WCA - Everglades Conditions Update (July 31, 2007)

 

 

Rainfall:

Total precipitation (in inches) for the week, starting in the North, was WCA1=1.8, WCA2A=2.2; WCA2B=2.3; WCA3A=2.0; WCA3B=2.3; ENP=1.8. The total estimated evaporation for the week was 1.56 inches (see srs.pdf), thus, all areas of the Everglades had a surplus water budget for the week. The region with the lowest rate of re-hydration, the NE Shark River Slough, was also the region with the lowest total weekly rainfall  (see attached Raindar.pdf).

 

Water Conservation Areas:

Unlike last week, when rainfall barely matched evaporation and some regions receded, this week surplus rainfall translated into stage increases everywhere in the Everglades and in some regions they where relatively substantial, i.e., over 0.30 ft/week (see attached spreadsheet). Marsh depths now range between 0.57 ft and 1.6 ft. (Note: Gage 99 is not considered a marsh gauge.), and continued increases are seen a good thing for the environment. In terms of the Regulations Schedules; WCA-1 is at Regulation, WCA-2A is above Regulation, and WCA-3A is below regulation (see .doc).

 

Everglades National Park:

Rainfall was spatially variable across ENP and FL Bay last week (weekly precip totals ranged from 0.25 – 4”.  Platform communication issues prevented us from providing a full week’s worth of data for the ENP wetlands.  Data through Thursday, 7/26, suggest that water levels are quickly increasing as water flows southward.  Over the 4 d period for which we have data, some of the stage increases were substantial (~ 3” Taylor Sl. Bridge & at P33 in Shark River Sl.). Salinity remained seasonably low and stable across FL Bay last week.  Salinity at Trout Creek ranged from < 5 psu to 15 - 20 psu (likely as a result of a temporary wind-driven reversal).  Salinity at the mouth of Taylor River was flashy, but generally remained below 10 psu.  Salinity concentrations in the Taylor River ponds held very low all week (close to 1 psu at Pond 5 & at Argyle Hendry).  In the north-central Bay areas of McCormick Ck. and Terrapin Bay salinity remained near seasonal concentrations of 20 psu.  In the central Bay, Whipray Basin salinity held steady near 35 psu for yet another week.  To the north and west, Tarpon Bay (SRS outflow) salinity was low, holding between 1 – 2 psu last week.

 


 

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