Quantity, Timing, and Distribution of Freshwater Flows Into Northeastern

Florida Bay

Objectives• Collect continuous stage, velocity and salinity data at major creeks flowing into

northeastern Florida Bay

• Compute discharge at creeks and study the quantity, timing and distribution of that flow

Why is Flow Information Needed?• Accurate flow information is needed to help understand the circulation, mixing, and salinity dynamics of Florida Bay and

the Everglades

• Flow data helps quantify nutrient and sediment flux

• Flow, stage, and salinity data help verify inland simulations of marsh-flow dynamics

• Performance of management practices

Overview• Study area

– Monitoring sites and feature descriptions– Buttonwood embankment

• Quantity and Distribution– Methods of acoustic flow measurements– Data from creek monitoring sites– Flow characteristics

• Timing– Seasonal– Storm events– Management

• Summary and data availability

Study Area

Monitoring Sites and Structures

~ 5 milesS18C

S175

S197

S332TSB

McCormick Creek

Taylor River

Upstream Taylor

East Creek

Western Extent of Study Area

~ 1.5 miles

Upstream Taylor

Little Madeira BayTaylor River

Buttonwood embankment

Taylor River Study Area

~ 0.5 miles

Mud Creek

Trout Creek

Stillwater Creek

Joe Bay

Central Extent of Study Area

~0.5 miles

JB8W

JB5C

JB2E

JB1E

Daily Mean Salinity in Joe BayMay, 1999 - September, 2000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

May-99 Jul-99 Sep-99 Nov-99 Jan-00 Mar-00 May-00 Jul-00 Sep-00

Dai

ly M

ean

Sal

init

y (p

pt)

Joe Bay 1E Joe Bay 2E

Joe Bay 5C Joe Bay 8W

Stillwater Creek

Oregon CreekWest Highway Creek

East Highway Creek

Eastern Extent of Study Area

~ 1.5 miles

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)

Acoustic Velocity Meter (AVM)

Side LookingDoppler

Quantity of Flow is Measured Using Acoustic Techniques

Average Creek Discharge

~ 5 milesS18C

S175

S197

S332TSB

Daily Salinity at Trout and McCormick Creeks

Percent of Total Measured Discharge at Creeks from 1996 to 1999

~0.5 miles

Flow Exchange Between Joe Bay and Long Sound

Joe Bay

Snag Bay Long Sound

Florida Bay

7-1-99 Discharge (cfs)

111

104

53

49

74

569

60

~0.5 miles

127

131

50

21

324

1090

49

9-24-99 TS Harvey Discharge (cfs)

~0.5 miles

261

170

68

13

479

1880

92

10-19-99 H Irene Discharge (cfs)

~0.5 miles

Timing of Flow

•Seasonal trends

•Storm events

•Managed flow

Seasonal Timing of Flow Showing Brackish to Fresh Transition at Taylor River

Stage at Trout Creek During Storm Events

Discharge at Trout Creek During Hurricane Irene

Salinity at Trout Creek During Hurricane Irene

~ 5 milesS18C

S175

S197

S332TSB

Comparison of Mean Monthly Structure Inflows and Creek Outflows

-1000

-500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Apr-96 Oct-96 Apr-97 Oct-97 Apr-98 Oct-98 Apr-99 Oct-99

Mea

n M

on

thly

Dis

char

ge

(cfs

)

Structure inflows

Creek outflows H. Irene

H. MitchTS. Josephine

El Nino~

Summary

• Collect continuous stage, velocity and salinity data at major creeks flowing into northeastern Florida Bay and compute creek discharge

• Accurate information on the quantity, timing, and distribution of flow is needed to help understand the circulation, mixing, and salinity dynamics of Florida Bay and the Everglades;

• Trout Creek is the major contributor of freshwater flow to northeastern Florida Bay

Summary continued

• Seasonality and storm events drive the timing of flow at the creeks and structures

• McCormick Creek in the western extent of the study area, shows less connection to inflow from structures and increased salinity during dry periods

• Flow exchange occurs between Joe Bay and Long Sound and is controlled by water levels in the Taylor Slough and C-111 basin

Data Availability

• Daily values of stage, discharge and salinity available on the SOFIA web page:

• http://sophia.er.usgs.gov

• 15 minute data available upon request

• USGS fact sheet available on the Magnitude and Distribution of Flow into Northeastern Florida Bay