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Coastal Gradients Salinity Surveys

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Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title: Coastal Gradients Salinity Surveys
Abstract:
Ten monitoring stations were operated and maintained along the southwest coast of ENP, the Everglades wetlands, and along the coastlines of northeastern Florida Bay and northwest Barnes Sound. Data collected at these 10 stations includes water level, velocity, salinity, and temperature. These 10 stations will complement information currently being generated through an existing network of 20 hydrologic monitoring stations of on-going USGS projects.
Supplemental_Information:
This project is being worked in cooperation with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the U.S. Corps of Engineers (USACE)
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Jeff Woods Eduardo Patino; Mark Zucker, 2007, Coastal Gradients Salinity Surveys.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -81
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.38
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.57
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.16

  3. What does it look like?

    <http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/coastal_grads/salindex.html> (JPEG)
    thumbnails of the salinity maps

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

    Calendar_Date: 11-Dec-2003
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition

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

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: digital images and text files

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

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

    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 0.0001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. 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.

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988
      Altitude_Resolution: 0.01
      Altitude_Distance_Units: feet
      Altitude_Encoding_Method: Attribute values

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The salinity is parts per thousand (ppt). Salinity is shown in intervals of 5 ppt by color on the maps.

    The data files contain the following for each date: date of collection; temperature in degrees Celsius; specific conductance in microsiemens per centimeter; salinity in parts per thousand; and latitude and longitude in decimal degrees

    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: USGS personnel


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?

    Project personnel include Shane Ploos, Lars Soderqvist, Craig Thompson, and Barclay Shoemaker

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

    Jeff Woods
    U.S. Geological Survey
    3110 SW 9th Avenue
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    954 377-5950 (voice)
    954 377-5901 (FAX)
    jwoods@usgs.gov


Why was the data set created?

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 authorized the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) as a framework for modifications and operational changes to the Central and Southern Florida Project needed to restore the south Florida ecosystem. Provisions within WRDA 2000 provide for specific authorization for an adaptive assessment and monitoring program. A Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) has been developed as the primary tool to assess the system-wide performance of the CERP by the REstoration, COordination and VERification (RECOVER) program. The MAP presents the monitoring and supporting enhancement of scientific information and technology needed to measure the responses of the South Florida ecosystem.

The MAP also presents the system-wide performance measures representative of the natural and human systems found in South Florida that will be evaluated to help determine the success of CERP. These system-wide performance measures address the responses of the South Florida ecosystem that the CERP is explicitly designed to improve, correct, or otherwise directly affect. A separate Performance Measure Documentation Report being prepared by RECOVER provides the scientific, technical, and legal basis for the performance measures. This project is intended to support the Greater Everglades (GE) Wetlands module of the MAP and is directly linked to the monitoring or supporting enhancement component

In 2003, CERP MAP funding through the South Florida Water Management District established 10 monitoring stations as part of the Coastal Gradients Network. The purpose of this MAP project with the USACE is to continue operation of these 10 stations for the MAP activities.


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: 2006 (process 1 of 2)
    Salinity and temperaure data were collected every five seconds via a boat-mounted flow-through cell to a continuous water quality meter. Surveys were conducted along the southern coastline of Everglades National Park from Barnes Sound to Everglades City. All salinity and temperature meters were checked in known conductivity standards prior to and following all surveys. Survey data was plotted on a map of the study area to display the spatial temporal distribution of salinity across esturarine gradients over a large geographical area.

    Date: Not complete (process 2 of 2)
    Work planned for FY 2007:

    Salinity surveys will be performed using boat-mounted systems to collect information along the southwestern coast of ENP, northeastern coast of Florida Bay, and Manatee Bay/Barnes Sound. The information will include salinity and temperature data and geographic location in latitude and longitude for every data point. Four quarterly and two event-driven surveys will be completed on a yearly basis for a maximum of six per year. The salinity survey is performed on the same day across the study area and usually requires the use of 4 boats and 8 crew members to complete. The surveys will include these river/creek systems: Lostmans River to upstream Lostmans River; Broad River to upstream Broad River; Shark River/Harney River to Bottle Creek; North River to upstream North River; McCormick Creek to Seven Palm Lake; Taylor River mouth to upstream Taylor River; Trout Creek to Joe Bay/Snag Bay; and Barnes Sound to Manatee Bay/Card Sound Canal.

    Salinity surveys are performed using boat-mounted flow-through systems equipped with a YSI water quality monitor for collection of temperature and salinity. Position is determined using a GPS unit which interfaces with the YSI water quality monitor. Data collection occurs every 5 seconds and is stored in the YSI 650 data acquisition system. The accuracy of all instrumentation is verified in the USGS Ft. Lauderdale laboratory or in the field before and after the salinity survey. The temperature probe is verified using a digital NIST thermometer in the Ft. Lauderdale lab. Data collected from the four boats is combined in a spreadsheet and analyzed for erroneous data such as spikes and 0.0 values. Salinity data is then imported into a GIS package for map creation. Raw data and spatial maps will be posted on SOFIA or published in the final USGS Data Series Report to be published in 2010.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Jeff Woods
    U.S. Geological Survey
    3110 SW 9th Avenue
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    954 377-5950 (voice)
    954 377-5901 (FAX)
    jwoods@usgs.gov

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

    Hittle, Clinton Patino, Eduardo; Zucker, Mark, 2004, Hydrologic Characteristics of Estuarine River Systems within Everglades National Park: USGS Fact Sheet 2004-3129, U.S. Geological Survey, Tallahassee, FL.

    Online Links:

    Rantz, S. E and others, 1982, Measurement and computation of streamflow Volume 1: measurement of stage and discharge: USGS Water Supply Paper 2175, vol. 1, U.S. Geological Survey, unknown.

    Online Links:

    Sauer, Vernon B., 2002, Standards for the analysis and processing of surface-water data and information using electronic methods: USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4044, U.S. Geological Survey, unknown.

    Online Links:

    Wagner, R. J. Boulger, Jr, R. W.; Oblinge, 2006, Guidelines and standard procedures for continuous water-quality monitors: station operation, record computation, and data reporting: USGS Techniques and Methods 1-D3, U.S. Geological Survey, unknown.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: supersedes Water-Investigations Report 00-4252
    Oberg, K. A. Morlock, S. E.; Caldwell, W, 2005, Quality-assurance plan for discharge measurements using acoustic Doppler current profilers: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5183, U.S. Geological Survey, unknown.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    in cooperation with the U. S. Amy Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
    Simpson, M. R., 2002, Discharge measurements using a broad-band acoustic Doppler current profiler: USGS Open-File Report 01-01, U.S. Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA.

    Online Links:

    Ruhl, C. A. Simpson, M. R., 2005, Computation of discharge using the index-velocity method in tidally affected areas: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5004, U.S. Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Prepared in cooperation with the Interagency Ecological Program

    available online only


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?

    The geographic coordinates were collected with a Garmon 76C handheld unit

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

    Salinity maps are available for Water Year 2004 (December 2003, March, June, and August, 2004); Water Year 2005 (October and December 2004 and March, May, and July 2005); and Water Year 2006 (November 2005, and April and June 2006)

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

    Salinity and temperature were measured along the same transects for each survey. These transects were measured using four separate boats over the span of one day and the data was then combined to create a salinity map of the coastline along Everglades National Park.


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: none

  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?

    salinity surveys

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    The maps are for informational purposes only and contain no implied accuracy of data points. The data are published a part of the MAP monitoring program in support of CERP restoration

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 21-Sep-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/coastal_grads_salsurveys.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 Fri Sep 21 10:34:02 2007