WCA - Everglades Conditions Update
(Jan. 29,
2008)
Rainfall:
The
past week brought a fair amount of rain to the east coast of the district that
spilled-over into the greater Everglades
(see Raindar.gif), including the C-111 basin. Rainfall for the week was relatively highest in WCA-1, WCA-2B
and WCA-3B (0.43, 0.82 and 0.42 respectively). Rainfall totals were
lightest across much of ENP &
FL Bay
last week, with most stations receiving between 0 0.25 (Regional average was
0.14). With an average pan evaporation of 1.0
for the Greater Everglades (see srs.pdf),
this was another deficit water budget week.
Water Conservation Areas:
GOOD
dry-season recession rates continue to dominate the region (see WCA_stages.xls). Like last week, only
two regions had poor recessions rates due to slight increases or no change.
They were the northern regions of WCA-1 and WCA-3B. This should not set off any
alarms and desires to reduce WCA-1 or WCA-3B water levels at this time because
water levels are below average for this time of year and water conservation is
needed. Stages in WCA-1 are slightly below Regulation, WCA-2A remains above
regulation, WCA-3 stages continue to be significantly below regulation, and
there has been little change since last week (see WCA_reg_stages.doc).
Everglades National
Park:
ENP wetland
water levels showed mixed trends last week. Water level at Taylor Sl.
Bridge remained unchanged
from last week. There was an increase in water levels in Shark River Sl.
(station P33, up by 0.4) and in the panhandle (station EVER6, up by nearly 1
from last week as a result of high rainfall totals). In S. Taylor Sl.,
Craighead Pond water level declined by 0.6 over the 7 d period.
Salinity
concentrations increased slightly or remained stable in Florida Bay
last week. Salinity held in the lower-20s at Trout Ck. and in the
mid-upper teens at the mouth of Taylor
River. The 30 d
moving average concentration at Taylor River (used for to monitor exceedances
to the FL Bay MFL rule) is still low (4 psu), which is GOOD, but should be
monitored closely due to the rate that it has been increasing over recent
weeks. The platform at Whipray
Basin is again
transmitting data, and recorded salinity near 30 psu over much of last
week. As a whole these salinity concentrations are near seasonal norms.
The exception to this trend is out west, in the SRS outflow at Tarpon Bay,
where salinity remains above its seasonal average, measuring 13.5 psu as of
Sunday 1/27; this is not surprising given the low water levels in SRS.
Wildlife:
Most
wading birds continue to forage in the NW region of WCA-2A. We will resume updates on FL Bay
spoonbill nesting when Audubon staff can resume monitoring of Frank & Clive
Key colonies (out west, as of yet unvisited to avoid crow predation) & on
nest productivity (chicks/nest) for the colonies at Sandy, S. Nest & Deer
Keys
Back to Lake Okeechobee Operations
Main Page
Back to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers WSE Homepage