throughout the project. Knight et al. (2006) reviewed the EAASR planning process in

order to establish a cohesive approach to the design. They focus on the PIR/EIS where

"the parallel process leads to the USACE examining and evaluating multiple alternatives

while the SFWMD is beginning detailed design on a specific alternative" (Knight et al.

2006, Page 7). The USACE is attempting to incorporate the Acceler8 alternative, while

meeting statutory requirements to evaluate a wide range of alternatives. The matter was

complicated by USACE analyzing the entire 360,000 acre-feet of storage, while Acceler8

planned only the first phase, a 190,000 acre-foot reservoir. The resulting challenge arose

as the Acceler8 design evolved quickly, preempting USACE alternatives that were in the

processes of analysis for the PIR/EIS. The PIR/EIS alternatives were reformulated to

meet the new conditions and provide a range of viable alternatives. The result was an

iterative screening process for alternatives that included multiple simulation and analysis

efforts. The iterative nature of the process is documented in the discussion EAASR

configurations provided in Chapter 3.

 Alternatives were simulated using the South Florida Management Model Version

5.4 (SFWMM). The SFWMM is a regional scale model used to simulate the hydrology

and water management of the SFWMD area from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay. This

7,600 square mile area was partitioned into 1,900 two mile by two mile squares (2,560

acres) called cells in which surface water, groundwater, and their interactions are

modeled. The model simulates the daily movement of water through the study area for

36 years from January 1, 1965 to December 31, 2000. The SFWMM is accepted as the

best tool to model this area, because it incorporates the complex operating rules that

govern the behavior of the system (SFWMD 2005a). Thus, a major simulation effort was