Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - 8:00 AM
176

A Targeted Northern Everglades Monitoring and Modeling Program to Address Management Needs through Improved Understanding of Water Quality Issues

Matthew Harwell1, Donatto Surratt2, Michael G. Waldon2, and Nicholas Aumen3. (1) c/o US Fish and Wildlife Service, Everglades Program Team, 1339 20th St., Vero Beach, FL 32960-3559, (2) Everglades Program Team, A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, 10216 Lee Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437, (3) Everglades Program Team, Everglades National Park, c/o A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, 10216 Lee Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437

The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is a 144,000 acre wetland established for the multiple purposes of flood protection, water supply, and wildlife habitat.  Agricultural and urban runoff pumped into the Refuge has elevated nutrients which negatively impact the Refuge ecosystem.  Even at very low levels of phosphorus (> 10 ppb), visible ecosystem changes typify a damaged ecosystem.  To best manage the Refuge, linkages between inflows to perimeter canals and environmental conditions within the marsh need to be understood.  Historical water quality monitoring in the Refuge did not capture the nutrient gradients from the canal into the interior (where changes first occur) resulting in large areas of uncharacterized, but impacted marsh.  In 2004, the Refuge added stations, primarily along transects, yielding 53 stations.  Data from both monthly surface water quality samples and hourly recording of conductivity (a tracer of canal water) are increasing the understanding of the marsh’s response to water management operations.  Water quality monitoring data are also being applied to further refine hydrodynamic and water quality models.  These science based approaches are applicable to management by: (1) increased knowledge of Refuge conditions, and (2) development of water management recommendations to minimize degradation of Refuge resources.


Web Page: sofia.usgs.gov/lox_monitor_model/

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