Water Quality Trends at Inflows to Everglades National Park, 1977–2005

Restoration of the Florida Everglades is important for the health of the natural system, including both the "River of Grass" and its downstream estuaries. Water quality improvement is one indicator of successful restoration in this complex ecosystem. Using the period of record of 1977 through 2005, we evaluated data from seven infl ow sites to the Everglades National Park (ENP) for temporal trends of various forms of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) and analyzed them using principal component analysis and factor analysis without fl ow adjustments. Locally estimated scatter plot smoothing (LOESS) trend lines identifi ed two infl ection points (three time periods) of changing trend in total P (TP) concentration at the seven sites. Results indicated that overall water quality in ENP infl ow improved from 1977 to 2005, with signifi cant downward trends in TP concentration. Th e overall trend of TP is probably mediated by hydrology, which is evident by a negative relationship between fl ow and annual average TP concentration at the majority of stations within the available data, although additional changes in vegetation due to hydroperiod may have some eff ects. Total N (TN), total Kjeldahl N, and total organic N concentrations also generally decreased at infl ow sites. Water quality standards for TP, TN, and NH 4 + -N were exceeded at selected sites during the study period. Principle component analysis and factor analysis detected a grouping of sampling sites related to the water delivery system that could be used as indicators to better manage monitoring resources. Study results suggest that water quality data analyses could provide additional insight into the success of a restoration management plan and on how monitoring may be modifi ed for more effi cient use of resources

Evapotranspiration from successional vegetation in a deforested area of the Lake Wales Ridge, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 97-0130-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 36-37).Mode of access: Internet

Geohydrology of Osceola County, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 93-0409-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-61).Mode of access: Internet

Ground-water resources of Okeechobee County, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 94-0230-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 40-41).Mode of access: Internet

Documentation of a computer program (Streamlink) to represent direct-flow connections in a coupled ground-water and surface-water model /

Shipping list no.: 93-0338-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 39).Mode of access: Internet

An optimized network for phosphorus load monitoring for Lake Okeechobee, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 98-0009-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 28-29).Mode of access: Internet

Estimating hydraulic properties of the Floridan aquifer system by analysis of earth-tide, ocean-tide, and barometric effects, Collier and Hendry Counties, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 2004-0133-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 68-70).Mode of access: Internet

Water-resources potential of the freshwater lens at Key West, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 91-117-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 23-24).Mode of access: Internet

Hydrogeology, water quality, and distribution and sources of salinity in the Floridan aquifer system, Martin and St. Lucie Counties, Florida /

Shipping list no.: 2004-0140-P.Two maps on 2 folded leaves in pocket.Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-64).Mode of access: Internet