projects > compilation, integration, and synthesis of water quality and flow data for assessing nutrient flux to south florida coastal ecosystems > work plan
U.S. Geological Survey, Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES)Fiscal Year 2006 Study Work PlanStudy Start Date: 2005 (Phase 2; new) Study End Date: 2006 Web Sites: data available at SOFIA Location (Subregions, Counties, Park or Refuge): Everglades National Park (ENP), Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP), Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LNWR), and nearby coastal waters. Funding Source: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES) Initiative Other Complementary Funding Source(s): CESI in 2001 Funding History: FY01; FY02; FY03; FY04; FY05; FY06 Principal Investigator(s): Benjamin McPherson and Arturo Torres Study Personnel: Ronald Miller, Mark Zucker, Paul Conrads Supporting Organizations: National Park Service; US Fish and Wildlife Service Associated / Linked Studies: USGS Coastal Gradient study [Funded by CERP Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP)] Overview & Objective(s): The study provides a review and analysis of historical water-quality data in BCNP, ENP, and LNWR (Phase 1) and nearby coastal waters of south Florida (Phase 2). This information will help establish water-quality standards and baseline conditions in the parks, and will help evaluate the potential effects of CERP on water quality. Objectives of Phase 1 include: (1) assemble, review and edit water-quality data and provide a working data base; (2) analyze and evaluate the data and prepare interpretative reports on historical water-quality conditions and trends in BCNP, ENP, LNWR, and DOI coastal waters. These analyses will provide a baseline for evaluating how CERP might affect water quality in the parks and refuge. Phase 2 - Documentation of coastal nutrient loads prior to CERP implementation is important to evaluate the impact of increasing freshwater flows to Florida Bay and the southwest coast. Although nutrient data is currently being collected by the USGS and by the Florida International University (FIU) Long-Term Ecosystem (LTER) program from several tidal creeks along the costal region of the Everglades National Park, this network has yet to produce nutrient loads into Florida Bay and the southwest coast. At present the USGS operates 30 flow stations of which only three stations currently collect continuous nutrient data (auto-samplers). The water-quality network operated by FIU in this same coastal region of the Everglades (along Taylor Creek and Shark River) consists of about 16 nutrient auto-samplers. However, none of the FIU stations collect flow data from which coastal nutrient loads could be computed. The USGS is currently contemplating expanding and improving the existing coastal nutrient network (1) by combining the water-quality data being collected by FIU with flow data being collected in nearby flow stations operated by the USGS and (2) by adding water-quality sampling sites at existing coastal discharge monitoring stations which will allow computation of nutrient loading from freshwater wetlands to the mangrove coastline. The scope and objectives of Phase 2 of the study are to: (1) Compile and summarize data that have been collected by different agencies and universities on water flow and water quality in tidal creeks and rivers that flow into coastal waters of ENP. (2) Evaluate and use flow and nutrient data from two river index systems (Trout Creek and Shark River) to estimate annual and monthly nutrient flux for a 9-year period (1995-2003). (3) Develop a plan based on results from the two index stations to expand nutrient load estimates for other major stream and river systems of ENP and nearby coastal waters. Specific Relevance to Major Unanswered Questions and Information Needs Identified: This study supports several of the projects listed in the DOI science plan. (Page numbers below refer to DOI Science Plan.) These projects include:
Status: Phase 2 new. Recent Products: McPherson, B.F., Miller, R.L., Sobczak, Robert, and Clark, Christine, 2003, Water quality in Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park, 1960-2000. U. S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-097-03, 4 p. Miller, R.L., McPherson, B.F., Sobczak, Robert, and Clark, Christine, 2004, Water quality in Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park: Trends and Spatial characteristics of selected constituents. Water Resources Investigation Report 03-4249, 34p. Water Quality in South Florida's Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge: Trends and Spatial Characteristics, 1984-2004 (Abstract and poster during the December 2004 Ecosystem Restoration Conference, Orlando, Fl.) Planned Products: Water Quality in South Florida's Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge: Trends and Spatial Characteristics of selected constituents, 1984-2004, U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report. Freshwater and nutrient fluxes to Coastal Waters of Everglades National Park. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet, 4 pages. A summary of the data and methods of data collection for water flow and water quality in tidal river systems of ENP and nearby coastal waters, including data collected by different agencies (USGS, NPS, NOAA, SFWMD) and universities (FIU, UM etc). This summary will be posted into the SOFIA web site. B. WORK PLAN Title of Task 1: Provide baseline water quality and trends in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Task Summary and Objectives: Evaluate baseline water-quality conditions and trends at index sites in LNWR. Summarize water-quality conditions and trends at LNWR in a scientific publication, and in the report discuss how Everglades Restoration might potentially affect water quality. Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: Baseline historic water-quality data in LNWR was assembled, evaluated and made available on SOFIA. An interpretative report that summarizes the historic water-quality data and trends in LNWR is being prepared and will be published in 2005. This study task supports the DOI Science Plan project: (1) Arthur R. Marshall L NWR Internal Canal Structure (p. 37). The study task provides data and analysis of historic hydrologic and water-quality conditions in the Loxahatchee refuge (p. 40) needed to develop the specific hydrologic and ecological targets for the project. Specific Task Product(s): [List and include expected delivery date(s).]
Title of Task 2: Assemble and make available metadata and data for flow and water quality that have been collected in tidal rivers of ENP. Include methods of collection and QA for water-quality data, including comparisons of grab samples and auto-samples with cross section and depth data. Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures: Specific Task Product(s): [List and include expected delivery date(s).] Title of Task 3: Freshwater and nutrient fluxes to Coastal Waters of Everglades National Park. Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:
Specific Task Product(s): [List and include expected delivery date(s).] |
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
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Last updated: 30 June, 2006 @ 03:05 PM(TJE)