Project Work Plan

Study Title: Baseline hydrologic data collection along the I-75/State Road 29 corridor in the Big Cypress National Preserve
Study Start Date: October, 2005   Study End Date: September 2009
Web Sites: http://www.sflorida.er.usgs.gov/edl_data/index.html "End-of-Month Conditions in South Florida" http://www.sflorida.er.usgs.gov/edl_data/index_qw.html "Manual Water-Level Measurements in South Florida"
Location: I-75 corridor from Snake Road west to SR 29 and SR 29 from I-75 south to USGS site 02291000 BARRON RIVER NR EVERGLADES, FLA.
Funding Source: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES) and ENP Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative (CESI)
Other Complementary Funding Source(s): None
Funding History: None
Principal Investigator(s): Elizabeth Debiak
Study Personnel: Ricardo Solis
Supporting Organizations:
Associated / Linked Studies:

Overview & Objective(s): The objectives of this study for the 2006 water year are to develop a program of surface water flow monitoring across I-75 and SR 29 in the areas described above. Quarterly discharge measurements will be accomplished along both reaches to begin to assess hydrologic flow patterns and evaluate the feasibility of creating a stage-discharge/index-velocity relationship for this area.

Specific Relevance to Major Unanswered Questions and Information Needs Identified: This study supports several of the projects listed in the DOI science plan (specifically: The Southwest Florida Feasibility Study and the CERP Decompartmentalization) by (a) documenting existing hydrologic conditions during four hydroperiods across the I-75 corridor in Big Cypress National Preserve: (b) developing a monitoring plan to document the hydrologic conditions via stage or some other index relationship to discharge; and (c) providing additional data that can be used in the SFWMD Regional Simulation Model (RSM).

The primary application of this project is toward the multiagency goal of conducting "Studies to improve the hydrologic monitoring in the Big Cypress National Preserve" (Announcement Area A7).

In the course of achieving this goal the study data will help researchers address the unanswered question in the Water Conservation Area 3 Decompartmentalization and Sheetflow Enhancement project (DECOMP; p. 66) - "What were the physical and ecological condi?tions in the Greater Everglades prior to drainage and modification, including current and historic hydrologic ... conditions" (p. 68). It does this by providing the baseline informa?tion about a major current barrier to sheetflow, I-75. The data collected are thereby expected to support the research on the existing linkages among the geologic, hydrologic, chemical, climatological, and biological processes that currently shape the Everglades, and will provide insight into the predrainage Everglades. This baseline flow will also contribute to the Southwest Florida Feasibility Study (p. 52) which "address(es) the health of upland and aquatic ecosystems in this 4,300 square mile area and consider(s) a variety of parameters, including water flow?"

In addition, flow data collected from the bridges and culverts along I-75 will directly support the ongoing goal of "quantification of flows across and parallel to I-75 (Alli?gator Alley), addressing the issue of deviations in the natural movement of water within and downstream of Big Cypress National Preserve" (Announcement Area A8). Flow monitoring across State Road 29 into the Florida Panther Refuge will directly support the data requirements for "assessment and design options for restoration to improve flows between the Okaloacoochee Slough in Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Panther Wildlife Refuge, across State Road 29 canal" (Announcement Area C7).

By improving the amount and extent of data available in the northeast portion of the preserve, the study data is expected to support the work involved in modeling of surface water dynamics to evaluate the impacts of hydrologic restoration projects such as CERP, on water patterns, water quality, and ecology in NE Big Cypress National Preserve, particularly with regards to the Seminole Water Conservation Plan and L-28 Interceptor Modification Project.

Status: Project proposal submitted and accepted, initial reconnaissance of project area begun November, 2005.

Recent Products:

Planned Products: Biannual status reports, annual publication of the data, monitoring plan for establishment of stage or other index relationship to discharge.

WORK PLAN

Title of Task 1: Literature review of historical USGS and other agency data
Task Funding: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES) and ENP Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative (CESI)
Task Leaders: Elizabeth Debiak
Phone: 954-377-5930
FAX: 954-377-5901
Task Status: Active
Task priority: medium
Time Frame for Task 1: present - January 1, 2006
Task Personnel: Elizabeth Debiak
Task Summary and Objectives: The objective is to review literature on past monitoring studies that documented flows across I-75 and SR 29 in the project area.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: Incorporate multi-agency/university and modeling contacts into a review of previous and/or current projects related to flow monitoring across I-75 bordering the Big Cypress Basin eastern boundary and, SR 29 on the western perimeter of the Preserve. Collate this information together with available GIS coverages for development of a plan to coordinate future flow measurement team deployment for both boundaries of the study area.

Specific Task Product(s): Results of the evaluation of existing and past continuously recording monitoring field sites in conjunction with past flow measurement investigations will allow project staff to develop an initial appropriate flow monitoring plan, tailored specifically to facilitate the most efficient use of pre-existing data and streamgaging resources.

Title of Task 2: Discharge measurements
Task Funding: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES) and ENP Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative (CESI)
Task Leaders: Elizabeth Debiak
Phone: 954-377-5930
FAX: 954-377-5901
Task Status : Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 2: Reconnaissance is ongoing and will be completed by January 1, 2006. The first measurement set will be accomplished during January, 2006. The second, third and fourth measurements will be accomplished in April, July, and near the end of September.
Task Personnel: Reconnaissance will be accomplished by project chief and study personnel. For each measurement set there will be six to eight streamgage personnel including technicians.
Task Summary and Objectives: To accomplish a discharge composite for surface-flows south across I-75 into the Big Cypress National Preserve and across SR 29 into the Fakahatchee Strand.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:
Reconnaissance of each bridge, culvert and wildlife through-way for appropriate measurement locations and methods. This includes documentation of weed conditions affecting periodic flow shifting, water depth, and establishment of reference marks to do distance to water measurements for indications of significant east-west flow "short-circuting"

Discharge at each bridge, culvert and wildlife throughway will be measured in one day. Stream-flow measurements will be accomplished by Price AA meter, flow rods, or acoustic doppler point and/or profiling velocity meters as conditions at the controls allow. These discharge measurements directly relate to DOI science plan by providing baseline data for water flow into Big Cypress National Preserve from the northern boundary and out of the Preserve on the western boundary.

Specific Task Product(s): The sum of discharge through these structures will be published in the annual Water Data Report entitled Water Resources Data, Florida, Water Year 2006.

Title of Task 3: Placement of stage and or index gages
Task Funding: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES) and ENP Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative (CESI)
Task Leaders: Elizabeth Debiak
Phone: 954-377-5930
FAX: 954-377-5901
Task Status : Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 2: January 2006 - May 2006
Task Personnel: Elizabeth Debiak, Ricardo Solis, two technicians
Task Summary and Objectives: Based on the results of the January and April discharge measurements, potential gage placement will be determined. These gages will then be installed and continuous data collection will commence.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: As on the Tamiami Trail, one stage gage along the entire reach may not relate to discharges through the various structures. The discharge measurements made, aerial photography, and distance to water measurements will help determine where stage gages and or index gages should be placed. Once this determination has been made, appropriate instrumentation will be installed.

Specific Task Product(s): Stage and or index gages that will be used to collect continuous hydrologic data.

Title of Task 4: Data collection and feasibility of study continuation
Task Funding: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES) and ENP Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative (CESI)
Task Leaders: Elizabeth Debiak
Phone: 954-377-5930
FAX: 954-377-5901
Task Status : Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 4: April 2006 - September, 2006
Task Personnel: Elizabeth Debiak
Task Summary and Objectives: The objective is the assessment of the feasibility of developing a stage-discharge or index-discharge relationship based on the data that was collected and the discharge measurements made.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: The development of a discharge relationship is directly related to the DOI Science plan by giving a continuous record of discharge into Big Cypress National Preserve. If a relationship can not be determined, specific recommendations will be prepared concerning the best methodology.

Specific Task Product(s): Initial pre-development of either multiple stage or velocity-index relationships.