Summary Introduction Methods Geologic Setting Results Rock Analysis Water Chemistry Ground Water Contamination QC/QA Conclusions Future Studies Acknowledgments References Appendices

This study involved the aid of many individuals. During the drilling phase, National Association of Geology Teachers (NAGT) summer scholarship recipient Peter Cox served as driller/diver. Later in the summer, Jack Kindinger of the USGS Coastal Center came on board to work as diver/geologist/driller. After Hurricane Andrew, Keith Ludwig, Rich Young, Bill Townsley, and Marshall Hayes of the USGS Coastal Center joined the crew to finish the OR transects. The underwater drilling was accomplished while using the 50-ft (15 m) motor vessel Captain's Lady owned and operated by Captain Roy Gaensslen, who also aided in diving and maintaining equipment.

During the winter when the onshore wells were drilled, geologist and professor Randolph Steinen from the University of Connecticut volunteered his Christmas vacation to help with drilling and core inspection. Professor Lee Kump of Pennsylvania State University, who specializes in the geochemistry of phosphates, conducted ICP analyses of selected core samples and provided expert advice.

The study would not have been initiated without the encouragement of Jack Myers of the Florida State Department of Environmental Protection in Ft. Myers, Florida. Jack served as official project manager for the State of Florida and joined us in the field to observe drilling procedures. During the sampling phase, we were aided by four separate technicians: Connie Geller, USGS/WRD Water Chemistry Laboratory Ocala, Florida; Richard Krulikas and Richard Kane, USGS/WRD subdistrict office in Ft. Myers; and Bill Andrews, USGS/WRD Tallahassee District office. These individuals put in late hours preparing culture media and performing fecal bacteria counts.

Throughout the study, advice has been provided by members of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council and the Florida Keys Water Quality Steering Council. In particular, Fred McManus of EPA Region IV and Peggy Mathewes of the State DEP in Tallahassee have solved problems and given valuable advice and encouragement.

Gus Rios of the Marathon DEP office provided valuable background information concerning disposal techniques and aided in the field during sampling of DEP's monitoring wells at Blue Waters RV camp at Saddlebunch Keys. R. J. Helbling, Director of the Marathon DEP office, also provided advice and took care of some permitting problems.

Steven Miller, Director of the NOAA National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina, Florida Keys Research Program, not only volunteered to run duplicate samples for nutrients but on many occasions provided lodging, dock space and use of laboratory space. Well KLI-2 was installed on the NOAA/NURC Key Largo property. Allen Bunn, Director of the Key Largo Marine Sanctuary, was especially helpful and provided a boat and sanctuary ranger, Mary Tagliareni, as guide and pilot for our first sampling round off Key Largo. J. Harold Hudson, biologist with the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, came to our rescue when there were equipment breakdowns, and provided an underwater drill when the USGS drill was down for repairs.

At the USGS Coastal Center, Barbara Lidz did critical editing of the report and Bob Halley served as geological and chemical consultant. Len Vacher of the University of South Florida served as hydrology advisor.

Many key individuals and organizations in the Florida Keys provided moral support, local knowledge and in many other ways prompted initiation of this study.