WCA - Everglades Conditions Update

November 20, 2007

 

Rainfall:

Rainfall throughout the WCAs was negligible (i.e., 0.08” – 0.02”). Average precipitation for the Greater Everglades was only 0.04” (see Raindar.gif). This was another week with a deficit water budget because ET was 1.11” (see srs.pdf).

 

 

Water Conservation Areas:

Dry season recession rates now predominate the entire region but not as much as they did last week (see WCA_stages.xls). Water depths decreased by 0.15’ in WCA-1, 0.12’ in WCA-2A, 0.16’ in northern WCA-3A, 0.11’ NESRS, but only by 0.04’ in WCA-3B and central WCA-3A. Water depths are typically between 2-3 ft, at this time of year, in the WCAs. However, WCA-1, 2A and WCA-3A are just barely above 2.0 ft. In northern WCA-3A, where drought impacts are expected to be severe this spring, the depths are similar to the drought of last year and about 1.25 ft less than in 2005 (see USGS-site 62.gif). However, the wet season depths last year were greater and provided for better fish habitat. Therefore, wading bird prey populations will likely be worse than they were last year.

 

Stages in WCA-1 are about to enter within Zone B, WCA-2A remains well above regulation, and stages in WCA-3 remain below regulation (see WCA_reg_stages.doc).

 

Everglades National Park:

ENP wetland water levels declined over last week.  Water level at Shark River Slough (P33) was down by 0.2”, but remains low for this time of year.  To the south, water levels declined by 1.2 and 2.3” at Craighead Pond and EVER6, respectively, and Taylor Slough Bridge declined by 5.6” over the 8 d period.

 

Salinity managed to concurrently increase, decrease, and/or remain stable across FL Bay last week.  At Trout Creek, salinity was quite variable throughout the week, flashing (almost daily) from single digits up to the low 20s, but ultimately increasing to near 25 psu by week’s end.  A similar trend occurred at Taylor River mouth with salinity settling at 11 psu by week’s end.  Flow reversals did not make their way far upstream, however, as salinity in the Taylor River ponds remained below 1 psu for the entire week.  Salinity concentrations at the Little Madeira Bay mouth platform remained stable in the mid-teens throughout the week.  In the north-central Bay areas, salinity declined to under 10 psu in Terrapin Bay.  McCormick Creek saw an early week reversal (mid-teens), but dropped to under 9 psu by week’s end.  In central FL Bay, Whipray Basin remained steady below 30 psu for another week.  In the SRS outflow at Tarpon Bay, salinity decreased slightly to below 3 psu.  As of now, FL Bay salinity is continuing to remain low and apparently well buffered at this stage of the dry season.

 


 

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