USGS Gulf of Mexico Project Search Results
Project Name: Ecosystem History of South Florida Estuaries
Start/End Dates: Oct. 1, 2000-Oct. 1, 2008
Geographic Location: South FL WMD
Statement of Problem: South Florida is currently undergoing a major restoration effort, led by Federal, State and Local agencies. The south Florida ecosystem has been greatly affected by anthropogenic alteration of the environment through urbanization, alteration of natural flow patterns, and agriculture. Salinity and water quality within south Florida’s estuaries has been affected by these upstream alterations in the environment. Restoration planners need to understand the sources, timing, delivery, and quality of freshwater flow into Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and the southwest coastal area and the affects that these changes have had on the fauna and flora of the estuaries. Current restoration goals are attempting to restore the natural fauna and flora and to restore natural flow of fresh water into Biscayne, Florida Bay and the southwest coast/Ten Thousand Island area. Before restoration begins, however, we first need to determine pre- alteration baseline conditions in order to establish targets and performance measures for restoration. Understanding seasonal variations in influx of freshwater into the estuaries and coastal areas, and the sources of the freshwater, are essential for the Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers to attempt to recreate natural flow.
Objectives: The primary objective of this project is to determine the natural cycles, range of variation, and rates of change in Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and the southwest coastal areas in order to provide land management agencies with targets and performance measures for restoration. We will identify the sequences of change in critical parameters of the estuarine environments of south Florida, with particular emphasis on salinity, for the period prior to and during large- scale 20th century urbanization and water diversion. Changes in salinity and other water quality indicators will be related to changes in fresh water flow due to land-use changes and natural variability in rainfall, freshwater runoff and water temperature (evaporation). The extent to which water diversion disrupted natural patterns of salinity will be determined. Paleosalinity and paleotemperature derived from sediment core records will be compared and “spliced” together with instrumental records of rainfall, bay salinity and temperature obtained from water monitoring. The reconstructed record of physical and biological conditions in the bays will be compared to the history of water quality obtained through geochemical analyses of the sediments. Regional and local trends in environmental change will be identified.
Tasks:
Task 1 - Historical Changes in Salinity, Water Quality, and Vegetation in Biscayne Bay
Task 2 - Paleosalinity as a Key for Success Criteria in South Florida Restoration
Task 3 - Ecosystem History of the Southwest Coast-Shark River Slough Outflow Area
Task 4 - Biological, Paleoecological, and Geographic Perspective on the health and distribution of seagrasses
Task 5 - Distribution of the non-native gastropod Melanoides tuberculatus and the threat to human health and native species
Contact: Georgiana Wingard
703 648-5352
Note: This information was obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey's BASIS+ budgeting and reporting system and was not edited for content or errors.