Florida Bay Salinity Data

The raw data files contain a point ID, date of collection, salinity values in ppt, and longitude and latitude. For some dates water temperature, time of data collection, and conductivity in millisiemens were recorded. Surface salinity values for Florida Bay are available beginning in November 1994 through November 2001 and bottom salinity values from November 1994 through December 1996. The data are in comma-separated ASCII text files.

Recent algal blooms and seagrass mortality have raised concerns about the water quality of Florida Bay, particularly its nutrient content (nitrogen and phosphorous), hypersalinity, and turbidity. Water quality is closely tied to sediment transport processes because resuspension of sediments increases turbidity, releases stored nutrients, and facilitates sediment export to the reef tract. The objective of this research is to provide a better understanding of how and when sediments within Florida Bay are resuspended and deposited, to define the spatial distribution of the potential for resuspension, to delineate patterns of potential bathymetric change, and to predict the impacts of storms or seagrass die-off on bathymetry and circulation within the bay. By combining these results with the findings of other research being conducted in Florida Bay, we hope to quantify sediment export from the bay, better define the nutrient input during resuspension events, and assist in modeling circulation and water quality. Results will enable long-term sediment deposition and erosion in various regions of the bay to be integrated with data on the anticipated sea-level rise to predict future water depths and volumes. Results from this project, together with established sediment production rates, will provide the basis for a sediment budget for Florida Bay.