Nutrients Data (Lietz)

This project attempted to quantify nitrogen and phosphorus loads to Biscayne Bay based upon models developed from ordinary least squares regression techniques. It also examined which historical methods of sampling accurately represent nutrient concentrations in the water column of south Florida canals and can be used to calculate past nutrient loading. Also, water-quality trend analysis was conducted on data from two former National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) sites that have a direct impact on the south Florida ecosystem. These data sets contain measurements for nitrogen organic total, nitrogen ammonia total, nitrogen AMM+ORG total, nitrogen nitrite total, nitrogen nitrate total, nitrogen nitrite+nitrate total, phosphorus total, and orthophosphorus total from 15 sites in Miami-Dade County. The sites are: Arch Creek upstream of G-58 Biscayne Canal at S-28 near Miami Black Creek Canal below control near Goulds Comfort Canal at NW 29th Ave, Miami Coral Gables Canal at Red Road, Coral Gables Cutler Drain Canal at S-123 near Perrine Little River Canal at S-27, Miami Miami Canal at NW 36th St., Miami Military Canal upstream of S-206 Model Land Canal upstream of S-20 Mowry Canal near Homestead Princeton Canal upstream of S-20 Snake Creek Canal at S-29, North Miami Beach Snapper Creek Canal at S-22 near South Miami Tamiami Canal above S-25B, Miami.

The ecological health of bays and estuaries has become a matter of concern throughout the country. Biscayne Bay, which is a shallow, oligotrophic, subtropical estuary along the southeastern coast of Florida has been adversely impacted in certain locations by the increase in nutrient loads from tributary canals that have resulted from agricultural, urban, commercial and industrial processes. The ecological health of the Bay, as well as development of restoration efforts is dependent in part on understanding loads to the bay. This task was undertaken to determine nutrient loads from the canals discharging into Biscayne Bay National Park