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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element While floodplains provide for the natural overflow of waterbodies during flood events, wetland floodplains also are valuable in their support of plant and animal resources, and provide for open space and recreation opportunities. As such, preservation of floodplains is beneficial both from an environmental and economic standpoint. Due to the desirability of property overlooking the scenic waterbodies of the Atlantic Ocean and IRL, coupled with the county's growing population, development in the County's floodplains is inevitable. Floodplain management techniques and regulations are discussed in further detail in the Stormwater Management Sub -Element and the Coastal Management Element. Groundwater In Indian River County, groundwater is utilized for water supply. Throughout the county, groundwater is present beneath the surface of the ground in the "zone of saturation," where every pore space between soil particles is saturated with water. This zone of saturation is an aquifer. An aquifer is a geological formation which is capable of yielding a useful amount of water to a well or spring, and has at least one horizontal confining (impervious) layer. Two distinct groundwater aquifers, the surficial aquifer and the Floridan aquifer, underlie Indian River County. The Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Sub -Element of the Comprehensive Plan describes these aquifers in detail. • Surficial Aquifer The surficial aquifer is located in the top stratum of soil, extending from the water table to the Hawthorn Formation (approximately 200 feet below the surface). Water quality in the surficial aquifer varies depending upon the location in the County. Although water from the surficial aquifer often contains high amounts of ingredients that produce "hard" water, water quality is generally considered good due to chloride concentrations that average less than 60 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Therefore, water from the surficial aquifer is suitable for drinking with minimal treatment and costs less to produce than water supplied by the Floridan aquifer. This aquifer serves as the principal water supply for the City of Vero Beach and for most of the domestic wells located throughout the County. The surficial aquifer is directly replenished by rainfall that does not return to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration or surface runoff. Due to the relatively high chloride content of water withdrawn from the Floridan aquifer, recharge of the surficial aquifer resulting from agricultural irrigation runoff is a concern. Depending upon soil percolation, rainfall, and the amount of impervious surface area, the recharge rate of the surficial aquifer is approximately 12 to 16 inches per year within Indian River County. In areas of the County having the greatest wellfield potential, the natural recharge rate averages 16 inches annually. Within the surficial aquifer, high yielding wells are located near the coast, south of Community Development Department Indian River County 28