Freshwater Canals A
III. Freshwater Canals A. Introduction Broward County’s current system of drainage consists of approximately two hundred and sixty-six miles of waterways (Broward County Planning Council 1989). The primary drainage system is managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and consists of nine major canals and their corresponding drainage basins (Figure III.1): Hillsboro Canal, C-14 (Cypress Creek) Canal, Pompano Canal, C-13 (Middle River) Canal, C-12 (Plantation) Canal, North New River Canal, C-11 (South New River) Canal, C-9 (Snake Creek) Canal, and the C-10 (Hollywood) Canal. These nine major canals, along with secondary and tertiary canals, eventually drain to the main estuarine areas (i.e., Intracoastal Waterway; see Section IV). The exception is the western segment of the C-11 Canal which is normally backpumped into the Water Conservation Area (WCAs). Overall, the canals are primarily used for flood control, however, secondary uses include drainage of land for development, discharge of excess water to and from the WCAs, prevention of saltwater intrusion, and recharge of wellfields (Cooper and Lane 1987). The result is a highly managed, intricate system of canals and retention ponds with control structures and pumps that maintain the balance between flood prevention and over drainage. The chemical characteristics of canals must be studied in order to understand possible ‘downstream effects’ on receiving water bodies (i.e., the Everglades and coastal systems). While the canal system’s primary function has been and continues to be conveyance, the waterways are currently considered waters of the state of Florida also known as Class III waters (see Florida Administrative Code [FAC] 62-302; State of Florida 1998).
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