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Freshwater Flows to the East Coast

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What does this data set describe?

Title: Freshwater Flows to the East Coast
Abstract:
Discharges through 10 selected coastal control structures in Broward and Palm Beach Counties and the 16 coastal structures in Miami-Dade County, Fla., Florida, are presently computed using the theoretical discharge-coefficient ratings developed from scale modeling, theoretical discharge coefficients, and some field calibrations whose accuracies for specific sites are unknown. To achieve more accurate discharge-coefficient ratings for the coastal control structures, field discharge measurements were taken with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler at each coastal control structure under a variety of flow conditions. These measurements were used to determine computed discharge-coefficient ratings for the coastal control structures under different flow regimes: submerged orifice flow, submerged weir flow, free orifice flow, and free weir flow. Theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings for submerged orifice and weir flows were determined at the coastal control structures, and discharge ratings for free orifice and weir flows were determined at three coastal control structures. The difference between the theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings varied from structure to structure.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Swain, Eric, 1998, Freshwater Flows to the East Coast.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.45
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.05
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 26.65
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.28

  3. What does it look like?

    <http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/fs/123-96/> (GIF)
    coastal hydraulic control structures in eastern Miami-Dade County

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: Nov-1994
    Ending_Date: Sep-1996
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: report

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: east coast of Florida

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Appendix I of WRIR 98-4007 lists data for flood discharge characteristics for the coastal structures in Broward and Palm Beach counties. The data include structure, discharge rate in cubic feet/sec, degree of protection as SPF in percent, headwater elevation in feet, tailwater elevation in feet, flow regime (SWF-submerged weir flow, SOF-submerged orifice flow, FWF-free weir flow, or Pumped), for Design Flood and Structure Protection Design. Appendix II lists structural data for the coastal control structures including structure number, weir crest (net length in feet, and elevation in feet below land surface), service bridge elevation in feet, water-surface elevation in feet, number and type of gates, and size of gates in feet by height and width.

    Appendix I of WRIR 97-4079 lists data for flood discharge characteristics for the (Miami-)Dade County coastal structures. The data include structure, discharge rate in cubic feet/second, headwater elevation in feet, tailwater elevation in feet and flow regime for Design and Special Project Flood. Appendix II lists structural data for the coastal control structures including structure number, weir crest (net length in feet, and elevation in feet below land surface), service bridge elevation in feet, water-surface elevation in feet, number and type of gates, and size of gates in feet for diameter or height by width, number of barrels, size of barrels in inches, and length of barrels in feet.

    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    Determining Discharge-Coefficient Ratings for Selected Control Structures in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida, 1998, Tillis, G. M. and Swain, E. D., USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4007

    Determining discharge-coefficient ratings for coastal structures in Dade County, Florida, 1997, Swain, E.D.; Kapadia, Amit; Kone, Siaka; and others, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4079

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    Project personnel included Amit Kapadia and Gina Tillis

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Eric D. Swain
    U.S. Geological Survey
    3110 SW 9th Avenue
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    954 377-5925 (voice)
    954 377-5901 (FAX)
    edswain@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

A system of canals and levees has been constructed over the last century for the purpose of drainage, flood control, and aquifer discharge. Strategically placed control structures allow the water management officials to move water from inland areas during high-rainfall periods and retain water in dry periods. Freshwater discharged to tide through coastal structures not only affects the amount of water available for water supply in the lower east coast and the Everglades, but it also affects the biota in the Intracoastal Waterway and Biscayne Bay. Therefore, it is imperative that there be accurate ratings for these structures to predict the effects of various water restoration alternatives. Although these coastal structures are a pivotal part of the man-made system, the discharge through most of them is computed only from theoretical ratings. Actual field measurements are needed in order to determine if the theoretical ratings are adequate, and to develop more accurate ratings.

Stage measurements are made by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) or the USGS at the east coast structures. The flows through the coastal structures in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties can be computed by developing stage-discharge ratings from field measurements of flow, stage, and structure operations. Although theoretical ratings exist for the structures, no check as to the accuracy of these ratings has been made. In order to develop ratings from field measurements, discharge measurements must be made at the structure simultaneously with water level and structure operation measurements. Difficulties in making accurate discharge measurements arise from the slow flows and non-standard velocity profiles in south Florida canals. The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), which uses the Doppler shift in acoustic signals to determine water velocity and compute discharge, is ideal for measurements in slow and spatially varying velocity fields. Statistical techniques were used to determine the best-fit ratings for the structures and error analysis of the ratings.

The objective of this study was to determine discharge ratings for 10 coastal hydraulic control structures (7 in eastern Broward and 3 in southeastern Palm Beach counties as well as for 16 coastal hydraulic control structures in eastern Miami-Dade county.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: Sep-1996 (process 1 of 3)
    Most of the measurements at the Broward and Palm Beach County sites were completed. The factsheet on the Miami-Dade County measurements was approved.

    Date: Sep-1997 (process 2 of 3)
    All measurements were completed. The report for Broward and Palm Beach counties is in work. The report on Miami-Dade County measurements was approved.

    Date: Sep-1998 (process 3 of 3)
    The report for the Broward and Palm Beach counties will be completed and approved for release. Numerical models will be created to describe the flow patterns at selected site in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties that produced anomalous data. Models will be designed by January 1998 and calibrated by May 1998. In addition, analysis will be conducted on transitional flow, the flow regime that exists between orifice and weir flows. Additional measurements can be made if data appears lacking for any structure. The report on the numerical modeling is anticipated for completion by September.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Eric D. Swain
    U.S. Geological Survey
    3110 SW 9th Avenue
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    954 377-5925 (voice)
    954 377-5901 (FAX)
    edswain@usgs.gov

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

    Swain, Eric D. , 1996, Quantifying Freshwater Discharge for Coastal Hydraulic Structures in Eastern Dade County, Florida: USGS Fact Sheet 123-96, U.S. Geological Survey, Tallahassee, FL.

    Online Links:

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    all concurrent water-level, gate opening, and discharge data were collated and analyzed with a spreadsheet program

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    The same measurement techniques were used at all the control structures

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints: none

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 2)

    USGS Florida Webmasters
    3110 SW 9th Avenue
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
    USA

    not available (voice)
    GS-W-FL_Webmasters@usgs.gov

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    WRIR 98-4007

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    No warrantees are implied or explicit for the data

  4. How can I download or order the data?

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 2 of 2)

    USGS Publications Warehouse
    8505 Research Way
    Middleton, WI 53562
    USA

    608 821-3859 (voice)
    mccullou@usgs.gov

    Contact_Instructions: log onto <http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pubs/>
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    WRIR 97-4079

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    No warrantees are implied or explicit for the data

  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 25-Jul-2007
Metadata author:
Heather Henkel
U.S. Geological Survey
600 Fourth Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
USA

727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
727 803-2030 (FAX)
sofia-metadata@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

This page is <http://sofia.usgs.gov/metadata/sflwww/freshwater_east_coast.faq.html>

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
Comments and suggestions? Contact: Heather Henkel - Webmaster
Generated by mp version 2.8.18 on Wed Jul 25 14:35:07 2007