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Freshwater Flows to Northeastern Florida Bay

Entry ID: USGS_SOFIA_freshwtr_flow

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Summary

Abstract: In 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study to gage several major creeks that discharge freshwater into northeastern Florida Bay. This study provides flow, salinity, and water-level data for model development and calibration and also provides baseline data for other physical, biological and chemical studies being conducted in the area. The monitoring network provides coastal discharge ... data for the majority of estuarine creeks in northeastern Florida Bay. The timing and distribution of freshwater deliveries to northeastern Florida Bay have been documented since 1996. In 2003 the USGS coastal and estuarine unit also began calculating nutrient loads at selected sites in northeastern Florida Bay and along the southwestern Everglades coast. The larger network has provided discharge information to researchers to develop nutrient budgets and loading (Rudnick, 1999; Sutula and others, 2003; Davis, 2004; and Levesque, 2004).

In South Florida, changes in water-management practices to accommodate a large and rapidly growing urban population along the Atlantic coast, as well as intensive agricultural activities, have resulted in a highly managed hydrologic system. This managed system altered the natural hydrology of the Everglades ecosystem, including Florida Bay. During the last few decades, Florida Bay has experienced seagrass die-offs and algal blooms. Both are signals of ecological deterioration that has been attributed to increases in salinity and nutrient content of bay waters. With plans to restore water levels in the Everglades to more natural conditions, changes also are expected in the amount and timing of freshwater discharge through the major creeks into Florida Bay. Flow through the estuarine creeks through the Buttonwood Embankment and into Florida Bay is naturally controlled by the water level in the Everglades; regional wind patterns; and to a lesser extent, tides. Florida Bay restoration requires an understanding of the linkage between the amount of freshwater flowing into the bay and the salinity and quality of the bay environment. Historically, there has been no accurate quantification of the amount of freshwater being discharged into Florida Bay from the mainland due to the difficulties of accurately gaging flows in shallow, bi-directional, and vertically stratified streams. The project objectives are to determine the quantity, timing and distribution of freshwater flow into Florida Bay and adjacent estuaries, determine baseline hydrologic conditions and provide information on hydrologic change during the restoration process. This project helps determine how freshwater flow affects the health of Florida Bay, a critical component of the CERP, and how changes in water-management practices upstream (Taylor Slough and C-111 basins) directly influence flow and salinity conditions in the estuary.

The project managers for this study include Eduardo Patino (1995-2000), Clinton Hittle (2001-2003), and Mark Zucker (2003 -present).

Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Select the desired station on the Water Quality Data page at http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/zucker_woods_patino_wtrqualindex.html. This will link to the appropriate page on the NWIS Web interface.

Link: VIEW EXTENDED METADATA

Multimedia Sample

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Description: map of data collection sites in Northeastern Florida Bay

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Description: map showing South Florida Real-Time Ground Water stations

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Description: map showing USGS South Florida Coastal Stations

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: 25.3

S: 24.9

E: -80.3

W: -80.8

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Eduardo Patino Clint Hittle; Mark Zucker; Jeff Woods

Dataset Title: Freshwater Flows to Northeastern Florida Bay

Dataset Release Date: 2008

Data Presentation Form: website, text files

Online Resource: http://sofia.usgs.gov/projects/index.php?project_url=freshwtr_flow

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1994-10-01

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > FLORIDA

Science Keywords

BIOSPHERE > TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS > WETLANDS

TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > GROUND WATER > GROUND WATER DISCHARGE/FLOW

ISO Topic Category

ENVIRONMENT

INLAND WATERS

Project

USGS_SOFIA > South Florida Information Access

Access Constraints None. The data secured from the USGS NWISWeb database may include data that have not received Director's approval and as such are provisional and subject to change. The data are released on the condition that neither the USGS nor the United States Government may be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use.

Use Constraints None

Ancillary Keywords

Miami-Dade County

Monroe County

Data Set Progress

IN WORK

Data Center

SOUTH FLORIDA INFORMATION ACCESS, FLORIDA INTEGRATED SCIENCE CENTER, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Data Center URL: http://sofia.usgs.gov/

Data Center Personnel
Name: HEATHER S. HENKEL Phone: 727.803.8747 ext. 3028 Fax: 727.803.2032 Email: hhenkel at usgs.gov Contact Address: USGS-FISC-St. Petersburg 600 Fourth St. South City: St. Petersburg Province or State: FL Postal Code: 33701 Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution Format: tab-separated text file

Fees: None

Personnel

MARK ZUCKER

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Phone: (954) 377-5952

Fax: (954) 377-5901

Email: mzucker at usgs.gov

Contact Address:

U.S. Geological Survey

3110 SW 9th Avenue

City: Ft. Lauderdale

Province or State: FL

Postal Code: 33315

Country: USA

ALICIA ALEMAN

Role: DIF AUTHOR

Email: alicia.m.aleman at nasa.gov

Contact Address:

Goddard Space Flight Center

Code 610.2

City: Greenbelt

Province or State: MD

Postal Code: 20771

Country: USA

Publications/References

Hittle, Clinton, Patino, Eduardo; Zucker, Mark, 2001, Freshwater flow from estuarine creeks into northeastern Florida Bay, USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report, 01-4164, Reston, VA, U.S. Geological Survey.
http://fl.water.usgs.gov/Abstracts/wri01_4164_hittle.html

Hittle, Clinton D., Zucker, Mark A., 2004, Northeastern Florida Bay estuarine creek data, Water Years ...

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2008-11-04

Last DIF Revision Date: 2009-06-02

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