Water-supply potential of the Floridan aquifer in Osceola, eastern Orange, and southwestern Brevard counties, Florida

The city of Melbourne and adjacent areas in south Brevard County obtain their water supply from Lake Washington. As of 1982, the lake could provide a maximum of 15 million gallons per day but the projected need for the year 2000 is nearly three times that amount. As one alternative for a future water supply, this study investigated with a digital model, the potential yields of well fields completed in the Floridan aquifer. Seven pumping schemes were simulated with the digital model. Each simulation was made under steady-state conditions so that storage properties of the ground-water system were not included. The most advantageous area for ground-water development was in central Osceola County. Poor quality of water precluded locating a well field within Brevard County. If the ground-water alternative is chosen for the future supply, an observation well network is advisable to monitor head changes; chloride concentration trends east of the pumping centers; and chloride concentration trends in zones below the pumped zone.