Using South Florida's climate records and technical details on regional canals, water control structures, local topography and storage reservoirs, the Regional Simulation Model (RSM) simulates the region's complex hydrology. Hydrology is the movement and distribution of groundwater and surface water. It allows water managers to evaluate, plan and implement operations under most any climatic and hydrologic conditions.

One of the model's strongest features is its regional simulation capability. Optimum operation of specific water control structures in a local watershed is essential for effective water management. Flexibility in simulating local scenarios within a regional model is a powerful tool for enhancing resource management across all of South Florida.

The RSM has already been applied to several Everglades restoration projects, including the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program, Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands, C-111 Spreader Canal and Water Conservation Area 3 Decompartmentalization. Eventually, the RSM will also include ecosystem modeling, an ambitious task given the biological complexities of the natural environment.