During the last century, drainage canals were constructed as part of the Central and Southern Flood Control (C&SF) project. Flood control was achieved but degradation to the Everglades ecosystem was evident. Problems related to Florida Bay include sea grass die off, algae blooms, and extreme salinity conditions. Modifications to the C&SF project are proposed as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). One objective of CERP is to improve the timing and distribution of freshwater flow within the Everglades ecosystem and to Florida Bay. Several CERP projects propose changes to the existing canal network that borders Everglades National Park (ENP) in southern Miami-Dade County. An examination of flows to Joe Bay, a small embayment on the northeastern shores of Florida Bay, has provided baseline information on current spatial and temporal water deliveries prior to CERP modifications. Understanding the existing complex water delivery system and the effects the system has on Everglades hydrology will provide a necessary benchmark against which to measure restoration success. The study was initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in May 1999 to estimate creek flows to Joe Bay and determine the relative amounts derived from Taylor Slough and overflow from the C-111 Canal.

It is important to understand the source of freshwater to Joe Bay before it enters Florida Bay. Taylor Slough transports freshwater to northeastern Florida Bay from the northwest while overflow from the C-111 Canal provides freshwater to northeastern Florida Bay from the northeast. Joe Bay, receives part of the freshwater from each of these sources via sheet flow and small estuarine creeks, and subsequently discharges southward to northeastern Florida Bay via Trout Creek. Trout Creek contributes approximately 50 percent of the total freshwater flow to northeastern Florida Bay (Hittle 2001).

Eight non-gaged creeks entering Joe Bay were selected for acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements. The ADCP discharge measurements were then correlated with computed real-time discharge measurements from nearby USGS flow stations. Regression analysis was used to estimate flow at the Joe Bay creeks from June 1999 to April 2000. The R² values for the estimated flow at eight Joe Bay creeks ranged between 0.51 and 0.93.

From June 1999 to April 2000, flow volumes to eastern and western Joe Bay equaled 6.8 x 10⁷ m³ and 5.6 x 10⁷ m³ respectively; flow into eastern Joe Bay was 21 percent greater than flow into western Joe Bay. Maximum freshwater discharge to Florida Bay occurred following Tropical Storm Harvey and Hurricane Irene, which occurred on September 21 1999, and October 15, 1999, respectively. Flow into western Joe Bay (3.5 x 10⁷ m³) during the storms was 26 percent greater than flow into eastern Joe Bay (2.7 x 10⁷ m³). However, dry season flow (January to April 2000) into eastern Joe Bay (2.6 x 10⁷ m³) which was supplied primarily by the C-111 Canal, was much greater than flow into western Joe Bay (2.5 x 10⁶ m³). Thus, the total flow into eastern Joe Bay exceeded total flow into western Joe Bay, even though western Joe Bay received more freshwater during storm events. During the storms, the S-197 structure was opened to allow the C-111 Canal to discharge outside of Florida Bay. This reduced the overflow from the C-111 Canal to both Joe and northeastern Florida Bays.

Hittle, C.D., Patino, E, and Zucker, M. 2000, Freshwater Flow From Estuarine Creeks into Northeastern Florida Bay. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigation 01-4164, p.32.

¹mzucker@usgs.gov U.S. Geological Survey, 9100 NW 36th st, Miami, FL 33178 United States
²cdhittle@usgs.gov U.S. Geological Survey, 9100 NW 36th st, Miami, FL 33178 United States

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