Search USGS⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “Florida Planning”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
USGS2012

A spatial analysis of cultural ecosystem service valuation by regional stakeholders in Florida: a coastal application of the social values for ecosystem services (SolVES) tool

Livelihoods and lifestyles of people throughout the world depend on essential goods and services provided by marine and coastal ecosystems. However, as societal demand increases and available ocean and coastal space diminish, better methods are needed to spatially and temporally allocate ocean and coastal activities such as shipping, energy production, tourism, and fishing. While economic valuation is an important mechanism for doing so, cultural ecosystem services often do not lend themselves to this method. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are working collaboratively with the Florida Sea Grant College Program to map nonmonetary values of cultural ecosystem services for a pilot area (Sarasota Bay) in the Gulf of Mexico. The research seeks to close knowledge gaps about the attitudes and perceptions, or nonmonetary values, held by coastal residents toward cultural ecosystem services, and to adapt related, terrestrial-based research methods to a coastal setting. A critical goal is to integrate research results with coastal and marine spatial planning applications, thus making them relevant to coastal planners and managers in their daily efforts to sustainably manage coastal resources. Using information about the attitudes and preferences of people toward places and uses in the landscape, collected from value and preference surveys, the USGS SolVES 2.0 tool will provide quantitative models to relate social values, or perceived nonmonetary values, assigned to locations by survey respondents with the underlying environmental characteristics of those same locations. Project results will increase scientific and geographic knowledge of how Sarasota Bay residents value their area’s cultural ecosystem services.

Florida↗
USGS1979

Water-quality data from a landfill, Pinellas County, Florida, May 1975-October 1977

Ground water in and near a proposed landfill site can become contaminated by leachates from the fill material. Realizing that potential, Pinellas County entered into a cooperative investigation with the U.S. Geological Survey to determine background water-quality conditions, and to evaluate the potential effects of landfill leachate on the quality of ground water at a landfill site in Pinellas County (fig. 1). The investigation started in May 1975 and landfill operation began in November 1975. The purpose of this report is to make available well records, logs of wells, and surface- and ground-water quality data for planning purposes, and to provide basic data for a subsequent interpretive report. From May 1975 to October 1977, surface- and ground-water samples were collected periodically to obtain information on certain background water-quality conditions at the landfill site. Specific conductance and pH were determined in the field. Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, trace metals, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands, coliform, select herbicides and pesticides, and nitrogen and phosphorus species were determined in the laboratory.

Florida↗
USGS2006

Survey and monitoring of species at risk at Camp Blanding Training Site, northeastern Florida

We studied the presence and distribution of 19 species at risk in northeastern Florida at the Camp Blanding Training Site (CBTS) during 2000-2001, seven years after the first major baseline surveys of CBTS were conducted. Much of the training conducted at CBTS deals with light infantry exercises, but the site is also used for mining, silviculture, hunting, fishing, emergency logistical support, and entertainment purposes. CBTS contains more than 2000 species of plants and animals in 14 natural communities, each impacted to various degrees by past and current land management. Adaptive management plans for species may be ineffective without continual feedback and the flexibility for change. Here we summarize and discuss the results of our surveys, compare these results with those of past surveys, identify differences between the surveys, and discuss the importance of systematic protocols and study design for CBTS environmental managers.

Southeastern Naturalist↗
USGS1984

Evaluation of the surface-water data network, Suwannee River basin, Florida, 1982

In the 9,950 square mile area of the Suwannee River basin in Florida and Georgia, a network of 33 surface-water gaging stations operated for different periods of time from 1927 to 1982 was evaluated for its capability to provide program information for floodplain mapping, floodplain management, forecasting of flow extremes, and defining the impact of changes in land use on surface-water quantity and quality. Gaging stations are classified based on the type of data and number of years record as current use, long-term trend, and planning and design. Goals are established for each classification. Suggestions for program revisions include establishing crest-stage gages for high-flow and flood-profile data, defining and establishing a low-flow network, and establishing two and discontinuing one daily discharge station. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1997

The relation between hydrogeology and water quality of the Lower Floridan Aquifer in Duval County, Florida, and implications for monitoring movement of saline water

The hydrogeology of the Upper zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer and its relation to water quality were evaluated during a 3-year (1993-96) study. The Floridan aquifer system, a carbonate aquifer system composed of the Upper Floridan aquifer, a middle semi-confining unit, and the Lower Floridan aquifer, is the major source of water supply in northeastern Florida. The Lower Floridan aquifer is further subdivided into the Upper zone, a semi-confining unit, and the Fernandina permeable zone. As a result of increased withdrawals, heads in the aquifer system have declined and at the same time chloride concentrations have increased in the water from many wells in Duval County. A better understanding of the sources of and pathways for movement of brackish water is needed so that water managers can monitor the movement of brackish water and plan future water development. Most of the wells in Duval County deeper than 900 feet penetrate the Upper Floridan aquifer and the Upper zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer. Transmissivity estimates for these zones range from 2,000 to 194,000 feet squared per day. Permeability in the Upper zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer is primarily related to secondary porosity developed along bedding planes, joints, and fractures as a result of paleokarst processes. The Upper zone is about 300 to 500 feet thick in Duval County, based on the geophysical logs of about 40 wells ranging in depth from about 1,000 to 2,200 feet. In some areas the Upper zone has a single flow zone, but in other areas, two distinct flow zones are apparent. Water samples collected during this study confirm the continued increase in chloride concentrations in both the Upper Floridan aquifer and the Upper zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer. Most of the observed increases are in the eastern part of the county, but a pattern in the locations of wells yielding water with chloride increases is not discernible. In some areas, zones bearing brackish water are underlain by zones of fresher water, but in other areas, fresher water was not found beneath the brackish water. A single fracture or solution feature was the source of brackish water in several wells. The most likely source of brackish water to the Upper zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer is the underlying Fernandina permeable zone, which contains freshwater in the western part of the county but saline water in the eastern part. The pathways for movement of saline water are interconnecting vertical and horizontal fracture or solution zones probably developed along paleokarst features that are not mappable from the land surface; therefore, a conventional monitor-well network probably would not provide early warning of saline-water intrusion. Continued monitoring of water-quality trends in water-supply wells, combined with collection of additional surface and borehole geophysical data, can provide an increased understanding of the movement of brackish water in the Floridan aquifer system.

Florida↗
USGS2026

Identifying potential invasion hotspots for non-native fluvial fishes throughout the conterminous United States

Identifying habitats that non-native fluvial fishes are likely to invade provides information for proactive management, conservation planning, and understanding the ecology of biological invasions. We identified streams in the conterminous United States with high invasion risk from 20 non-native fluvial fish species. Specifically, we (1) developed habitat suitability models for each species using nine natural and six anthropogenic predictors within nine large ecoregions, identifying the potential invasion hotspots; (2) evaluated the relative importance of natural and anthropogenic predictors for each species; and (3) assessed potential invasion risk to protected stream habitats. Predicted invasion hotspots included much of Florida, coastal regions of Texas and Louisiana, and areas surrounding major metropolitan centers such as Chicago, New York, and Phoenix. Model predictions indicate that goldfish ( Carassius auratus ), pirapitinga ( Piaractus brachypomus ), and pond loach ( Misgurnus anguillicaudatus ) could occupy extensive suitable habitats across the conterminous United States. The most influential natural predictor across species was network catchment area (a surrogate for stream size), while the most influential anthropogenic predictor was human population density. Goldfish were predicted to be present in protected areas across all nine ecoregions, highlighting their high invasion potential. Collectively, our results provide critical information on regions vulnerable to invasion and the species most likely to become established and identify areas at risk of invasion within protected landscapes.

conterminous United States↗
USGS2012

Introduction to emergent wetlands: Chapter A in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010

Throughout the past century, emergent wetlands have been declining across the Gulf of Mexico. Emergent wetland ecosystems provide a plethora of resources including plant and wildlife habitat, commercial and recreational economic activity, water quality improvement, and natural barriers against storms. As emergent wetland losses increase, so does the need for information on the causes and effects of these losses, for emergent wetland mapping, for monitoring and restoration efforts, and for increased education. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Program Office (EPA GMPO) are committed to providing the best science to restore, enhance, and protect these important ecosystems. The Emergent Wetlands Status and Trends Report is a continuation of the completed Seagrass Status and Trends in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Report (Handley and others, 2007), both of which serve to update the EPA GMPO Status and Trends of Emergent and Submerged Vegetated Habitats of Gulf of Mexico Coastal Waters, USA Report (Duke and Kruczynski, 1992). The Emergent Wetlands Status and Trends Report is also part of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Ecosystems Integration and Assessment Priority Issue Team’s work plan to provide resources that will aid in the ecological and economic enhancement of the Gulf of Mexico region. The purpose of this report is to provide scientists, managers, and citizens with valuable baseline information on the status and trends of emergent wetlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The study upon which this report is based examines the emergent wetlands of eight individual estuarine areas within the northern Gulf of Mexico region and presents statewide summaries for Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Each estuarine area is detailed in vignettes that address current status and historical trends of estuarine and palustrine emergent wetlands, emergent wetlands mapping and monitoring, causes of status change, restoration and enhancement activities, background information for the study area, and the methodology employed to analyze and document the historical trends and current status of emergent wetlands. The eight individual estuarine areas examined in this report are:  Corpus Christi/ Nueces/Aransas Bays, Tex.  Galveston Bay, Tex.  Barataria/Terrebonne Bay, La.  Mississippi Delta, La.  Mississippi Sound, Miss.  Mobile Bay, Ala.  Florida Panhandle, Fla.  Tampa Bay, Fla.

Report↗
USGS2007

Long-term and storm-related shoreline change trends in the Florida Gulf Islands National Seashore

Coastal erosion on Northern Gulf of Mexico barrier islands is an ongoing issue that was exacerbated by the storm seasons of 2004 and 2005 when several hurricanes made landfall in the Gulf of Mexico. Two units of the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS), located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island off the Panhandle coast of Florida, were highly impacted during the hurricanes of 2004 (Ivan) and 2005 (Cindy, Dennis, Katrina and Rita). In addition to the loss of or damage to natural and cultural resources within the park, damage to park infrastructure, including park access roads and utilities, occurred in areas experiencing rapid shoreline retreat. The main park road was located as close as 50 m to the pre-storm (2001) shoreline and was still under repair from damage incurred during Hurricane Ivan when the 2005 hurricanes struck. A new General Management Plan is under development for the Gulf Islands National Seashore. This plan, like the existing General Management Plan, strives to incorporate natural barrier island processes, and will guide future efforts to provide access to units of Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island. To assess changes in island geomorphology and provide data for park management, the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey are currently analyzing shoreline change to better understand long-term (100+ years) shoreline change trends as well as short-term shoreline impact and recovery to severe storm events. Results show that over an ~140-year period from the late 1800s to May 2004, the average shoreline erosion rates in the Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa units of GUIS were -0.7m/yr and -0.1 m/yr, respectively. Areas of historic erosion, reaching a maximum rate of -1.3 m/yr, correspond to areas that experienced overwash and road damage during the 2004 hurricane season.. The shoreline eroded as much as ~60 m during Hurricane Ivan, and as much as ~88 m over the course of the 2005 storm season. The shoreline erosion rates in the areas where the park road was heavily damaged were as high as -70.2 m/yr over the 2004-2005 time period. Additional post-storm monitoring of these sections of the island, to assess whether erosion rates stabilize, will help to parks to determine the best long-term management strategy for the park infrastructure.

Florida↗
USGS2007

Long-term and storm-related shoreline change trends in the Florida Gulf Islands National Seashore

Coastal erosion on Northern Gulf of Mexico barrier islands is an ongoing issue that was exacerbated by the storm seasons of 2004 and 2005 when several hurricanes made landfall in the Gulf of Mexico. Two units of the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS), located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island off the Panhandle coast of Florida, were highly impacted during the hurricanes of 2004 (Ivan) and 2005 (Cindy, Dennis, Katrina and Rita). In addition to the loss of or damage to natural and cultural resources within the park, damage to park infrastructure, including park access roads and utilities, occurred in areas experiencing rapid shoreline retreat. The main park road was located as close as 50 m to the pre-storm (2001) shoreline and was still under repair from damage incurred during Hurricane Ivan when the 2005 hurricanes struck. A new General Management Plan is under development for the Gulf Islands National Seashore. This plan, like the existing General Management Plan, strives to incorporate natural barrier island processes, and will guide future efforts to provide access to units of Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island. To assess changes in island geomorphology and provide data for park management, the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey are currently analyzing shoreline change to better understand long-term (100+ years) shoreline change trends as well as short-term shoreline impact and recovery to severe storm events. Results show that over an ~140-year period from the late 1800s to May 2004, the average shoreline erosion rates in the Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa units of GUIS were -0.7m/yr and -0.1 m/yr, respectively. Areas of historic erosion, reaching a maximum rate of -1.3 m/yr, correspond to areas that experienced overwash and road damage during the 2004 hurricane season. The shoreline eroded as much as ~60 m during Hurricane Ivan, and as much as ~88 m over the course of the 2005 storm season. The shoreline erosion rates in the areas where the park road was heavily damaged were as high as -70.2 m/yr over the 2004-2005 time period. Additional post-storm monitoring of these sections of the island, to assess whether erosion rates stabilize, will help to parks to determine the best long-term management strategy for the park infrastructure.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2014

Hydrogeologic framework and geologic structure of the Floridan aquifer system and intermediate confining unit in the Lake Okeechobee area, Florida

The successful implementation of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) as a water-management tool requires detailed information on the hydrologic and hydraulic properties of the potential water storage zones. This report presents stratigraphic and hydrogeologic sections of the upper part of the Floridan aquifer system and the overlying confining unit or aquifer system in the Lake Okeechobee area, and contour maps of the upper contacts of the Ocala Limestone and the Arcadia Formation, which are represented in the sections. The sections and maps illustrate hydrogeologic factors such as confinement of potential storage zones, the distribution of permeability within the zones, and geologic features that may control the efficiency of injection, storage, and recovery of water, and thus may influence decisions on ASR activities in areas of interest to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Florida↗
USGS2019

Fire disturbance influences endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammopiza maritima mirabilis) relative bird count

Periodicity of fire disturbance is a known driver of ecosystem function and is reported as important in both promoting and maintaining viable breeding habitat for the endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow ( Ammospiza maritima mirabilis ; CSSS). In south Florida, the CSSS serves as a fine-scale indicator of the marl and mixed-marl prairie communities of the Florida Everglades. The CSSS distribution is affected by numerous well-documented physical drivers, including water depth and fire regime. Here, we fit zero-inflated negative binomial generalized linear mixed models and used model selection to determine the relationship between CSSS bird count observations from 1992 to 2014 and the spatially-specific fire return interval on the landscape. CSSS bird count was highest at a 5–8-year fire return interval and increased linearly with the percent of cell burned (400 × 400 m cells). The results of this study can inform management plans designed to maintain existing, and promote new, marl prairie habitat for conservation of the CSSS.

Florida↗
USGS1999

Canal and wetland flow transport interaction; coupling models for canal and wetland interactions in the South Florida ecosystem

Introduction The U.S. Geological Survey is one of several agencies participating in the scientific effort to provide knowledge that can help protect and preserve the ecosystem of south Florida. One project of the intergovernmental South Florida Ecosystem Program (SFEP) is focused on developing a computer model to simulate the flow of water and analyze the transport of waterborne chemical constituents between canals and wetlands. Quantification of dynamic flows within the south Florida ecosystem is vital to understanding the implications of the residence time of water, potentially nutrient-enriched (with nitrates or phosphates) or contaminant-laden (with metals or pesticides), that can alter plant life and affect biological communities. Nutrients carried in the water conveyed by canals draining agricultural areas and dispersed into wetlands by canal discharges, by levee overflows, or by seepage are considered to be a major contributor to changes in the types of vegetation found in the Everglades. Freshwater inflows, typically of varying magnitudes and durations, not only influence the salinity of Florida Bay but also potentially carry toxic substances that can affect and alter the Bay's aquatic biota. The simulation capability being developed within the SFEP can be useful for identifying approaches to alleviate adverse impacts of excessive or deficient flows and transported constituents. Through strategic use of a simulation model, cause-and-effect relations between discharge sources, flow magnitudes, transport processes, and changes in vegetation and biota can be investigated. The effects of driving forces on nutrient cycling and contaminant transport can then be quantified, evaluated, and considered in the development of remedial management plans.

Florida↗
USGS2015

Defining conservation targets on a landscape-scale

Conservation planning, the process of deciding how to protect, conserve, enhance and(or) minimize loss of natural and cultural resources, is a fundamental process to achieve conservation success in a time of rapid environmental change. Conservation targets, the measurable expressions of desired resource conditions, are an important tool in biological planning to achieve effective outcomes. Conservation targets provide a focus for planning, design, conservation action, and collaborative monitoring of environmental trends to guide landscape-scale conservation to improve the quality and quantity of key ecological and cultural resources. It is essential to have an iterative and inclusive method to define conservation targets that is replicable and allows for the evaluation of the effectiveness of conservation targets over time. In this document, we describe a process that can be implemented to achieve landscape-scale conservation, which includes defining conservation targets. We also describe what has been accomplished to date (September 2015) through this process for the Peninsular Florida Landscape Conservation Cooperative (PFLCC).

Florida↗
USGS1978

Hydrogeologic maps of proposed flood detention area proposed by Southwest Florida Water Management District, Green Swamp area, Florida

Information about the hydrogeology of that part of the Green Swamp area which has been designated by Southwest Florida Water Management District as the flood detention area is given on seven maps. The maps show (1) core-hole numbers, (2) sand thickness, (3) clay thickness, (4) clay vertical hydraulic conductivity, (5) clay leakance, (6) depth to Floridan aquifer, and (7) altitude of top of Floridan aquifer. The data were obtained from 85 core holes drilled in 1977 and from 24 core holes drilled previously. The 127 square-mile study area is part of the headwaters of the Withlacoochee River and the Little Withlacoochee River. The data will be useful in future water-resources planning and in a concurrent interpretive study of the Green Swamp area.

Florida↗
USGS2000

Landscape-based spatially explicit species index models for everglades restoration

As part of the effort to restore the ∼10 000-km 2 Everglades drainage in southern Florida, USA, we developed spatially explicit species index (SESI) models of a number of species and species groups. In this paper we describe the methodology and results of three such models: those for the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow and the Snail Kite, and the species group model of long-legged wading birds. SESI models are designed to produce relative comparisons of one management alternative to a base scenario or to another alternative. The model outputs do not provide an exact quantitative prediction of future biotic group responses, but rather, when applying the same input data and different hydrologic plans, the models provide the best available means to compare the relative response of the biotic groups. We compared four alternative hydrologic management scenarios to a base scenario (i.e., predicted conditions assuming that current water management practices continue). We ranked the results of the comparisons for each set of models. No one scenario was beneficial to all species; however, they provide a uniform assessment, based on the best available observational information, of relative species responses to alternative water-management plans. As such, these models were used extensively in the restoration planning.

Florida↗
USGS2015

Predicting ecological responses of the Florida Everglades to possible future climate scenarios: Introduction

Florida’s Everglades stretch from the headwaters of the Kissimmee River near Orlando to Florida Bay. Under natural conditions in this flat landscape, water flowed slowly downstream as broad, shallow sheet flow. The ecosystem is markedly different now, altered by nutrient pollution and construction of canals, levees, and water control structures designed for flood control and water supply. These alterations have resulted in a 50 % reduction of the ecosystem’s spatial extent and significant changes in ecological function in the remaining portion. One of the world’s largest restoration programs is underway to restore some of the historic hydrologic and ecological functions of the Everglades, via a multi-billion dollar Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. This plan, finalized in 2000, did not explicitly consider climate change effects, yet today we realize that sea level rise and future changes in rainfall (RF), temperature, and evapotranspiration (ET) may have system-wide impacts. This series of papers describes results of a workshop where a regional hydrologic model was used to simulate the hydrology expected in 2060 with climate changes including increased temperature, ET, and sea level, and either an increase or decrease in RF. Ecologists with expertise in various areas of the ecosystem evaluated the hydrologic outputs, drew conclusions about potential ecosystem responses, and identified research needs where projections of response had high uncertainty. Resource managers participated in the workshop, and they present lessons learned regarding how the new information might be used to guide Everglades restoration in the context of climate change.

Florida↗
USGS2024

Enhancing assessments of coastal wetland migration potential with sea-level rise: Accounting for uncertainty in elevation data, tidal data, and future water levels

Sea-level rise rates are predicted to surpass rates of wetland vertical adjustment in the coming decades in many areas, increasing the potential for wetland submergence. Information on where wetland migration is possible can help natural resource managers for planning land acquisition or enhancing habitat connectivity to bolster adaptation of coastal wetlands to rising seas. Elevation-based models of wetland migration are often hampered with uncertainty associated with ground surface elevation, current water levels (i.e., tides and extreme water levels), and future water levels from sea-level rise. Here, we developed an approach that involved digital elevation model error reduction and the use of Monte Carlo simulations that utilize uncertainty assumptions regarding elevation error, contemporary water levels, and future sea levels to identify potential wetland migration areas. Our analyses were developed for Duvall and Nassau Counties in northeastern Florida (USA). We focus on the migration of regularly oceanic-flooded wetlands (i.e., flooded by oceanic water daily) and irregularly oceanic-flooded wetlands (i.e., flooded by oceanic water less frequently than daily). For two relative sea-level rise scenarios based on the 0.5 m and the 1.5 m global mean sea-level rise scenarios, we quantified migration by wetland flooding frequency class and identified land cover and land use types that are vulnerable to future exposure to oceanic waters. The variability in total coverage and relative coverage of wetland migration from our results highlights how topography and accelerated sea-level rise interact. Our wetland migration results communicate uncertainty by showing flooding frequency class as probabilistic outputs.

Florida↗
USGS1981

Subsurface injection of liquid waste in Florida, United States of America

In 1979, liquid waste was injected into the subsurface of Florida by 10 injection systems at an aggregate average rate of 165,000 m 3 /d. All the systems inject into carbonate rocks that contain salty water. Extensive precautions are taken in the construction of the injection wells and in the monitoring of their operation to provide assurance that overlying and laterally contiguous freshwater resources do not become contaminated with either the injected waste or the saltwater displaced by the waste. Several concerns relating to the effectiveness of the confining bed above the injection zone for containing the injected wastes have arisen over the years. These concerns accentuate the value of a well-planned and implemented monitoring program from which one can evaluate the potential impact of waste injection on the subsurface environment.

Florida↗