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Field measurements, major ions, nutrient, and carbon data for Bridge-105 and the 40-Mile Bend to Monroe reach in the Big Cypress National Preserve

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Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
Field measurements, major ions, nutrient, and carbon data for Bridge-105 and the 40-Mile Bend to Monroe reach in the Big Cypress National Preserve
Abstract:
The data catagories include site name, date, time, station ID, medium, record #, agency analyzing sample, agency collecting sample, discharge (daily mean and instantaneous), gage height, lab spec condition, field spec condition, total dissolved solids, air and water temp, pH (lab and field), and amounts of oxygen, nitrogen and nitrogen compounds, phosphorus, carbonates, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, calcium, silica, and carbon.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Benjamin McPherson Ronald L. Miller; Arturo Torres, 2005, Field measurements, major ions, nutrient, and carbon data for Bridge-105 and the 40-Mile Bend to Monroe reach in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -81.4
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.5
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 26.3
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.2

  3. What does it look like?

    <http://sofia.usgs.gov/projects/wq_analysis/basemap.gif> (GIF)
    location of historic water-quality sites

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: 1967
    Ending_Date: 1999
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Big Cypress National Preserve
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point (2)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.01. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.01. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?


Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    The National Park Service collects the samples in the field and the SFWMD provides sampling equipment and laboratory analyses.

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Arturo Torres
    U. S. Geological Survey
    USGS Florida Integrated Science Center-Ft. Lauderdale

    3110 SW 9th Ave.
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    813 975-8620 ext 128 office (voice)
    aetorres@usgs.gov


Why was the data set created?

Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY) and Everglades National Park (EVER) maintain separate networks of hydrologic monitoring stations (hydrostations) for measuring the stage and quality of surface water throughout their units. The data collected at these sites provides a historical baseline for assessing hydrologic conditions and making a wide range of management decisions (both internally and externally). Surface-water stage data is relatively straight-forward to analyze, both in real time and relative to historic conditions, and has typically been conducted by in-house hydrology staff at both units. Analysis of surface water-quality data is generally regarded as being more complex because of the subtleness of trends, absence of continuous data (bi-monthly for BICY and monthly for EVER), and dependence on surface water depth and season.

Collection and analysis of water-quality samples at BICY and EVER are done under cooperative agreements with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Under these agreements, the Park Service collects the samples in the field and the SFWMD provides sampling equipment and laboratory analyses. EVER has been sampling water quality on a monthly basis at 9 "internal marsh" stations since 1984 as part of this program. BICY has been sampling water quality on a monthly basis at 10 "internal" stations since 1995 as part of this agreement, with water quality data at these sites extending as far back to 1988 (but not as part of the agreement). Water-quality data collected at the BICY and EVER stations has been archived and reported for short-time intervals (yearly and bi-yearly), but an analysis that covers all sampled parameters, extends over the full period of record, and provides comparisons between the two units has yet to be performed.

In 2000, a study was begun by the U.S. Geological Survey to gather, edit, and interpret selected water-quality data from a variety of sources to improve the understanding of changes in water-quality in areas impacted by human activities or in more remote and relatively unimpacted areas of the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. One purpose is to look for long-term trends and possibly relate the trends to human or natural influences on water quality such as agriculture, drought, hurricanes, changes in water management, etc. Another purpose is to interpret data from the most remote and unimpacted areas to discern, if possible, what the natural background concentrations are for water-quality constituents that have sufficient data. An attempt will be made to find correlations between available water-quality, physical, and meteorological parameters.

Such analyses of water-quality and ancillary data may assist in establishing water-quality standards appropriate for the designation as Outstanding Florida Waters in both the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve. Ancillary data such as precipitation, water-level, water flow, dates of major storms, and beginning and ending dates of water-control effects will be studied to relate their timing to any noticeable changes in water quality.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: Jun-2002 (process 1 of 1)
    The objective of this project was to analyze, summarize, and report on water-quality data collected in freshwaters in or near ENP and BCNP over the period of record. The analysis included an evaluation of seasonal and long-term trends, spatial patterns, and possible effects of hydrologic, climatic, and human-induced perturbations. Specific objectives included: (1) determination of baseline water-quality conditions relative to the designations as Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW) and Outstanding National Resource Water (ONRW);(2) an analysis of water-quality conditions across the landscape, and at internal marsh sites relative to conditions in upstream canals; and (3) an analysis of long-term trends for selected parameters, such as chloride, sulfate, and total phosphorus.

    Water-quality and ancillary data were collected from the files of the U.S. Geological Survey, South Florida Water Management District, Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, some southern Florida County agencies, State of Florida agencies, and other sources of long-term water-quality and ancillary data. Available data was collected in electronic files from the original source. The intention was not to collect every available piece of data, but to collect data with the potential to detect long-term trends or lack thereof in chemical concentrations. Focus was on chemicals of environmental importance.

    Station location and description, and period of record data are stored for each sampling location in the USGS NWIS database. Station location and description, and period of record data are stored for each sampling location in the South Florida Water Management District DBHYDRO database. Station location and description, and period of record data are stored for each sampling location in the Big Cypress National Preserve's paper files.

    Data were reformatted, if necessary, for storage in a database at the U.S. Geological Survey Subdistrict Office in Tampa, Florida. When feasible, data was screened using chemical logic checks developed by Ronald Miller of the USGS in Tampa, Florida.

    Various graphs and statistical evaluations were used to detect correlations between variables and trends in concentration. Selected graphs and statistical results will be incorporated into a written report of the interpretations.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Arturo Torres
    U. S. Geological Survey
    USGS Florida Integrated Science Center-Ft. Lauderdale

    3110 SW 9th Ave.
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    813 975-8620 ext 128 office (voice)
    aetorres@usgs.gov

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

    McPherson, Benjamin F. Halley, Robert, 1996, The South Florida Environment: a region under stress: USGS Circular 1134, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: Southern Florida NAWQA Program publication
    McPherson, Benjamin F. Miller, Ronald L.; Haag, Ki, 2000, Water Quality in Southern Florida, 1996 - 98: USGS Circular 1207, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Miller, Ronald L. McPherson, Benjamin F.; Haa, 1999, Water quality in the southern Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp in the vicinity of the Tamiami Trail, 1996-97: USGS Water Resources Investigations Report 99-4062, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Miller, Ronald L. McPherson, Benjamin F., 2001, Occurrence And Distribution Of Contaminants In Bottom Sediment and Water Of The Barron River Canal, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, October 1998: Florida Scientist v. 64, n. 1, Florida Academy of Sciences, Orlando, FL.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    originally published in Florida Scientist, vol. 64, Winter, 2001, Number 1


How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Stations Br-105 and 40-Mile Bend to Monroe reach have data from 1988 to 1998 and 1967 to 1999 respectively. Missing data is indicated by -- in the appropriate field.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    not applicable


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None.
Use_Constraints:
These data are subject to change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved for official publication.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    Heather S.Henkel
    U.S. Geological Survey
    600 Fourth St. South
    St. Petersburg, FL 33701
    USA

    727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
    727 803-2030 (FAX)
    hhenkel@usgs.gov

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Field measurements, major ions, nutrient, and carbon data for Br-105 and 40-Mile Bend to Monroe reach in the Big Cypress National Preserve

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    The data have no implied or explicit guarantees

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 03-Dec-2007
Metadata author:
Heather Henkel
U.S. Geological Survey
600 Fourth Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
USA

727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
727 803-2030 (FAX)
sofia-metadata@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)


This page is <http://sofia.usgs.gov/metadata/sflwww/field_data_br105.faq.html>

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
Comments and suggestions? Contact: Heather Henkel - Webmaster
Generated by mp version 2.8.18 on Mon Dec 03 11:32:38 2007