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 miles S18C S175 S197 S332 TSB

McCormick Creek Taylor River Upstream Taylor East Creek Western Extent of Study Area ~ 1.5 miles

Upstream Taylor Little Madeira Bay Taylor 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

Stillwater Creek Oregon Creek West Highway Creek East Highway Creek Eastern Extent of Study Area ~ 1.5 miles

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Acoustic Velocity Meter (AVM) Side Looking Doppler Quantity of Flow is Measured Using Acoustic Techniques

Average Creek Discharge

~ 5 miles S18C S175 S197 S332 TSB

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

Discharge (cfs) ~0.5 miles

TS Harvey Discharge (cfs) ~0.5 miles

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 miles S18C S175 S197 S332 TSB

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: 15 minute data available upon request USGS fact sheet available on the Magnitude and Distribution of Flow into Northeastern Florida Bay