is to encourage all water control districts, municipalities and regional water managers to participate in surface water resources management and to assist in surface water efficiency for Broward County. Principle objectives are to:
- improve the awareness of surface water management through the education of the public and elected officials
- improve coordination of all local and regional surface water management operations during regular and/or emergency situations
- improve integration of surface water and groundwater to enhance the quality and volume of recharge
- assist in disseminating new surface water management ideas and technology
- assist in the review and implementation of a county-wide water resource management plan
- act as an advisory group to the Technical Advisory Committee
The Broward County Water Resources Task Force was formed in September 2008. Participants include representatives from Broward County, municipalities, independent districts, the South Florida Water Management District and other state and county agencies. The mission of this task force is to work collaboratively to identify and evaluate potential regional and sub-regional water supply strategies and solutions of appropriate water quality to meet countywide future water resource needs and water conservation goals, and to meet the objectives of the enabling resolutions.