HR: 0800h
AN: H41A-0131    [Abstracts]
TI: Flow Measurements through natural and degraded regions of the Everglades
AU: * Variano, E A
EM: variano@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964- 8000, United States
AU: * Variano, E A
EM: variano@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, 623 Davis Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
AU: * Variano, E A
EM: variano@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: University of Florida, School of Natural Resources and Environment, Gainesville, FL 32611- 6455, United States
AU: Engel, V
AF: South Florida Natural Resources Center, Everglades National Park, Homestead, FL 33030, United States
AU: Schmieder, P
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964- 8000, United States
AU: Reid, M
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964- 8000, United States
AU: Ho, D T
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964- 8000, United States
AB: The $8 Billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) will attempt to preserve the ecological richness of the Everglades, a unique "river of grass" and UNESCO world heritage site. However, the natural flow conditions in the Everglades are complex and poorly understood. A better understanding of flow dynamics is important not only as a target for restoration designs, but also to elucidate the mechanisms by which ridge and slough structures (low elevation land and shallow channels, respectively) are maintained by the flow. Current hypotheses include direct transport of sediment or the effects of nutrient transport on soil chemistry. We perform a set of tracer releases using Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF₆) to examine these hypotheses, as well as provide information of immediate utility for any possible restoration plans in the South Florida Water Management District's WCA-3A. SF₆ tracer releases offer the ability to both visualize and quantify the flow dynamics over a large area (roughly 30 ha). We measure SF₆ levels to high accuracy using a uniquely rugged and portable gas extraction and chromatography unit. Using these techniques, we compare the flow in an area with relatively little degradation with areas both upstream and downstream of a typical canal/levee obstruction.
DE: 1813 Eco-hydrology
DE: 1825 Geomorphology: fluvial (1625)
DE: 1834 Human impacts
DE: 1860 Streamflow
DE: 1890 Wetlands (0497)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting