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