WCA - Everglades Conditions Update (August 21, 2007)

 

 

Rainfall:

Rain fell throughout the Everglades last week (see Raindar.gif), with larger accumulations in the southern and western Everglades.  WCA’s 1 and 2 received 0.6” and 0.4”, respectively.  Rain in WCA-3A totaled 1.68”, WCA-3B 1.12”, and ENP 1.79”.  Rainfall was near normal levels last week across ENP and Florida Bay, with a spatially averaged basin-wide accumulation of just over 2” for the week. 

 

Water Conservation Areas:

Changes in water depths for the Conservation Areas varied (see WCA Stages spreadsheet).  All stations in WCA-1 reported decreases up to -0.1 foot from the week before, and stages in the ENP and parts of WCA-3A also decreased.  Stages rose, as preferred, in WCA-2B and 3B, as well as in central WCA-3.  Everglades ecosystems are habituated to rising water levels in the wet season.  At this time of year, falling stages in the Everglades equate to “Poor” conditions.  Stages (see WCA regulation schedule) in WCA-1 are below regulation but still in Zone A2, stages in WCA-2 are above regulation, and stages in WCA-3 are also below regulation. 

 

Everglades National Park:

ENP wetland stations have reported no rain or stage data since last Thursday, so stage data are missing for last week; nearby USGS data were used to update conditions in these areas.  ENP wetland water levels displayed mixed trends for the week. Water levels dropped by nearly 1” in southern Taylor Slough (at E146), while they were up 1” to the east in the panhandle/C111 region, probably because of local rainfall differences.  In Shark River Slough, water levels increased by nearly 0.5” (stations NE4 and NE5).  

 

Salinity (see Salinity pdf) continued to remain seasonably low across Florida Bay.  Salinity both at Trout Creek and the mouth of Taylor River was flashy again last week, jumping between 5–15 psu, which is normal for this time of year.  Salinity concentrations in the Taylor River ponds remained very low, close to 1 psu.  At the mouth of Little Madeira Bay, salinity remained near last week’s concentration of just below 20 psu.  In the north-central Bay, McCormick Creek salinity also remained close to last week’s concentrations of the mid-20s.  Whipray Basin salinity continued to increase somewhat, probably a result of low local rainfall and high evaporation, but remained near seasonable levels. Salinity to the west in the Shark River Slough outflow of Tarpon Bay stayed low, between 1–2 psu for the week.

 


 

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