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Research about Florida
Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Florida.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1992. Volume 1A: Northeast Florida surface water
Water resources data for the 1992 water year in Florida consist of continuous or daily discharge for 327 streams, periodic discharge for 20 streams, miscellaneous dis-charge for 65 streams, continuous or daily stage for 137 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 5 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 21 streams, and peak stage for 29 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 63 lakes, periodic elevations for 64 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 430 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 1,074 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 1,501 wells; quality-of-water data for 140 surface-water sites and 683 wells. The data for northeast Florida include continuous or daily discharge for 140 streams, periodic discharge for 10 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 14 streams, continuous or daily stage for 32 streams, continuous or daily tide stage for 3 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 3 streams, and peak stage for 11 ' streams; continuous or daily elevations for 36 lakes, periodic elevations for 47 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 75 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 123 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 864 wells; quality-of-water data for 38 surface-water sites and 66 wells. These data represent the National Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, state and federal agencies in Florida.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1992. Volume 1B: Northeast Florida ground water
Water resources data for the 1992 water year in Florida consist of continuous or daily discharge for 327 streams, periodic discharge for 20 streams, miscellaneous dis-charge for 65 streams, continuous or daily stage for 137 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 5 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 21 streams, and peak stage for 29 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 63 lakes, periodic elevations for 64 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 430 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 1,074 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 1,501 wells; quality-of-water data for 140 surface-water sites and 683 wells. The data for northeast Florida include continuous or daily discharge for 140 streams, periodic discharge for 10 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 14 streams, continuous or daily stage for 32 streams, continuous or daily tide stage for 3 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 3 streams, and peak stage for 11 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 36 lakes, periodic elevations for 47 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 75 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 123 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 864 wells; quality-of-water data for 38 surface-water sites and 66 wells. These data represent the National Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, state and federal agencies in Florida.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1992. Volume 2A: South Florida surface water
Water resources data for 1992 water year in Florida consists of continuous or daily discharge for 327 streams, periodic discharge for 20 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 65 streams, continuous or daily stage for 137 streams, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 23 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 5 streams, and peak stage for 21 streams, continuous or daily elevations for 63 lakes, periodic elevations for 67 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 430 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 1,074 wells, and miscellaneous water level measurements for 1,501 wells; quality of water data for 140 surface-water sites and 683 wells. The data for South Florida included continuous or daily discharge for 75 streams, continuous or daily stage for 61 streams, continuous elevation for 1 lake; continuous groundwater levels for 220 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 320 wells and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 329 wells; quality-of-water for 3 surface-water sites and 545 wells. The data represent the National Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperation with local, state, and federal agencies in Florida.
Water Resources Data, Florida, Water Year 1992. Volume 2B. South Florida Ground Water
This volume of the annual hydrologic data report of Florida is one of a series of annual reports that document hydrologic data gathered from the U.S. Geological Survey's surface- and ground-water data-collection networks in each State, Puerto Rico, and the Trust Territories. These records of streamflow, ground-water levels, and quality of water provide the hydrologic information needed by State, local, and Federal agencies, and the private sector for developing and managing our Nation's land and water resources. Hydrologic data for Florida are contained in four volumes.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1992. Volume 3A: Southwest Florida surface water
Water resources data for the 1992 water year in Florida consist of continuous or daily discharge for 327 streams, periodic discharge for 20 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 65 streams, continuous or daily stage for 137 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 5 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 21 streams, and peak stage for 29 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 63 lakes, periodic elevations for 64 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 430 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 1,074 wells and miscellaneous water level measurements for 1,501wells; quality-of-water data for 140 surface-water sites and 683 wells. The data for Southwest Florida include records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, water quality of lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality of ground-water wells. Volume 3A contains continuous or daily discharge for 71 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 12 streams, continuous daily stage for 19 streams, peak discharge for 13 streams, continuous elevations for 15 lakes, periodic elevations for 16 lakes, and quality-of-water for 61 surface-water sites. These data represent the national Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, state, and federal agencies in Florida.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1992. Volume 3B: Southwest Florida ground water
Water resources data for the 1992 water year in Florida consist of continuous or daily discharge for 327 streams, periodic discharge for 20 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 65 streams, continuous or daily stage for 137 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 5 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 21 streams, and peak stage for 29 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 63 lakes, periodic elevations for 64 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 430 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 1074 wells, and miscellaneous water level measurements for 1501 wells; quality-of-water data for 140 surface-water sites and 683 wells. The data for Southwest Florida include records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, water quality of lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality of ground-water wells. Volume 3B contains records for continuous ground-water elevations for 161 wells; periodic ground-water elevations at 128 wells; miscellaneous ground-water elevations at 391 wells; and water quality at 71 ground-water sites. These data represent the national Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, state, and federal agencies in Florida.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1992. Volume 4: Northwest Florida
Water resources data for the 1992 water year in Florida consist of continuous or daily discharge for 327 streams, periodic discharge for 20 streams. miscellaneous discharge for 65 streams, continuous or daily stage for 137 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 5 sites, periodic stage for 23 streams, peak discharge for 21 streams, and peak stage for 29 streams: continuous or daily elevations for 63 lakes, periodic elevations for 64 lakes: continuous ground water levels for 430 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 1.074 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 1.501 wells: quality-of-water data for 140 surface-water sites and 683 wells. The data for northwest Florida include continuous or daily discharge for 44 streams. periodic discharge for 3 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 44 streams, continuous or daily stage for II streams, continuous daily tide stage for 2 sites, periodic stage for 0 streams, peak discharge for 2 streams, and peak stage for 2 streams: continuous or daily elevations for 2 lakes, periodic elevations for I lake: continuous ground water levels for 0 wells, periodic groundwater levels for 18 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 0 wells: quality-of-water data for 13 surface-water sites and 0 wells. These data represent the National Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, State, and Federal agencies in Florida.
Water resources data, Florida, water year 1993. Volume 1B: Northeast Florida - ground water
Water resources data for the 1993 water year in Florida consist of continuous or daily discharge for 312 streams, periodic discharge for 9 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 107 streams, continuous or daily stage for 91 streams, continuous daily tide stage for 9 sites, peak discharge for 30 streams, and peak stage for 30 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 41 lakes, periodic elevations for 73 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 406 wells, periodic groundwater levels for 569 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 1,860 wells; quality-of-water data for 109 surface-water sites and 642 wells. The data for northeast Florida include continuous or daily discharge for 117 streams, periodic discharge for 7 streams, miscellaneous discharge for 16 streams, continuous or daily stage for 37 streams, continuous or daily tide stage for 4 sites, peak discharge for 15 streams, and peak stage for 15 streams; continuous or daily elevations for 35 lakes, periodic elevations for 45 lakes; continuous ground-water levels for 61 wells, periodic ground-water levels for 150 wells, and miscellaneous water-level measurements for 888 wells; quality-of-water data for 27 surface-water sites and 61 wells. These data represent the National Water Data System records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, state and federal agencies in Florida.
Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow near the Lantana Landfill, Palm Beach County, Florida
The Lantana landfill in Palm Beach County has a surface that is 40 to 50 feet above original ground level and consists of about 250 acres of compacted garbage and trash. Parts of the landfill are below the water table. Surface-resistivity measurements and water-quality analyses indicate that leachate-enriched ground water along the eastern perimeter of the landfill has moved about 500 feet eastward toward an adjacent lake. Concentrations of chloride and nutrients within the leachate-enriched ground water were greater than background concentrations. The surficial aquifer system in the area of the landfill consists primarily of sand of moderate permeability, from land surface to a depth of about 68 feet deep, and consists of sand interbedded with sandstone and limestone of high permeability from a depth of about 68 feet to a depth of 200 feet. The potentiometric surface in the landfill is higher than that in adjacent areas to the east, indicating ground-water movement from the landfill toward a lake to the east. Steady-state simulation of ground-water flow was made using a telescoping-grid technique where a model covering a large area is used to determine boundaries and fluxes for a finer scale model. A regional flow model encompassing a 500-square mile area in southeastern Palm Beach County was used to calculate ground-water fluxes in a 126.5-square mile subregional area. Boundary fluxes calculated by the subregional model were then used to calculate boundary fluxes for a local model of the 3.75-square mile area representing the Lantana landfill site and vicinity. Input data required for simulating ground-water flow in the study area were obtained from the regional flow models, thus, effectively coupling the models. Additional simulations were made using the local flow model to predict effects of possible remedial actions on the movement of solutes in the ground-water system. Possible remedial actions simulated included capping the landfill with an impermeable layer and pumping five leachate recovery wells. Results of the flow analysis indicate that the telescoping grid modeling approach can be used to simulate ground-water flow in small areas such as the Lantana landfill site and to simulate the effects of possible remedial actions. Water-quality data indicate the leachate-enriched ground water is divided vertically into two parts by a fine sand layer at about 40 to 50 feet below land surface. Data also indicate the extent of the leachate-enriched ground-water contamination and concentrations of constituents seem to be decreasing over time.
Ground-water quality near an inactive landfill and sludge-spreading area, Tallahassee, Florida
Ground-water quality of a 120-acre area encompassing an inactive landfill southwest of Tallahassee, Florida, was assessed by installing and sampling 21 monitoring wells. Sludge from a municipal sewage-treatment plant was also applied to the land surface near the landfill site. Water samples were collected from the 21 monitoring wells from June 1987 through September 1990 and analyzed for concentrations of major ions, nitrogen species, trace metals, field measurements, and more than 140 organic constituents. Water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer at the study site was compared to background water quality in other areas of Leon County. Ground-water quality of the study site was evaluated by the location of wells sampled in relation to the landfill and the sludge-spreading areas. Results of nonparametric statistical analysis indicated that potassium and nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen concentrations in water samples from wells completed in the Upper Floridan aquifer at the study site were significantly different at the 5 percent probability level from those in samples from background wells completed in this aquifer in Leon County. Median potassium concentrations were 0.4 mg/L (milligrams per liter) in water from wells at the study site and 0.7 mg/L in water from background wells in Leon County. Median nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were 6.48 mg/L in water samples from wells at the study site and 0.51 mg/L in water samples from background wells. Graphical comparison of the water quality characteristics in water from six categories of wells; upgradient, landfill, adjacent to the landfill, downgradient onsite, downgradient offsite, and background Leon County, indicated that sodium, bicarbonate, sulfate, iron, manganese, and dissolved solids concentrations and specific conductance values were highest within the landfill. Upgradient and downgradient well categories include wells in areas affected by sludge spreading. Localized reducing conditions were indicated in a downgradient area by median iron concentrations of 930 and 30 ug/L (micrograms per liter) in samples from wells only 5 feet apart. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were lowest in water from wells in the landfill compared to water from the other categories. Concentrations of most trace elements and organic compounds were mostly below detection limits, although State maximum contaminant levels of 1 ug/L for benzene and vinyl chloride and 3 ug/L for tetrachloroethene were exceeded in 14 samples. Concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, nitrite plus nitrate, total organic and ammonia nitrogen, and ammonia nitrogen in ground water were statistically analyzed in areas affected by sludge-spreading and other areas. Only nitrite plus nitrate and chloride concentrations were significantly different between the two areas. Median nitrite plus nitrate and chloride concentrations in sludge-spreading areas were 6.9 mg/L and 2.9 mg/L, respectively, compared to 1.1 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L in other areas.
Hydrology, vegetation, and soils of four north Florida River flood plains with an evaluation of state and federal wetland determinations
A study of hydrologic conditions, vegetation, and soils was made in wetland forests of four north Florida streams from 1987 to 1990. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation to support State and Federal efforts to improve wetland delineation methodology in flood plains. Plant communities and soils were described and related to topographic position and long-term hydrologic conditions at 10 study plots located on 4 streams. Detailed appendixes give average duration, frequency, and depth of flooding; canopy, subcanopy, and ground-cover vegetation; and taxonomic classification, series, and profile descriptions of soils for each plot. Topographic relief, range in stage, and depth of flooding were greatest on the alluvial flood plain of the Ochlockonee River, the largest of the four streams. Soils were silty in the lower elevations of the flood plain, and tree communities were distinctly different in each topographic zone. The Aucilla River flood plain was dominated by levees and terraces with very few depressions or low backwater areas. Oaks dominated the canopy of both lower and upper terraces of the Aucilla flood plain. Telogia Creek is a blackwater stream that is a major tributary of the Ochlockonee River. Its low, wet flood plain was dominated by Wyssa ogeche (Ogeechee tupelo) trees, had soils with mucky horizons, and was inundated by frequent floods of very short duration. The St. Marks River, a spring-fed stream with high base flow, had the least topographic relief and lowest range in stage of the four streams. St. Marks soils had a higher clay content than the other streams, and limestone bedrock was relatively close to the surface. Wetland determinations of the study plots based on State and Federal regulatory criteria were evaluated. Most State and Federal wetland determinations are based primarily on vegetation and soil characteristics because hydrologic records are usually not available. In this study, plots were located near long-term gaging stations, thus wetland determinations based on plant and soil characteristics could be evaluated at sites where long-term hydrologic conditions were known. Inconsistencies among hydrology, vegetation, and soil determinations were greatest on levee communities of the Ochlockonee and Aucilla River flood plains. Duration of average annual longest flood was almost 2 weeks for both plots. The wetland species list currently used (1991) by the State lacks many ground-cover species common to forested flood plains of north Florida rivers. There were 102 ground-cover species considered upland plants by the State that were present on the nine annually flooded plots of this study. Among them were 34 species that grew in areas continuously flooded for an average of 5 weeks or more each year. Common flood-plain species considered upland plants by the State were: Hypoxis leptocarpa (yellow star-grass), and two woody vines, Brunnichia ovata (ladies' eardrops) and Campsis radican s (trumpet-creeper), which were common in areas flooded continuously for 6 to 9 weeks a year; Sebastiania fruticosa (Sebastian-bush), Chasmanthium laxum (spikegrass), and Panicum dichotomum (panic grass), which typically grew in areas flooded an average of 2 to 3 weeks or more per year; Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine) and Toxicodendron radicans (poison-ivy), usually occurring in areas flooded an average of 1 to 2 weeks a year; and Quercus virginiana (live oak) present most often in areas flooded approximately 1 week a year. Federal wetland regulations (1989) limited wetland jurisdiction to only those areas that are inundated or saturated during the growing season. However, year-round hydrologic records were chosen in this report to describe the influence of hydrology on vegetation, because saturation, inundation, or flowing water can have a variety of both beneficial and adverse effects on flood-plain vegetation at any time of the year. These effects can occur because: (1) Soil temperatures in north Florida are probably high enough in winter for anaerobic conditions to develop in saturated soils. (2) Many plants in the flood plains of north Florida are active in the nongrowing season and might be adapted to anaerobic conditions in winter. (3) Other effects of standing water, such as decreased light penetration, prevention of seed germination, and protection of seeds from herbivores; and effects of flowing water, such as scouring and deposition of sediments, seed dispersal, and mechanical injury, can occur any time of year.
Biogeochemical and hydrological processes controlling the transport and fate of 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB) in soil and ground water, central Florida
Widespread contamination of ground water in central Florida by 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB) has resulted because of its heavy usage as a soil fumigant during a 20-year period, its relatively high aqueous solubility, and the low sorption capacity of the highly permeable sandy soils lacking organic matter. Two models were used to improve understanding of biogeochemical and hydrological processes that control the transport and fate of EDB in soil and ground water. First, a mass-balance model was developed to estimate the maximum concentration of EDB in ground water resulting from known application rates of EDB. Key processes that were quantified in the model included volatilization, diffusion of EDB vapor in soils, partitioning between aqueous and gaseous phases, sorption of EDB vapor on organic carbon and soil particles, chemical and biological degradation reactions, and nonreversible binding of EDB to soils. Model calculations using an EDB half-life of 0.65 year closely reproduced the maximum observed concentrations in ground water, 37 and 0.22 micrograms per liter, at downgradient sites in two study areas in central Florida. Maximum concentrations of EDB in ground water also were estimated in a second model that incorporated an analytical solution to the three-dimensional advection-dispersion equation for instantaneous point sources of EDB entering the flow systems in the two study areas. The model used an EDB half-life of 0.65 year (obtained from the mass-balance calculations), mean ground-water flow velocities of 0.6 to 1 meter per day, coefficients of longitudinal hydro-dynamic dispersion of 0.6 to 1.0 square meter per day, and coefficients of transverse hydrodynamic dispersion of 0.1 square meter per day. Peak concentrations of EDB in ground water calculated from the analytical model agreed closely with observed peak concentrations measured from 1983 through 1987.
Temporal and spatial variation in habitat characteristics of Tilefish (Lopholatilus Chamaeleonticeps) off the east coast of Florida
The tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps , constructs burrows in carbonate sediments off the central east coast of Florida at similar temperatures (8.6-15.4°C) and in similar sediment textures (high proportion of silts and clays) to conspecifics in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. The depths at which we observed tile fish off Florida (150-290 m), based on submersible observations and sidescan sonar operations during 1983 and 1984, were similar to those recorded in 1975-1977 (137-266 m) before the inception of the directed fishery. Both are similar to the range observed in the Mid-Atlantic Bight although tilefish there can be found at shallower and slightly deeper depths (80-305 m). The largest burrows off Florida (1.5-m diameter) were smaller than those observed in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (up to 5 m). The behavior of tile fish around the burrow and the invertebrates and fishes co-inhabiting the burrows off Florida are nearly identical to those in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Despite the relatively narrow annual temperature range observed off Florida, abrupt changes in temperatures (+6°C) occurred over a 48-h period based on thermograph records. Our observations, and those of others from several areas along the U.S. east coast, suggest that this species probably constructs burrows throughout its geographic range, and that temperature and sediment composition largely determine its distribution. Exclusion experiments off Florida, along with prior removal experiments in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, indicate that tilefish construct and maintain the burrows.
Factors influencing the distribution of blackchin tilapia Sarotherodon melanotherodon (Osteichthyes: Cichlidae) in the Indian River system, Florida
The blackchin tilapia, S arotherodon melanotheron , was first collected from the Indian River system, in Brevard County, Florida, in 1980. Since its introduction, this species has expanded its range northward along the coast approximately 37 km, to just north of Whites Point, Brevard County, and southward about 68 km to Vero Beach, Indian River County. Laboratory studies on salinity tolerance indicate an ability of this species to tolerate hypersaline concentrations of at least 100 ppt, and to reproduce in salinities of up to 35 ppt. The northern distribution of blackchin tilapia is almost certainly limited by cold temperature; however, the potential exists for extensive coastal, and possibly inland, invasion south of its present limits.
Allozyme evidence for crane systematics and polymorphisms within populations of Sandhill, Sarus, Siberian and whooping cranes
Electrophoretic analysis of proteins yielded evidence on the relationships of species of cranes and on genetic diversity within populations of some species. Diversity within the Greater Sandhill crane and a Florida population of the Florida Sandhill crane was similar to that of most other vertebrates, but diversity was low in the Mississippi Sandhill crane, in the Okefenokee population of the Florida Sandhill crane, and within the Siberian and Sarus cranes. Diversity was surprisingly high among whooping cranes, whose number dropped to less than 25 early in this century. Phylogenetic analysis, using both character state and distance algorithms, yielded highly concordant trees for the 15 species. The African crowned cranes ( Balearica ) were widely divergent from all other cranes. Species of Anthropoides, Bugeranus , and Grus clustered closely but sorted into two lineages: a Whooper Group consisted of the whooping, common, hooded, black-necked, white-naped, and red-crowned cranes of genus Grus ; and a Sandhill Group included the Sandhill, Siberian, Sarus, and Brolga cranes of genus Grus , the wattled crane of genus Bugeranus , and the Demoiselle and blue cranes of genus Anthropoides .