scholarly journals The Peculiar Hydrology of West-Central Florida’s Sandhill Wetlands, Ponds, and Lakes – Part 1: Physical & Chemical Evidence of Connectivity to a Regional Water-Supply Aquifer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
ReNae S Nowicki ◽  
Mark C Rains ◽  
Jason J LaRoche ◽  
Matthew A Pasek
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Water Geochemistry ◽  
Central Florida ◽  
West Central ◽  
Wetland Water ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Regional Water ◽  
Chemical Evidence

Abstract The sandhill wetlands, ponds, and lakes of west-central Florida, USA, are an understudied, poorly understood variant of geographically isolated features. Their karst origin and xeric setting impart a characteristic ecohydrology, which is a function of their connectivity to a regional water-supply aquifer. This study describes their general hydrologic character and provides physical and chemical evidence of this connectivity. These findings advance fundamental understanding of sandhill wetland/water ecohydrology and endeavor to ensure their proper management and protection amidst increasing groundwater demands, ever-expanding development, and a changing climate.Water level elevations and/or geochemistry were compared for 12 wetlands, five ponds, two lakes, and 12 monitor wells (10 constructed in limestone, two in surficial sand) in west-central Florida. Hydrograph and regression analyses indicate widely ranging water levels for most features and wells that are similar in elevation and very highly correlated with each other (0.84<R2<0.99). Water geochemistry varies from rainwater to water in contact with limestone as a function of feature depth relative to the depth of the rainwater-limestone water mixing zone. Results suggest sandhill wetland/water features are surface water expressions of the underlying regional aquifer hydrology, distinguishing them from isolated features elsewhere and establishing them as a groundwater endmember along the hydrologic continuum.

Factors controlling longshore variations of beach changes induced by Tropical Storm Eta (2020) along Pinellas County beaches, west-central Florida

Shore & Beach ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 75-85
Author(s):  
Jun Cheng ◽  
Francesca Toledo Cossu ◽  
Ping Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Level ◽  
Wave Height ◽  
Tropical Storm ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Volume Loss ◽  
Beach Profile ◽  
Central Florida ◽  
West Central ◽  
Elevated Water

Tropical Storm Eta impacted the coast of west-central Florida from 11 November to 12 November 2020 and generated high waves over elevated water levels for over 20 hours. A total of 148 beach and nearshore profiles, spaced about 300 m (984 ft) apart, were surveyed one to two weeks before and one to eight days after the storm to examine the beach changes along four barrier islands, including Sand Key, Treasure Island, Long Key, and Mullet Key. The high storm waves superimposed on elevated water level reached the toe of dunes or seawalls and caused dune erosion and overwash at various places. Throughout most of the coast, the dune, dry beach, and nearshore area was eroded and most of the sediment was deposited on the seaward slope of the nearshore bar, resulting in a roughly conserved sand volume above closure depth. The longshore variation of beach-profile volume loss demonstrates an overall southward decreasing trend, mainly due to a southward decreasing nearshore wave height as controlled by offshore bathymetry and shoreline configurations. The Storm Erosion Index (SEI) developed by Miller and Livermont (2008) captured the longshore variation of beach-profile volume loss reasonably well. The longshore variation of breaking wave height is the dominant factor controlling the longshore changes of SEI and beach erosion. Temporal variation of water level also played a significant role, while beach berm elevation was a minor factor. Although wider beaches tended to experience more volume loss from TS Eta due to the availability of sediment, they were effective in protecting the back beach and dune area from erosion. On the other hand, smaller profile-volume loss from narrow beach did not necessarily relate to less dune/ structure damage. The opposite is often true. Accurate evaluation of a storm’s severity in terms of erosion potential would benefit beach management especially under the circumstance of increasing storm activities due to climate change.

The Peculiar Hydrology of West-Central Florida’s Sandhill Wetlands, Ponds, and Lakes – Part 2: Hydrogeologic Controls

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
ReNae S Nowicki ◽  
Mark C Rains ◽  
Jason J LaRoche ◽  
Christine M Downs ◽  
Sarah E Kruse
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Data ◽  
Central Florida ◽  
Isolated Wetland ◽  
West Central ◽  
Wetland Connectivity ◽  
Groundwater Exchange ◽  
Confining Unit ◽  
Surficial Aquifer ◽  
Regional Water ◽  
Regional Aquifer

Abstract This study investigates hydrogeologic controls on a peculiar, poorly studied type of geographically isolated wetland in west-central Florida, USA, locally referred to as “sandhill wetlands.” Their peculiarity lies in their connectivity to a large, regional aquifer, which controls their hydrology and influences their ecological expression. Six wetlands and one wetland-pond complex were examined using geophysical, lithologic, hydrologic, and ecological data. These data were used to configure site-specific hydrogeology, from which two conceptual models were developed. The first model depicts mechanisms of sandhill wetland connectivity to the regional aquifer. Three mechanisms of connectivity are proposed based on the degree and depth of aquifer confinement: 1) direct - due to wetland embedment directly in the unconfined regional aquifer; 2) indirect - due to embedment in a surficial aquifer, where groundwater exchange with the regional aquifer occurs through breaches in the semi-confining unit; and 3) none - due to embedment in a surficial aquifer where groundwater exchange with the regional aquifer does not occur because the semi-confining unit is too deep. The second model conceptualizes fundamental sandhill wetland ecohydrology. It depicts how the geomorphology of a sandhill depression relative to the range of the regional water table determine whether that feature will manifest as a wetland or as a pond, lake, sink, or upland. Findings from both models contribute to the limited understanding of sandhill wetland, pond, and lake ecohydrology and may be used to improve how they are classified, assessed, managed, and preserved as valuable natural resources.

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