Benjamin McPherson (retired) Ronald L. Miller (retired) Arturo Torres 2005 spreadsheet http://sofia.usgs.gov/projects/index.php?project_url=wq_analysis The Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY), the Everglades National Park (EVER), and Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LOX) are water-dominated ecosystems that are susceptible to water-quality impacts. A comprehensive analysis of historical water-quality and ancillary data is needed to direct the restoration of the Everglades and the adoption of water-quality standards in BICY, EVER, and LOX because of their designations as Outstanding Florida Waters. Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY), Everglades National Park (EVER)), and Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LOX) maintain separate networks of hydrologic monitoring stations (hydrostations) for measuring the stage and quality of surface water throughout their units. The data collected at these sites provides a historical baseline for assessing hydrologic conditions and making a wide range of management decisions (both internally and externally). Surface-water stage data is relatively straight-forward to analyze, both in real time and relative to historic conditions, and has typically been conducted by in-house hydrology staff at both units. Analysis of surface water-quality data is generally regarded as being more complex because of the subtleness of trends, absence of continuous data (bi-monthly for BICY and monthly for EVER), and dependence on surface water depth and season. Collection and analysis of water-quality samples at BICY, EVER, and LOX are done under cooperative agreements with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Under these agreements, the Park Service collects the samples in the field and the SFWMD provides sampling equipment and laboratory analyses. EVER has been sampling water quality on a monthly basis at 9 "internal marsh" stations since 1984 as part of this program. BICY has been sampling water quality on a monthly basis at 10 "internal" stations since 1995 as part of this agreement, with water quality data at these sites extending as far back to 1988 (but not as part of the agreement). Water-quality data collected at the BICY and EVER stations has been archived and reported for short-time intervals (yearly and bi-yearly), but an analysis that covers all sampled parameters, extends over the full period of record, and provides comparisons between the two parks has yet to be performed. Water-quality data have been collected at 14 internal marsh sites in LOX by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for over 10 years. These samples have been analyzed by SFWMD laboratory. In 2000, a study was begun by the U.S. Geological Survey to gather, edit, and interpret selected water-quality data from a variety of sources to improve the understanding of changes in water-quality in areas impacted by human activities or in more remote and relatively unimpacted areas of the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. One purpose is to look for long-term trends and possibly relate the trends to human or natural influences on water quality such as agriculture, drought, hurricanes, changes in water management, etc. Another purpose is to interpret data from the most remote and unimpacted areas to discern, if possible, what the natural background concentrations are for water-quality constituents that have sufficient data. An attempt will be made to find correlations between available water-quality, physical, and meteorological parameters. Such analyses of water-quality and ancillary data may assist in establishing water-quality standards appropriate for the designation as Outstanding Florida Waters in both the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve. Ancillary data such as precipitation, water-level, water flow, dates of major storms, and beginning and ending dates of water-control effects will be studied to relate their timing to any noticeable changes in water quality. The initial study area was in BICY and EVER; the study area was extended into LOX in 2003. 1960 20050930 ground condition Complete None planned -81.55 -80.125 26.75 25.11 none water quality water level hydrology nutrients major ion nitrogen phosphorus carbon pesticides chloride sulfate specific conductance statistical analysis ISO 19115 Topic Category environment inlandWaters 007 012 Department of Commerce, 1995, Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 10-4, Washington, DC, National Institute of Standards and Technology United States US U.S. Department of Commerce, 1987, Codes for the identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the outlying areas of the United States, and associated areas (Federal Information Processing Standard 5-2): Washington, DC, NIST Florida FL Department of Commerce, 1990, Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, Its Possessions, and Associated Areas, FIPS 6-3, Washington, DC, National Institute of Standards and Technology Broward County Collier County Miami-Dade County Monroe County Hendry county Palm Beach County USGS Geographic Names Information System Big Cypress Swamp Big Cypress National Preserve Everglades National Park Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge none Central Everglades South East Coast SW Big Cypress WCA1 WCA2 Water Conservation Area 1 Water Conservation Area 2 None. These data are subject to change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved for official publication. Arturo Torres U. S. Geological Survey mailing and physical address

USGS Florida Integrated Science Center; FISC-Tampa 10500 University Center Drive, Suite 215

Tampa FL 33612 USA 813 975-8620 ext 128 office 813 215-4500 cell aetorres@usgs.gov http://sofia.usgs.gov/projects/wq_analysis/basemap.gif location of historic water-quality sites in Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park GIF The National Park Service collected the samples in the field and the SFWMD provideed sampling equipment and laboratory analyses. Data are provided as Excel spreadsheets. McPherson, Benjamin F. Halley, Robert 1996 report USGS Circular 1134 Reston, VA U.S. Geological Survey Southern Florida NAWQA Program publication http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1134/ McPherson, Benjamin F. Miller, Ronald L.; Haag, Kim H.; Bradner, Anne 2000 publication USGS Circular 1207 Reston, VA U.S. Geological Survey accessed as 6/27/2011 http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1207/ Miller, Ronald L. McPherson, Benjamin F.; Haag, Kim H. 1999 publication USGS Water Resources Investigations Report 99-4062 Reston, VA U.S. Geological Survey accessed as of 6/27/2011 http://fl.water.usgs.gov/Abstracts/wri99_4062_miller.html Miller, Ronald L. McPherson, Benjamin F. 2001 publication Florida Scientist v. 64, n. 1 Orlando, FL Florida Academy of Sciences accessed as of 6/27/2011 originally published in Florida Scientist, vol. 64, Winter, 2001, Number 1 http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/papers/bottom_sed/index.html Miller, Ronald L. McPherson, Benjamin F.; Sobczak, Robert; Clark, Christine 2004 publication Water Resources Investigations Report 03-4249 Tallahassee, FL U.S. Geological Survey accessed as of 6/22/2011 http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/wri/03-4249/ Miller, R. L. McPherson, B. F. 2008 publication USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5277 Reston, VA U.S. Geological Survey accessed as of 6/27/2011 http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2007/5277/ McPherson, B. F. Miller, R. L.; Sobczak, R.; Clark, C. 1997 publication USGS Fact Sheet 097-03 Tallahassee, FL U.S. Geological Survey accessed as of 6/22/2011 http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/fs/097-03/index.html not applicable Stations in Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY) have bi-monthly records while the records for Everglades National Park (EVER) and Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LOX) are monthly. The period of record varies from site to site ranging from 1932 for stage at well S-196, 1953 for Tamiami Trail discharge, 1955 for rainfall, 1959 for sulfate and stage at site P-33, and 1960 for most internal sites at EVER. The objective of this project was to analyze, summarize, and report on water-quality data collected in freshwaters in or near ENP, BCNP, and LOX over the period of record. The analysis included an evaluation of seasonal and long-term trends, spatial patterns, and possible effects of hydrologic, climatic, and human-induced perturbations. Specific objectives included: (1) determination of baseline water-quality conditions relative to the designations as Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW) and Outstanding National Resource Water (ONRW); (2) an analysis of water-quality conditions across the landscape, and at internal marsh sites relative to conditions in upstream canals; and (3) an analysis of long-term trends for selected parameters: chloride, sulfate, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and specific conductance. Water-quality and ancillary data were collected from the files of the U.S. Geological Survey, South Florida Water Management District, Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, some southern Florida County agencies, State of Florida agencies, and other sources of long-term water-quality and ancillary data. Available data was collected in electronic files from the original source. The intention was not to collect every available piece of data, but to collect data with the potential to detect long-term trends or lack thereof in chemical concentrations. Focus was on chemicals of environmental importance. Station location and description, and period of record data are stored for each sampling location in the USGS NWIS database and in the South Florida Water Management District DBHYDRO database. Station location and description, and period of record data are stored for each sampling location in the Big Cypress National Preserve's paper files. Data were reformatted, if necessary, for storage in a database at the U.S. Geological Survey Subdistrict Office in Tampa, Florida. When feasible, data was screened using chemical logic checks developed by Ronald Miller of the USGS in St. Petersburg, Florida. Various graphs and statistical evaluations were used to detect correlations between variables and trends in concentration. Selected graphs and statistical results will be incorporated into a written report of the interpretations. 2005 Work planned for FY 2004 includes evaluation of baseline water-quality conditions at selected index sites in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LNWR) and Biscayne Bay National Park (BBNP). The baseline water-quality in LNWR will be evaluated and a summary of water quality conditions published in an interpretative report. Based on consultation with scientists at BBNP, water-quality index sites in the Park will be selected and compilation started on a database of historical water quality at these sites. Completion of the database and a report for Biscayne Bay National Park are planned for FY 2005. 2005 Arturo Torres U. S. Geological Survey mailing and physical address

USGS Florida Integrated Science Center; FISC-Tampa 10500 University Center Drive, Suite 215

Tampa FL 33612 USA 813 975-8620 ext 128 office 813 215-4500 cell aetorres@usgs.gov Big Cypress National Preserve-Everglades National Park-Loxahatchee NWR Point Point 55 0.01 0.01 Decimal degrees North American Datum of 1983 Geodetic Reference System 80 6378137 298.257 National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 1.0 meters Implicit coordinate Heather S. Henkel U.S. Geological Survey mailing address

600 Fourth St. South

St. Petersburg FL 33701 USA 727 803-8747 ext 3028 727 803-2030 hhenkel@usgs.gov Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park Water and Sediment Quality The data have no implied or explicit guarantees Excel 1997 1.9 http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/rmiller/ Data may be downloaded from the SOFIA website none Heather S. Henkel U.S. Geological Survey mailing address

600 Fourth St. South

St. Petersburg FL 33701 USA 727 803-8747 ext 3028 727 803-2030 hhenkel@usgs.gov Loxahatchee NWR data Not intended to represent final and approved data. It may contain errors and may not yet be complete. Excel 2.5 http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/mcpherson/loxdata.html Data may be downloaded from the SOFIA website none 20110627 Heather Henkel U.S. Geological Survey mailing and physical address

600 Fourth Street South

St. Petersburg FL 33701 USA 727 803-8747 ext 3028 727 803-2030 sofia-metadata@usgs.gov Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998 none This metadata record may have been copied from the SOFIA website and may not be the most recent version. Please check http://sofia.usgs.gov/metadata to be sure you have the most recent version.