USGS Geologic Division
New Project Proposal - FY 1999
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Project title: A Synthesis of Sediment Production, Transport, and Accumulation in Florida Bay
Geographic area: South Florida, Florida Bay
Project start date: 10/1/1998
Project end date: 9/31/2000

Project chief: Robert B. Halley
Region/Division/Team/Section: Eastern/GD/Coastal and Marine/St. Petersburg
Email: rhalley@usgs.gov
Phone: (813) 803-8747 x3020
Fax: (813) 893-3333

Mail address: USGS 600 4th St. S., St. Petersburg, FL, 33701

Program(s): Integrated Natural Resource Science Program

Program element(s)/task(s) (show percent distribution if more than one element/task). If submitting to more than one program, include element(s)/tasks from each program here:

Element 1; Task 1.7 Aspects of Florida Bay, Florida Keys and the Coral Reefs

BACKGROUND NARRATIVES
Project summary: This project will synthesize portions of six projects that deal in diverse but complimentary aspects of sediments in Florida Bay. Results from those projects will be integrated with appropriate literature to develop a sediment budget for the lagoon/estuary system. The synthesis will be process oriented, describing the mechanisms by which sediments are formed, moved, and deposited to form mudbanks and islands. The summary will include recommendations to management questions such as the effects of sea-level rise on Florida Bay and expected impacts of increased freshwater flows.

Project objectives and strategy: More detailed/technical than the project summary, describing BRIEFLY the technical goals and approaches to be used over the lifetime of the project.

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration projects by Halley, Stumpf, Prager, Hansen, Holmes and Orem all deal with complementary aspects of sedimentation in the Bay. These can be interrelated by use of a sediment budget because 95-99% of the sediment in the Bay is produced by organisms that live in the environment. Individual project elements include the following processes: 1) modem rates of carbonate sediment production from radiocarbon measurements and geochemical measurements (Halley), mineralogical and chemical composition (Orem, Prager, Holmes) processes of erosion and deposition (Prager), resuspension and transport (Prager, Stumpf), recent deposition (Holmes) and the geography and geometry of net accumulation (Hansen, Halley). Carbonate productivity in the Bay can be calculated using three methods. Stockman et. al (1967) used accumulated sediments and dating to determine rates of sediment production. Stockman et. al (1967) and Boscence (1989, 1995) used a standing crop and turnover rate to determine short-term productivity. Large discrepancies exist between the long-term and short-term productivity measures. Halley, in complementary project, is using geochemical methods to determine short-term productivity and carbonate precipitation. This geochemical validation and proposed sediment budget will indicate whether there has been a long-term change in the productivity of the Bay or if current processes can account for the differences in apparent sediment production and accumulation.

Boscence, D. 1989a. Biogenic carbonate production in Florida Bay. Bull. Mar. Sci. 44(1): 419-433

Stockman, K.W., R.N. Ginsburg, and E.A. Shinn. 1967, The production of lime mud by algae in South Florida. J. Sediment Petrol. 37(2): 633-648.

Potential impacts and major products: The anticipated product is a color circular describing sedimentation in the Bay and relating it to the health and productivity of the Bay as well as to long-term changes in the Bay, particularly as they relate to sea-level rise, increased freshwater flows into the Bay and Bay circulation.

Collaborators;
Bill Orem (USGS, organic geochemist)
Chuck Holmes (USGS, radiochemist)
Mark Hansen (USGS, oceanographer)
Mike Robblee (USGS, biologist)

Clients:
Tom Armentano, Robert Brock (Everglades National Park, Florida Bay Program Coordinators)
Mike Choate (ACOE, Jacksonville FL, South FL Restudy)
Fred Sklar (South Florida Water Management Distinct, Landscape Modeler)
Bill Krisincky (EPA, Florida Keys Water Quality Program Manager)
John Hunt (FL Department of Environmental Regulation, Florida Keys Program Manager)
Billy Causey (NOAA, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Coordinator)
David Rudnick (South Florida Water Management District)
Bill Lyons (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

WORK PLAN
Overall: Many types of sediment analyses have been performed by six projects listed above. Methodology for relating and synthesizing these data will be determined by the principle investigators during the first year of this project. Agreement will be reached on format and presentation style, and data sets will be reformatted to integrate results into single tables and illustrations. In particular, emphasis will be placed on generation a readable publication that is scientifically strong, but conveys information in a medium that is quickly absorbed by managers and educated non-scientists.

Time line (FY 1999 to project end): List MAJOR tasks and deliverables by fiscal year and indicate key staff responsible for each.

FY 1999;

1. Organization and uniformity of standards meeting (Halley, Prager, Stumpf, Hansen, Orem, Holmes).
2. Issue meeting for circular focus topics (Halley, Prager, Stumpf, Hansen, Orem, Holmes).
3. Data exchange and reformatting (Kim Yates, Yucong Tao, Halley, Prager, Stumpf, Hansen, Orem, Holmes).
4. Illustrations (Halley, Prager, Stumpf, Hansen, Orem, Holmes).
5. Text (Halley, Prager)

FY2000

1. Review
2. Revision and Bureau approval
3. Submission for publication
4. Devotee distribution plan and associated outreach activities

Draft ready by the end of FY 1999

Publication through the review and publication process during FY 2000

Outreach activities: Describe plans to address client requirements, decisions, and deadlines.

Client requirements will continue to be met through continued regular client meetings, through direction from the Florida Bay Interagency Science Program Management Council, and through continued interaction with collaborators and clients listed above in the first section. Communication of results takes place through the Florida Bay Interagency Science Program Management Council to the Task Force.

Distribution plan will be developed in FY 2000

Proposersí previous experience in the projectís topic or geographic area: Proposer has four yearís intensive study of sedimentation in Florida Bay and 23 years of general knowledge about South Florida environments. In addition he is a member of the interagengy Florida Bay Science Program Management Council and has been for the last 4 years. As such he is responsible for having knowledge of the management goals of the program and helps guide his agencyís participation toward those goals.
 

PROJECT SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS
Names and expertise (e.g. carbonate petrology) of key project staff (list by fiscal year for duration of project):

Halley (carbonate sedimentation, overall coordination, FY 1999, 2000)
Prager (oceanographer, sediment transport, FY 1999)
Stumpf (oceanographer, remote sensing, FY 1999)
Yates (geologist, budgets and modeling, FY 1999, 2000)
Tao (computer scientists, data processing, FY 1999, 2000)

Other required expertise for which no individual has been identified (list by fiscal year for duration of project): none

Major equipment/facility needs (list by fiscal year for duration of project): none
 

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