RECOVER MAP 3.1.3.7 Landscape Pattern - Tidal Creek Delineation

River and tidal creeks through coastal wetlands of the Everglades have filled in with sediments and with the vegetation of surrounding landscapes to the point that many have greatly diminished or disappeared entirely during the past century. Restoration plans under consideration are to redirect additional freshwater inflow from the Everglades to open and sustain these waterways to a level that closely resembles historic patterns.

This project will develop and analyze cost-effective methods to determine channel surface area, boundary and cross-section morphology using boat based and airborne remote sensing techniques. The purpose is twofold: hydrodynamic modeling and monitoring. Hydrodynamic models will be used to simulate river and tidal creek levels, flows and salinities to guide these restoration efforts. These hydrodynamic models require high-resolution boundary conditions in order to produce accurate results. Monitoring changes in coastal channel and creek systems is necessary because of uncertainty regarding the flow volumes necessary to sustain them.

This study has two objectives:

1) Determine methodology to conduct geomorphic surveys of tidal rivers and creeks along the coastal ecotone of the southern Everglades. These surveys will characterize the longitudinal gradient and cross-profiles of the tidal river networks. Broad River and Trout Creek in (Florida Bay) will be used as pilot locations for initiation of this project.

2) Establish a protocol for channel characteristic mapping that will provide adequate, consistent information about different channels and changes in channels through time that can be used in Everglade process modeling and restoration impact monitoring.