Quantity, Timing, and Distribution of Freshwater Flows Into Northeastern Florida Bay

1. Quantity, Timing, and Distribution of Freshwater Flows Into Northeastern Florida Bay

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Study Area

6. Monitoring Sites and Structures ~ 5 miles S332 TSB S175 S18C S197

7. Western Extent of Study Area Upstream Taylor East Creek Taylor River McCormickCreek ~ 1.5 miles

8. Taylor River Study Area Upstream Taylor ~ 0.5 miles Buttonwood embankment Little Madeira Bay Taylor River

9. ~0.5 miles Central Extent of Study Area JB5C Stillwater Creek JB2E Joe Bay JB1E JB8W Trout Creek Mud Creek

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

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

14. Average Creek Discharge

16. ~ 5 miles S332 TSB S175 S18C S197

17. Daily Salinity at Trout and McCormick Creeks

18. Percent of Total Measured Discharge at Creeks from 1996 to 1999

19. ~0.5 miles Flow Exchange Between Joe Bay and Long Sound Joe Bay Snag Bay Long Sound Florida Bay

20. ~0.5 miles 53 49 60 104 74 569 111 7-1-99 Discharge (cfs)

21. ~0.5 miles 50 21 49 131 324 1090 127 9-24-99 TS Harvey Discharge (cfs)

22. ~0.5 miles 68 13 92 170 479 1880 261 10-19-99 H Irene Discharge (cfs)

23. Timing of Flow • Seasonal trends • Storm events • Managed flow

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

25. Stage at Trout Creek During Storm Events

26. Discharge at Trout Creek During Hurricane Irene

27. Salinity at Trout Creek During Hurricane Irene

28. ~ 5 miles S332 TSB S175 S18C S197

29. H. Irene TS. Josephine H. Mitch ~ El Nino

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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