8.5 Square Mile Area (SMA) Limited Curtain Wall 

2023 Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Competition
Honor Award - Environmental Sustainability

Webinar Summary

The 8.5 SMA Limited Curtain Wall (8.5 SMA) is part of the modification of the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project for Modified Water Deliveries (MWD) into Everglades National Park (ENP) authorized by Section 104 of the Everglades National Park and Expansion Act of 1989 (Public Law 101‐229) as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (Public Law 108‐7), and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is the project sponsor. The 8.5 SMA area is comprised of low‐density urban and agricultural landscapes. It is surrounded by levees and is adjacent to ENP on its western and northern borders and is adjacent to more intensively developed urban lands to its east. This area receives significant amounts of groundwater seepage from ENP, particularly during wet periods and there have been several projects and features constructed since 2000 to manage water levels within this location and surrounding areas as well as land acquisition.

Despite the previous efforts, the 8.5 SMA area still flooded for several months due to its proximity to the ENP, low topography, and lack of drainage.  The intent of the project was to efficiently manage seepage to control groundwater flow and levee seepage, leaving the ENP and Water Conservation Area 3B (WCA-3B), while maintaining an appropriate amount of groundwater flow to minimize impacts to Miami-Dade County’s West Wellfield and appropriate levels of freshwater flows to Biscayne Bay.

Seminar Scope: The webinar intends to present the multidisciplinary approach to the design and construction of a seepage barrier between the 8.5 SMA and the ENP.  The project received the 2023 Distinguished Engineering Project Achievement Award by The Engineer’s Council and the 2023 Honor Award in Environmental Sustainability by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

About the Presenter

Mr. Vazquez has more than 38 years of civil engineering experience including the preparation of stormwater master plans, drainage studies, and street improvements. He is author and co-author of several technical reports on water resources studies, hydrologic-hydraulic modeling, and bridge hydraulic/scours analyses for presentation and publications. He was coauthor of the Florida Department of Transportation Exfiltration Design Drainage Handbook and is also a member of the Florida Greenbook Drainage Subcommittee. Currently, he is a licensed Professional Engineer registered in Virginia, Michigan, Puerto Rico, and Florida. He is also a Professional Hydrologist (PH) and a Board Certified Environmental Engineer (BCEE) specializing in water supply and waste water.  At RJ Behar & Company, Inc., he manages the Water Resources and Environmental Department.

Webinar Format

This will be an interactive session with "live chat" capability. The session is open to environmental engineering and science professionals across all sectors and career stages. Our objective is to offer special insights on leading edge solutions for graduate and undergraduate students as well as early to mid-career environmental professionals who are considering specialty certification.

AAEES Board Certified Individuals: Attend this event and earn 1.5 PDHs towards your PDH requirements for maintaining your specialty certification.

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