Project Work Plan

Greater Everglades Science Program: Place-Based Studies

Project Work Plan FY 2003

A. GENERAL INFORMATION:

Project Title: TIME And SICS Modeling Of Surface Water And Interactions With Ground Water
Project start date: 10/00 Project end date: 9/06
Project Funding: Place-Based Studies
Principal Investigator: Eric Swain
Email address: edswain@usgs.gov
Phone: (305)717-5825 Fax: (305)717-5801
Mail address: 9100 NW 36^th st. Suite 107, Miami, FL 33178

Other Investigator(s): Melinda Wolfert
Email address: mwolfert@usgs.gov
Phone: (305) 284-5855 Fax: Same as PI
Mail address: Same as PI

Project Summary: In this investigation, multidimensional coupled surface-water/ground-water models have been developed for the southern Florida wetlands and offshore area. The initial surface-water model, the SICS model, represents the southeast coastal region with the two-dimensional dynamic wave model SWIFT2D. The coupling with the SEAWAT three-dimensional ground-water model allows leakage to be represented with salinity transfer included. In order to represent regional restoration scenarios, the SICS model is to be linked via boundary water levels to the regional South Florida Water Management Model. Uses of this modeling system will include nutrient transport simulations for determining the fate of phosphorous and nitrogen in the coastal wetland system. The same modeling system is in the process of being expanded to the west and north to form the TIME domain. This encompasses more of the structural controls in the area and allows for the representation of Shark Slough flows.

Project Objectives and Strategy: The objectives of this project are to integrate field process studies, represent relevant factors affecting flow in the coastal Everglades, and test restoration alternatives. Field process studies develop all the major factors that affect flow and transport: evapotranspiration, frictional resistance, topography and more. These are used to construct and test the initial surface-water model. Construction of the ground-water model is also dependent on data collected for aquifer parameters and boundaries. This incremental model development is continued by linkage to regional model output for scenario evaluation and the expansion of the SICS model area to create the TIME domain.

Potential Impacts and Major Products: The results of the numerical modeling and scenario testing provide essential information and insight into the flow system and how it responds to the variations in hydrologic input. The computed flows and salinity exchange at the coast are to be used as boundary conditions for circulation models of Florida Bay, which are to be used to assess the effects of systemic changes on biota in the bay. The computed flows also are used to calibrate the regional water management model’s boundary. The nutrient transport simulations will yield information on the effects of various scenarios on nutrient levels in the wetlands and offshore. Major products resulting from this project include:

1. Initial report on SICS surface-water simulation
2. Manual on SWIFT2D structure, input, and modifications for ground-water coupling
3. Conference paper on use of SICS output in ATLSS biologic modeling
4. Journal article on SICS surface-water/ground-water coupling
5. Major model results displayed on http://time.er.usgs.gov
6. Time series of depths and salinity for ATLSS biological modeling suite
7. Time series of coastal flows for Florida Bay hydrodynamic model and inland regional model

Collaborators: Everglades National Park, University of Tennessee

Clients: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Everglades National Park, South Florida Water Management District

B. WORK PLAN

Title of Task 1: Nutrient Tracking in SICS area
Task Funding: Place Based Studies
Task Leaders: Eric Swain
Phone: (305) 717-5825
Fax: (305) 717-5801
Task Status (proposed or active): Proposed
Task priority: 2
Task Personnel: Eric Swain, Melinda Wolfert

Task Summary and Objectives: To take the constructed SICS coupled surface-water/ground-water model and simulate the transport of nutrients. This task includes the code modifications necessary to represent nutrient interactions and kinetics. The objective of this is to develop the ability to determine the effects of different hydrologic control schemes on nutrient distributions and outflows.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: Fiscal year 2003 will focus primarily on data collection for this task. This effort is described in detail in the work plan "Field monitoring for nutrient tracking in SICS area". The last half of FY 2003 will involve an evaluation of the existing SWIFT2D transport of reactive constituents. The nutrient interactions and cycling determined from Everglades studies will be used to develop modifications to the reactive transport algorithm. In FY 2004, the development of the simulation with transport of the nutrients will be implemented, and the calibration and comparison with field measurements made.

Planned Outreach: Results of nutrient research presented to clients at restoration science meetings.

Title of Task 2: Documentations of coupled model
Task Funding: Place Based Studies
Task Leaders: Eric Swain
Phone: (305) 717-5825
Fax: (305) 717-5801
Task Status (proposed or active): Active
Task priority: 1
Task Personnel: Eric Swain, Melinda Wolfert

Task Summary and Objectives: To produce a users manual on the current version of the SWIFT2D code, including all modifications made for the SICS application, and a journal article on the surface-water/ground-water coupling procedure and application.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: In FY 2003, a first draft of the journal article will be completed during the first half of the FY03. In order to present results to the wider scientific community, an article and presentation will be developed for the GEER conference in February 2003. Work on the users manual will continue throughout FY 2003, with a first draft completed by the end of the fiscal year. The review process and revisions will continue in FY 2004.

Planned Outreach: The users manual will be a USGS report for use by any client who wishes to use the model. The journal article will be submitted to a major hydrologic journal for wide access.

Title of Task 3: Linkage of TIME domain surface-water model to ground-water model
Task Funding: Place Based Studies
Task Leaders: Eric Swain
Phone: (305) 717-5825
Fax: (305) 717-5801
Task Status (proposed or active): Proposed
Task priority: 3
Task Personnel: Eric Swain, Melinda Wolfert

Task Summary and Objectives: To utilize the previously constructed SWIFT2D surface-water model of the TIME domain and the SEAWAT ground-water model in the coupled model scheme with leakage and salinity transfer. The coupled model will be calibrated using available data (topography, flow, and ground-water data will not be available until later) and the simulation period extended to one year. The objective is to produce a prototype larger domain model that encompasses more of the operational structures and allows for a wider analysis of hydroperiods and flows

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: Work on the surface-water model of the TIME domain is external to this task and will not be completed until the middle of FY 2003. During the latter half of FY 2003, work begins on coupling this preliminary surface-water model, through the code developed in the SICS area, to the TIME domain ground-water model. The calibration of the leakage interaction and simulation period extension will be initiated in FY 2004.

Planned Outreach: The results of the prototype TIME domain modeling will be released and discussed in restoration science meetings. The model will be available for the given simulation period to collaborators.