Improving and Centralizing Communication of Environmental Data using Existing Technology Tools

Abstract

The South Florida Water Management District is responsible for flood control, water supply planning, water quality and ecosystem restoration in a 16-county area of South Florida.  Following soon-to-be-resolved federal/state consent orders associated with construction and operation of over 60,000 acres of constructed stormwater treatment wetlands, the agency must meet extremely stringent water quality standards when discharging the treated water into the Everglades.  This requires that information-sharing among the agency’s many organizational units be much more efficient, with a solution needed in the coming months.  The solution must be sustainable and meld disparate types and sources of data into a single communications tool, without the need for a custom programming project from the IT department, but with the ability for the data providers and users to develop their modules using a variety of existing technology tools.  Such a solution would be more nimble, flexible, and sustainable than a custom program that would require intensive up-front support from IT, and extensive IT assistance to adjust content.  This case study describes the process(es) used for multiple groups within the agency to create a “tool” consolidating different types of data from multiple environmental-related databases, leveraging the agency’s existing technology, and accommodating the differing skill sets among the groups.  The result provides a one-stop-shop for all information that factors into operating the stormwater treatment areas (STAs), and significantly reduce the need for dozens of emails and phone calls, and provide better information exchange during internal discussions and meetings with regulators.