The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Geospatial Open Data provides shared and trusted USACE geospatial data, services and applications for use by our partner agencies and the public.

Region and subregion boundaries are depicted as sharp lines, however, climatic conditions and the physical and biological characteristics of landscapes do not change abruptly at the boundaries. In reality, regions and subregions often grade into one another in broad transition zones. In transitional areas, the investigator must use experience and good judgment to select the supplement and indicators that are appropriate to the site based on its physical and biological characteristics. If in doubt about which supplement to use in a transitional area, apply both supplements and compare the results. For additional guidance, contact the appropriate Corps of Engineers District Regulatory Office.

Download In State Plane Projection Here The Lake County Wetland Inventory (LCWI) maps natural and artificial wetlands meeting definitions established by the federal agencies who work with the Lake County Geographic Information System staff to periodically review and update it. These agencies include the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The 1989 federal wetland delineation standards for offsite wetland mapping are used. This data was last published in March of 1993. This update includes changes to the previous version of LCWI including: adjust current wetland boundaries to omit development, including roads; to fine tune boundary placement where that was intended by the original delineation, in some cases, adjust the wetland to photographic features / signature; delete wetlands which the committee decided were mapped in error - for example, trees which were mistaken for wet areas; create polygons for newly delineated artificial wetlands; and newly delineated wetlands or farmed wetlands caused by the continued deterioration of the agricultural drain tile system and increased runoff due to urbanization. The LCWI is a useful tool for general planning and review purposes, but it does not take the place of an on-site delineation by a certified wetland specialist. High resolution (1" = 100') orthorectified aerial imagery captured in April 2002 was used as the base for this update. Other data used as reference for this update include: 2004 SOIL SURVEY GEOGRAPHIC (SSURGO) DATABASE FOR LAKE COUNTY, IL - U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; HYDROLOGY2002 - Lake County GIS/Map Division; 2' topography (CONTOURS) - Lake County GIS/Map Division; and various years of historical aerial photography for clarification. By using the more recent higher resolution photography, the resulting updated wetland boundaries are more accurate then the original boundaries published in 1993.

The dataset presented here represents a circa 1932 land/water delineation of coastal Louisiana used in part of a larger study to quantify landscape changes from 1932 to 2016. The original dataset was created by Dunbar, and Britsch, and Kemp (2006). The original dataset is citable as: Dunbar, J. B. and Britsch, L. D., 2006. Land Loss in Coastal Louisiana 1932-2001. Map 1. Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, Technical Report, ERDC/GSL TR-05-13, Land Loss Map 1 through 7. The USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center altered the original data by improving the geo-rectification in specific areas known to contain geo-rectification error, most notably in coastal wetland areas in the vicinity of Four League Bay in western Terrebonne Basin. The dataset contains two categories, land and water. For the purposes of this effort, land includes areas characterized by emergent vegetation, upland, wetland forest, or scrub-shrub were classified as land, while open water, aquatic beds, and mudflats were classified as water. For additional information regarding this dataset (other than geo-rectification revisions), please contact the dataset originator, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

The Informational Freshwater Wetland Mapping layer is only intended to be used for informational purposes in identifying the general location and extent of freshwater wetland areas of any size throughout the state. Informational Freshwater Wetland Mapping is not regulatory. The Freshwater Wetlands Act changed in 2022 such that wetlands greater than 12.4 acres in size are regulated regardless of their mapping status. In addition to larger wetlands, the Freshwater Wetlands Act regulates smaller wetlands of “unusual importance” if they meet one of eleven criteria described in the law and regulation. While maps contained on the Environmental Resource Mapper provide information on the potential locations of wetlands, the only definitive way to determine if a particular parcel or property contains regulated wetlands outside the Adirondack Park is to request a jurisdictional determination through DEC’s website (https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/wetlands/freshwater-wetlands-program). The Freshwater Wetlands Act regulates most development activities located in the wetland or within a regulated “adjacent area.” This adjacent area is a minimum of 100 feet but may be extended for a limited number of particularly sensitive wetlands. Not all activities in and near wetlands are regulated. There are many exempt activities that landowners may undertake without permits. However, if you are not sure of which activities require permits near New York State regulated wetlands, please contact your regional DEC office.Wetlands are classified from Class I (which provide the most benefits) to Class IV (which provide fewer benefits). The classification is based on the work that wetlands do, such as storing flood water and providing wildlife habitat. The system for classifying wetlands is contained in regulation (6 NYCRR Part 664) and the classification of individual wetlands is determined as part of the jurisdictional determination process.For additional information on NYS Freshwater Wetlands, see DEC's website (https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/wetlands/freshwater-wetlands-program).View Dataset on the GatewayFor information on wetlands inside the Adirondack Park, please contact the Adirondack Park Agency. For information on wetlands regulated under federal law, please contact the United State Army Corps of Engineers.Contact for this Data:DFW, Bureau of Ecosystem Health625 BroadwayAlbany, NY 12233Phone: 518-402-8920fw.ecohealth@dec.ny.gov

Region and subregion information for USACE Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheets (ADS) field data collection. Region and subregion boundaries are depicted as sharp lines, however, climatic conditions and the physical and biological characteristics of landscapes do not change abruptly at the boundaries. In reality, regions and subregions often grade into one another in broad transition zones. In transitional areas, the investigator must use experience and good judgment to select the supplement and indicators that are appropriate to the site based on its physical and biological characteristics. If in doubt about which supplement to use in a transitional area, apply both supplements and compare the results. For additional guidance, contact the appropriate Corps of Engineers District Regulatory Office.

The Lake County Wetland Inventory (LCWI) maps natural and artificial wetlands meeting definitions established by the federal agencies who work with the Lake County Geographic Information System staff to periodically review and update it. These agencies include the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The 1989 federal wetland delineation standards for offsite wetland mapping are used. This data was last published in March of 1993. This update includes changes to the previous version of LCWI including: adjust current wetland boundaries to omit development, including roads; to fine tune boundary placement where that was intended by the original delineation, in some cases, adjust the wetland to photographic features / signature; delete wetlands which the committee decided were mapped in error - for example, trees which were mistaken for wet areas; create polygons for newly delineated artificial wetlands; and newly delineated wetlands or farmed wetlands caused by the continued deterioration of the agricultural drain tile system and increased runoff due to urbanization.

The LCWI is a useful tool for general planning and review purposes, but it does not take the place of an on-site delineation by a certified wetland specialist.

© Lake County, Illinois GIS/Mapping Division

Wetland Priority Sites for the Willamette Valley Basin, Version 20090812 (Aug 12, 2009) Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center and The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) have created a GIS layer for the Willamette Valley that identifies areas with concentrations of important wetland habitats and opportunities for successful wetland restoration. The map is intended to assist conservationists, private landowners, and policymakers in choosing where to site projects for wetland conservation, restoration, mitigation, and enhancement. It will help focus wetland work in the most important places, support no net less of wetland values or acres, and build on past or ongoing project locations. The data is a component of the Oregon Wetlands Explorer website, a collaborative project funded by EPA.Rev 20090812. Synchronization with near-finalized Willamette Valley Synthesis coverage by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Modified Site Names, attempting to be consistent with TNC's Willamette Valley Synthesis naming. Rev 20090715. Incorporated feedback from provisional version sent out for review in March 2009. The map is based on The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Willamette Synthesis project, with subsequent adjustments and additions made by OSU and The Wetlands Conservancy. The Willamette Synthesis represents a two-year effort that integrates (1) TNC's portfolio sites identified by ecoregional planning (2), ODFW's Conservation Opportunity Areas from their Oregon Conservation Strategy, (3) NRCS hydric soils mapping, (4) FEMA floodplain mapping, (5) Army Corps of Engineers historical floodway maps, and (6) Oregon's Greatest Wetlands as identified by The Wetlands Conservancy and OSU, discussed further below; and a number of other sources detailed in http://oregonstate.edu/ornhic/transfer/wv_synthesis_draft_methods.zip. The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) and Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center (ORNHIC) developed an "Oregon's Greatest Wetlands" layer, identifying areas in the state having wetlands of significant conservation interest. The "Oregon's Greatest Wetlands" areas were included in the initial Synthesis Site layer. In 2008, TWC and ORNHIC analyzed historic (pre-settlement) vegetation reconstructions, hydric soil densities, and current wetland densities (using National Wetland Inventory and Local Wetland Inventory data where available) that were within the Willamette Valley Ecoregion synthesis sites identified by The Nature Conservancy. The sites were further filtered with information obtained from various Agency and NGO conservation plans. We then reduced in size, or eliminated, WVER synthesis sites based on this analysis. Brief reasoning for the site selection is provided in the Motiv attribute. To improve the focus on wetlands, OSU and TWC then removed the larger upland portions (e.g., oak savanna and woodland, upland prairie) from the Synthesis map, and included additional wetland information based on conservation data, restoration opportunities, and cluster analysis of USFWS National Wetlands Inventory mapping. The lower portion of the Sandy River watershed is located in the Level III Willamette Valley Ecoregion. As such, it was included in the TNC Willamette Synthesis project, even though it is not strictly part of the Willamette Basin. We thus include wetland priority sites for the Sandy River watershed in this dataset.

The portion of wetlands data from the West Eugene Wetlands Plan that falls within the Eugene urban growth boundary. The wetlands data were delineated by private consultants for use by the City of Eugene Planning and Development. The West Eugene Wetlands Plan (WEWP) is a Wetland Conservation Plan Inventory that has been adopted by the the City of Eugene and Lane County. The Oregon Division of State Lands and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have approved the WEWP. The data field that is most widely used is STATUS, which refers to the officially adopted designation for each polygon. Learn more about the West Eugene Wetlands Plan.Terms of UseThis product is for informational purposes and may not have been prepared for, or be suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. This layer represents only the wetlands falling within the Eugene urban growth boundary. The layer does not constitute the adopted Goal 5 wetland resources, and users of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the usability of this information. To verify information presented in this layer, contact the Planner-on-Duty at 541-682-5377.The maps and data available for access from the City of Eugene are provided "as is" without warranty or any representation of accuracy, timeliness or completeness. The burden for determining accuracy, completeness, timeliness, merchantability and fitness for or the appropriateness for use rests solely on the user accessing this information. The City of Eugene makes no warranties, expressed or implied, as to the use of the maps and data available for access at this website. There are no implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The user acknowledges and accepts all inherent limitations of the maps and data, including the fact that the maps and data are dynamic and in a constant state of maintenance, correction and revision. Any maps and associated data for access do not represent a survey. No liability is assumed for the accuracy of the data delineated on any map, either expressed or implied.

Exact wetland boundaries are perhaps impossible to delineate. The definition of a wetland can change, and is somewhat open to interpretation. This file represents an attempt to map every polygon that could be considered a wetland using the criteria outlined in the 2007 supplement to the 1987 Army Corps Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory. (1987). "Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual", Technical Report Y-87-1, US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. Vicksburg, MS). To generate the data, stereo paired aerial photos and relatively quick field visits, along with National Wetland Inventory maps and soils data were used. Wetlands that may be non-jurisdictional are also included, such as Depressions, inclusions along rivers and in braided river valleys. Environment

These datasets were acquired from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for use in State Programmatic General Permit (SPGP) assessment by district staff. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits administered by the district SPGP V-R1 On December 31, 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued a revision to the State Programmatic General Permit (previously SPGP V, now SPGP V-R1) that authorizes the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and any water management district that enters into a coordination agreement with USACE, to issue a permit on behalf of USACE for certain types of projects with relatively minor impacts to wetlands or surface waters. This authorization is limited to the following types of projects: (1) shoreline stabilization, (2) boat ramps, (3) docks, piers and other minor piling supported structures, (4) maintenance dredging of canals and channels, and (5) minor transient projects (such as marine debris removal, scientific surveys, and aquatic habitat enhancement projects). On December 19, 2018, the St. Johns River Water Management District (District) entered into a coordination agreement with USACE that allows the district to grant federal authorization on behalf of USACE under the SPGP V-R1.These data have been projected from the originating agencies specifically for geospatial analysis by SJRWMD staff for USACE State Programmatic General Permit (SPGP) V-R1 permit review. FDEP has published its own web map and feature service for SPGP review. USFWS has published many of the data they are stewards of. If for other purposes than SPGP V-R1 permit review at SJRWMD, please defer to the originating agencies for their authoritative GIS data.For additional information:https://floridadep.gov/water/submerged-lands-environmental-resources-coordination/content/federal-permits-and-coordinationhttps://www.saj.usace.army.mil/SPGP/Permitting documents for St. Johns River Water Management District (sjrwmd.com)

Wetland Priority Sites for the Willamette Valley Basin, Version 20090812 (Aug 12, 2009) Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center and The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) have created a GIS layer for the Willamette Valley that identifies areas with concentrations of important wetland habitats and opportunities for successful wetland restoration. The map is intended to assist conservationists, private landowners, and policymakers in choosing where to site projects for wetland conservation, restoration, mitigation, and enhancement. It will help focus wetland work in the most important places, support no net less of wetland values or acres, and build on past or ongoing project locations. The data is a component of the Oregon Wetlands Explorer website, a collaborative project funded by EPA.Rev 20090812. Synchronization with near-finalized Willamette Valley Synthesis coverage by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Modified Site Names, attempting to be consistent with TNC's Willamette Valley Synthesis naming. Rev 20090715. Incorporated feedback from provisional version sent out for review in March 2009. The map is based on The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Willamette Synthesis project, with subsequent adjustments and additions made by OSU and The Wetlands Conservancy. The Willamette Synthesis represents a two-year effort that integrates (1) TNC's portfolio sites identified by ecoregional planning (2), ODFW's Conservation Opportunity Areas from their Oregon Conservation Strategy, (3) NRCS hydric soils mapping, (4) FEMA floodplain mapping, (5) Army Corps of Engineers historical floodway maps, and (6) Oregon's Greatest Wetlands as identified by The Wetlands Conservancy and OSU, discussed further below; and a number of other sources detailed in http://oregonstate.edu/ornhic/transfer/wv_synthesis_draft_methods.zip. The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) and Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center (ORNHIC) developed an "Oregon's Greatest Wetlands" layer, identifying areas in the state having wetlands of significant conservation interest. The "Oregon's Greatest Wetlands" areas were included in the initial Synthesis Site layer. In 2008, TWC and ORNHIC analyzed historic (pre-settlement) vegetation reconstructions, hydric soil densities, and current wetland densities (using National Wetland Inventory and Local Wetland Inventory data where available) that were within the Willamette Valley Ecoregion synthesis sites identified by The Nature Conservancy. The sites were further filtered with information obtained from various Agency and NGO conservation plans. We then reduced in size, or eliminated, WVER synthesis sites based on this analysis. Brief reasoning for the site selection is provided in the Motiv attribute. To improve the focus on wetlands, OSU and TWC then removed the larger upland portions (e.g., oak savanna and woodland, upland prairie) from the Synthesis map, and included additional wetland information based on conservation data, restoration opportunities, and cluster analysis of USFWS National Wetlands Inventory mapping. The lower portion of the Sandy River watershed is located in the Level III Willamette Valley Ecoregion. As such, it was included in the TNC Willamette Synthesis project, even though it is not strictly part of the Willamette Basin. We thus include wetland priority sites for the Sandy River watershed in this dataset.

This dataset represents the boundaries of Fairfax County Potential Wetlands Areas. Applicants for many plan types are required to certify that all required wetlands permits will be acquired before land disturbance begins in a "wetlands statement". This data can assist property owners and plan preparers in preliminary identification of potential wetlands for which such permits would be necessary. Applicants for Site Plans must complete the "Potential for Wetlands" information box on the site plan cover sheet. This data is referenced as the "County Potential Wetland Area Map" referred to by the site plan cover sheet. Landowners and plan preparers should use this information in preliminary phases of projects to identify the need for further study of possible wetlands. This data does not replace the need for site-specific RPA delineation when required by code and does not replace other field analysis required when wetlands permits are necessary from the Army Corps of Engineers. These areas were classified as Potential Wetlands by intersecting the datasets described below. Datasets: Less than 5% Slope: The 2018 Bare Earth Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was used to identify areas in the county with a slope value of 5% or less. Areas with this topography are more likely to be wetlands. Hydric Soils: These soil types were identified in the 2018 Soils Map by Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District. These are soil types that in an undrained condition, are saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during a growing season to develop an anaerobic condition that supports the growth and regeneration of hydrophytic vegetation.Impervious Surface: The assessment of impervious surface was derived using the 2017 Planimetric Data. Contact: Land Development ServicesData Accessibility: Publicly AvailableUpdate Frequency: As NeededLast Revision Date: 11/16/2023Creation Date: 11/16/2023Layer Name: LDSAMGR.POTENTIAL_WETLANDS

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP - www.evergladesplan.org), authorized as part of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 (U.S. Congress 2000), is an $US8-10 billion hydrologic restoration project for south Florida. CERP includes 68 separate projects to be managed over the next 30 years by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Restoration Coordination and Verification (RECOVER) is a system-wide program within the CERP to organize and provide scientific and technical support for design, implementation, and assessment of the restoration program. It is the role of RECOVER to develop a system-wide monitoring and assessment plan that will document how well the CERP is meeting its objectives for ecosystem restoration.

Vegetation mapping will be used to document changes in the spatial extent, pattern, and proportion of plant communities within the landscape. This map represents the 2009 baseline land-cover vegetation map of northern Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve..

The Freshwater Wetlands Act changed in 2022 such that wetlands greater than 12.4 acres in size are regulated regardless of their mapping status. In addition to larger wetlands, the Freshwater Wetlands Act regulates smaller wetlands of “unusual importance” if they meet one of eleven criteria described in the law and regulation. While maps contained provide information on the potential locations of wetlands, the only definitive way to determine if a particular parcel or property contains regulated wetlands outside the Adirondack Park is to request a jurisdictional determination through DEC’s website (https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/wetlands/freshwater-wetlands-program). The Freshwater Wetlands Act regulates most development activities located in the wetland or within a regulated “adjacent area.” This adjacent area is a minimum of 100 feet but may be extended for a limited number of particularly sensitive wetlands. Not all activities in and near wetlands are regulated. There are many exempt activities that landowners may undertake without permits. However, if you are not sure of which activities require permits near New York State regulated wetlands, please contact your regional DEC office.Wetlands are classified from Class I (which provide the most benefits) to Class IV (which provide fewer benefits). The classification is based on the work that wetlands do, such as storing flood water and providing wildlife habitat. The system for classifying wetlands is contained in regulation (6 NYCRR Part 664) and the classification of individual wetlands is determined as part of the jurisdictional determination process.View Dataset on the GatewayFor additional information on NYS Freshwater Wetlands, see DEC's website (https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/wetlands/freshwater-wetlands-program).For information on wetlands inside the Adirondack Park, please contact the Adirondack Park Agency.For information on wetlands regulated under federal law, please contact the United State Army Corps of Engineers.

Download In State Plane Projection Here. Boundaries of designated high quality ADID wetlands established as a result of a formal process under the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Part 404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act authorizes the USEPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers to identify in advance of specific permit requests aquatic sites which will be considered as areas generally unsuitable for disposal of dredged or fill material. This process is called an Advanced Identification or ADID. Under the ADID process identification of an area as generally unsuitable for fill does not prohibit applications for permits to fill in these areas. Therefore the ADID designation of unsuitability is advisory not regulatory. An ADID designation lets a potential applicant know in advance that a proposal to fill such a site is not likely to be consistent with the 404(b)(1) guidelines, and the USEPA will probably request permit denial. ADID wetland information is also useful in watershed planning, land use planning, public land acquisition programs, natural resource studies and other purposes. The wetland selection criteria and methodology are documented in the publication entitled "Advanced Identification (ADID) Study, Lake County, Illinois. Final Report, November 1992" which is included in this download. Boundaries were delineated by the ADID project team on orthophotograph background with an intended usage scale of 1" = 400', a scale ratio of 1:4800.

This dataset includes barrier island land cover types collected from mid-November 2015 to mid-December 2015 along randomly placed transects at seven sites throughout the east end of Dauphin Island. Specifically, this data collection included characterizing land cover types and measuring horizontal position and elevation. We characterized plant community composition and structure for a subset of these points (see Vegetation Survey Data Table). This work was conducted through a joint effort by the State of Alabama, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate the feasibility of various restoration alternatives and how specific alternatives might increase the resiliency and sustainability of Dauphin Island. The overarching goal of the aforementioned effort is to preserve and enhance the ecological functions and values of the island. This product provides a powerful tool for tracking changes to barrier island habitats over time. This data release includes the following three components, which are included in the attached ZIP file: 1) Dauphin Island Habitat Map (Raster data) 2) Land Cover and Vegetation Field Data Points (Vector data) 3) Vegetation Survey Data (Tabular data)

This data resource is a layer in a map service. To download it, please go to the "Layers" section of this page and click the name of the dataset. This will open a new page that features a download button. Open the Map Service: https://gis.chesapeakebay.net/ags/rest/services/InterGIT/Comp_Plan_Master_Results/MapServer This downloadable dataset complements an interactive map. The Chesapeake Bay Comprehensive Water Resources and Restoration Plan (CBCP) identifies and evaluates problems, needs and opportunities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed using an integrated water resources management approach. Geospatial analyses identified high-quality areas for potential conservation, degraded areas for restoration and gaps in restoration actions or duplication of efforts.

For file geodatabase download,Click Here. The South Florida Water Management District (District or SFWMD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have built six large treatment wetlands, referred to as Stormwater Treatment Wetlands (STAs), in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) as part of a State and Federal initiative to protect the Everglades (Chimney and Goforth, 2001; Sklar et al., 2005). These treatment wetlands are intended to reduce high phosphorus concentrations in surface runoff coming from the EAA before this water reaches the northern portion of the present-day Everglades, i.e., the Water Conservations Areas. Each STA is subdivided into a number of treatment cells by interior levees. Treatment wetlands reduce the concentration of water-borne pollutants through natural bio-geochemical processes (Kadlec and Wallace, 2009). Wetland biogeochemistry, in turn, is intimately associated with the extent and condition of the wetland’s vegetation community (Reddy and DeLaune, 2009). Because of the important relationship between wetland treatment performance and vegetation, the vegetation communities in the STAs have been monitored throughout their operational histories. This effort was mandated as a condition of STA operating permits and by the Process Development and Engineering section of the District’s Long Term Plan (Burns & McDonnell, 2003). The vegetation communities in the STAs have been monitored using two different approaches: (1) vegetation maps were prepared for each STA based on the spatial distribution of different vegetation types interpreted from aerial photographs and (2) field surveys were conducted at a network of sites within each wetland to catalog plant taxa and assess vegetation areal coverage of the dominant taxa. The field-survey program was initiated as a cost-effective alternative to mapping for characterizing the plant community.For information about the imagery collection access this file: 2012 Imagery Collection in STAsFor details how the data was processed see the Lineage section.

In 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a series of studies to monitor several major creeks and rivers that discharge freshwater into northeastern Florida Bay and the southwest coast of Everglades National Park (ENP). These studies provide water-level, flow, salinity, and temperature data for model development and calibration and also serve as a long term data set to assist in detecting change in hydrology, as well as other physical, biological and chemical studies being conducted in these areas. These studies are being done as part of the USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science program (PES), which is an effort by the USGS to provide earth science information needed to resolve land-use and water issues. Additional support is provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Everglades National Park (ENP) for PES. As part of these studies, a network of 34 hydrologic monitoring stations is already in place and historical data is currently available through the USGS South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) web page at URL: http://sofia.er.usgs.gov/. Real time information is available at the USGS National Water Information Systems URL: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/rt. In 2003, CERP MAP funding through the South Florida Water Management District established 10 monitoring stations as part of the Coastal Gradients Network, Map Activity 3.1.3.3. The purpose of this MAP project with the USACE is to continue operation of these 10 stations for those MAP activities. Future funding for the northeastern Florida Bay and southwest coast estuarine studies is expected to continue from the USGS PES program in order support the larger integrated monitoring network. The MAP funding of monitoring stations within the Coastal Gradients network is a direct benefit to the overall integrated network and supplies critical hydrologic information where none previously existed.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this project is to operate and maintain ten (10) established hydrologic and water quality data collection platforms (DCP’s) in the coastal and fresh water marsh environments of the Everglades in order to support a larger integrated monitoring network (Fig. 1). The hydrologic and water quality information from this network is available for the development and calibration of hydrodynamic and water quality models of the Everglades, Florida Bay, and adjacent marine systems. Data will also provide information to evaluate impacts from project level CERP activity such as the C-111 Spreader Canal, the Combined Structural and Operational Plan (CSOP), and ModWaters.

The network of DCP’s collect information at points of interest along transects that represent major flow paths from the Everglades wetlands to the southern estuaries. The continuous data collected from surface and ground water along with nutrient loading computations is summarized in subsequent sections of this report. This long-term monitoring network spans the major flow paths from the Everglades wetlands to the southern estuaries which help provide a system-wide understanding of the ecosystem responses seen in the Everglades due to changes in water management practices and climatic variability. This data set contributes to the success of CERP by: a. Providing pre-CERP (baseline) and concurrent data on hydrologic and water quality parameters available for comparison during and after CERP modifications from projects such as the C-111 Spreader Canal, CSOP, and ModWaters. b. The ability to perform scientific investigations with physical data in order to increase ecosystem understanding. c. Having real-time and historic data available to detect unexpected responses within the ecosystem due to CERP activities.