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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element promoting water re -use. • Flow Well Program Since 1990, Indian River County has participated in a cost -share program with the SJRWMD to plug abandoned flow wells. Through this program, abandoned flow wells are identified by county staff and plugged in coordination with the St. Johns Water Management District and the Environmental Health Department. As a result of the program, more than 375 wells were plugged or repaired between 1990 and 2007, saving millions of gallons of groundwater per day. In addition to wasting groundwater, abandoned flow wells provide easier access for surface pollutants to get into groundwater, may threaten crops and structures, and often contribute to mosquito problems. Through the flow well plugging program, SJRWMD pays 50% of the cost associated with plugging flow wells on residential properties and 25% of the cost on commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties. In Indian River County, where flow wells tend to be larger and deeper than in other areas of Florida, the program has been effective. On average, a flow well in Florida costs $3,500 to plug, whereas in Indian River County the average flow well costs $4,500 to plug. Since inception, the flow well plugging program has saved Indian River County nearly $850,000 in flow well plugging fees. Despite this success, many abandoned flow wells remain in Indian River County. Although SJRWMD staff has documented fewer reports of abandoned flow wells in the county in the last few years, this decline is attributable to the remaining abandoned flow wells in the county being less conspicuous. For this reason, the County should continue its policy to require that abandoned flow wells on development sites be identified and plugged by developers. In the future, the county should, when funding is available, continue to participate with the SJRWMD in the flow well plugging program. Although funding may be an issue due to budget constraints, the importance of groundwater and the negative impacts that broken flow wells can have on existing groundwater supplies are reasons for continuing the program as long as possible. Floodplains The existing conditions portion of this element identifies 100 -year floodplains found in Indian River County and explains the public benefits of floodplains, such as providing flood -carrying capacity, wildlife habitat, open space and recreational opportunities. Due to the extent of floodplains in the county and the demand for development, building in "special flood hazard areas" (SFHAs) inundated by 100 -year floods has been allowed subject to flood control regulations consistent with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements and standards. Generally, structural and fill encroachments in floodplains reduce flood -carrying capacity, increase flood heights and velocities, and increase flood hazards in areas beyond the encroachments Community Development Department Indian River County 101