Hydrogeology of deep-well disposal of liquid wastes in southwestern Florida, USA

 Deep-well injection has been used to dispose of municipal liquid wastes in southwestern Florida since 1988. The liquid wastes are injected into an extremely high-transmissivity zone of fractured dolomite in the Early Eocene Oldsmar Formation of the Floridan aquifer system; this zone is commonly referred to as the Boulder Zone. Data collected during the drilling and operational testing of southwestern Florida injection wells provide insights into the nature of the injection zone and overlying confining beds. The location of high-transmissivity zones that are capable of accepting large quantities of waste water is vertically and horizontally variable and cannot be predicted with certainty. A 40.9-m thick high-permeability interval in one injection well, for example, was absent in a well drilled only 85.4 m away. Some upward migration of low-density injected fluids has occurred, but at no site were the injected liquids detected in deep monitor wells, such as occurred at injection-well sites along the coasts of southeastern, west-central, and east-central Florida. The primary confinement of the injected liquids (i.e., deepest effective confining beds) consists of unfractured beds of low-permeability dolomite within the Oldsmar Formation, whose locations are also laterally and vertically variable. The origin and controls of the distribution of fractures in the Oldsmar Formation are poorly understood. Received, December 1997 Revised, June 1998, August 1998 Accepted, August 1998     

Evaluation of the flushing rates of Apalachicola Bay, Florida via natural geochemical tracers

We used naturally occurring radium isotopes as tracers of water exchange in Apalachicola Bay, a shallow coastal-plain estuary in northwestern Florida. The bay receives fresh water and radium from the Apalachicola River, and mixes with Gulf of Mexico waters through four inlets. We deployed moored buoys with attached Mn-fibers at several stations throughout the estuary during two summer and two winter periods. After deployment for at least one tidal cycle we measured the ratio of the two short-lived radium isotopes ²²³Ra (half-life = 11 d) and ²²⁴Ra (3.6 d) to estimate “radium ages” of the water in the bay.During our four seasonal deployments the river discharge ranged from 338 to 1016 m³ s^− 1. According to our calculations the water turnover time in the bay during these samplings ranged from 6 to 12 days. Age contours in the bay showed that winds and tides as well as river discharge influence the water movement and the residence time of freshwater in the bay. We also calculated the mean age of river water in the bay which was between 5 to 9 days during the studied periods. We suggest that this approach can be used to quantify transport processes of dissolved substances in the bay. For example, soluble nutrient or pollutant transport rates from a point source could be examined. We conclude that the radium age technique is well suited for flushing rate calculations in river dominated shallow estuaries.     

A brief summary of Dr. G. V. Rao’s research interests

A brief summary of Dr. G. V. Rao's research interests is presented. Many of his earlier studies were in conjunction with the summer Monsoon Experiment of 1979 (MONEX-79). These included: 1) the structure of the Somali jet based on aerial observations; 2) sea-level air trajectories over the equatorial Indian Ocean; 3) structural features of the east African low-level flow; 4) effects of Indian Ocean surface temperature anomaly patterns on the summer monsoon circulations; 5) structures of the monsoon low-level flow over the Arabian Sea; 6) characteristics and momentum-flux budgets of the Arabian Sea convective bands; and 7) evaporation and precipitation over the Arabian Sea during the monsoon seasons. Dr. Rao's research efforts in recent years had focused on case studies of mesocyclones spawned by tropical cyclones (TCs) in Florida using Doppler radar data and a mesoscale numerical model. These included: 1) research on tornadic mesocyclones spawned by TC Earl in 1998; 2) documentation of subtle differences between tornadic and non-tornadic mesocyclones in TC Floyd in 1999; and 3) numerical simulation of the tornadic environment observed in peninsular Florida during TC Earl in 1998. Preliminary findings show that the supercells' cold pools interacted with an existing boundary resulting in increased baroclinicity and horizontal vorticity, and a maximization of the tornado production potential by the updrafts. The model successfully simulated the mesoscale features of the mesocyclones and the tornadic environment observed during TC Earl. A 24 h simulation of accumulated rainfall within the inner domain agreed well with the observed precipitation pattern over the region.     

Examining the relationship between wetland alteration and watershed flooding in Texas and Florida

Inland flooding remains one of the greatest threats to the safety of human population in the United States (US). While few large-scale studies exist, the potential role of naturally occurring wetlands in mitigating flood duration and intensity has been widely discussed. This study examines the relationship between wetland alteration and coastal watershed flooding in Texas and Florida over a 12-year period. Specifically, we geo-reference wetland alteration permits required under Section 404 of the US Clean Water Act and correlate the number of granted permits with the degree of flooding measured by stream gauge data. Results indicate that specific types of federal permits exacerbate flooding events in coastal watersheds while controlling for various environmental and socioeconomic characteristics.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: Hillslope Processes. Binghamton Symposia in Geomorphology International Series: 16. Athol D. Abrahams , ed. The Atlas of Central America and the Caribbean. The Diagram Group . The Cultural Atlas of Islam. Isma'il R. al Faruqi and Lois Lamaya'al Faruqi . Atlas of Israel Contemporary Africa: Development, Culture and the State. Morag Bell . Fundamentals of Physical Geography. David Briggs and Peter Smithson . The Bicentennial Census: New Directions for Methodology in 1990. Constance F. Citro and Michael L. Cohen , eds . World Patterns of Modern Urban Change: Essays in Honor of Chauncy D. Harris. Michael P. Conzen , ed . New Directions for Agriculture and Agricultural Research: Neglected Dimensions and Emerging Alternatives. Kenneth A. Dahlberg , ed . Water Resources Atlas of Florida. E.A. Fernald and D.J. Patton , eds . Landscape Ecology. R.T.T. Forman and M. Godron . The Myth of the North American City: Continentalism Challenged. Michael Goldberg and John Mercer . The Permafrost Environment. Stuart A. Harris . Climate and Circulation of the Tropics. Stefan Hastenrath . The Island of South Georgia. Robert Headland . The Making of Urban Europe, 1000-1950. Paul M. Hohenberg and Lynn Hollen Lees . Bombay in Transition: The Growth and Social Ecology of a Colonial City, 1889–1980. Meera Kosambi . Plant Closings; Public or Private Choices? Richard B. McKenzie , ed . Malaysia: Tradition, Modernity and Islam. R.S. Milne and Diane K. Mauzy . Technology on the Frontier: Mining in Old Ontario. Dianne Newell . The Maritime Political Boundaries of the World. J.R.V. Prescott . Tall Office Buildings in the United States. James W. Pygman and Richard Kateley (Real Estate Research Corporation). Technology, Regions, and Policy. John Rees , ed . The United States and the Regional Organization of Asia and the Pacific: 1965-1985. W.W. Rostow . Renewable Energy: Progress, Prospects. Stephen W. Sawyer Wisconsin Foundations. Gwen Schultz . Dwelling, Place and Environment: Towards a Phenomenology of Person and World. David Seamon and Robert Mugerauer , eds . Power and Place: Canadian Urban Development in the North American Context. Gilbert A. Stelter and Alan F.J. Artibise , eds . Small Firms in Regional Economic Development: Britain, Ireland and the United States. D. J. Storey , ed . Mathematical Methods in Human Geography and Planning. A. G. Wilson and R. J. Bennett . El Niño North: Niño Effects on the Eastern Subarctic Pacific Ocean. W. S. Wooster and D. L. Fluharty , eds . The Soviet Iron and Steel Industry. Craig ZumBrunnen and Jeffrey Osleeb .     

Carbon production and export from Biscayne Bay,Florida. II. Episodic export of organic carbon

Seasonal meteorological events of high wind energy are important in the export of organic carbon from Biscayne Bay, Florida, by altering circulation and tidal flushing patterns coincident with increased resuspension. The accumulation of detrital organic carbon in the bay during productive summer months with light south-east breezes is reversed by the onset of the winter season and associated weekly cold fronts with sustained 15 knot northerly winds. The reversal of Biscayne Bay circulation patterns and increased discharge at Caesar's Creek result in an outwelling of dissolved organic carbon and particulate organic carbon. Southward advection at the seaward extremes of exchange channels prevents reintroduction of exported organic carbon by tidal currents.     

Biogeochemical classification of South Florida’s estuarine and coastal waters

South Florida’s watersheds have endured a century of urban and agricultural development and disruption of their hydrology. Spatial characterization of South Florida’s estuarine and coastal waters is important to Everglades’ restoration programs. We applied Factor Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering of water quality data in tandem to characterize and spatially subdivide South Florida’s coastal and estuarine waters. Segmentation rendered forty-four biogeochemically distinct water bodies whose spatial distribution is closely linked to geomorphology, circulation, benthic community pattern, and to water management. This segmentation has been adopted with minor changes by federal and state environmental agencies to derive numeric nutrient criteria.     

Floridians’ propensity to support ad valorem water billing increases to protect water supply: a panel evaluation

ABSTRACT

While threats to water availability are concerning worldwide, the coastal, rapidly urbanizing state of Florida, USA, is especially at risk. This study used a value approach to determine the propensity to support 10 and 50% monthly water bill increases to inform potential social marketing strategies to protect Florida’s freshwater supply from depletion. The results from five years of public opinion data indicate an increasing percentage of consumers who are willing to support the protection of Florida’s water supply since 2013, with a slight dip in 2017. Upon examination of socio-demographic characteristics, income appeared consistently as an influencer of the propensity to support water bill increases, while factors such as age and race inconsistently appeared throughout the models. Decision makers should consider the significance of income along with heterogeneity in the propensity to support water bill increases to protect Florida’s freshwater. The recommendations for application and research incorporate insights from social marketing, agricultural economics, extension education and sociology.     

Ecology of testate amoebae (thecamoebians) in subtropical Florida lakes

Fifty-seven surface sediment samples from 35 Florida lakes were collected to study testate amoebae. Seven genera, 17 species, and 28 strains were identified in the 46 sediment samples from 31 lakes that contained testate rhizopods. Seven species accounted for ≥90% of the individuals in all samples. Sediment total phosphorus (TPsed), organic matter (OM), and total carbon:total nitrogen ratio (TC:TN) were measured to assess the effect of these variables on thecamoebian assemblages. OM content was the only sediment variable that influenced presence/absence of thecamoebians. Samples with <5% OM contained no thecamoebians. Lakes with multiple surface sediment samples showed high Morisita–Horn similarity values (0.74–0.99), indicating that all sites at which samples were collected in a lake provided representative thecamoebian assemblages. No relationship was observed between thecamoebian diversity indices and sediment variables. Lake trophic state and pH were examined to explore potential water column influences on thecamoebian communities. Highest thecamoebian diversity indices were found in mesotrophic to eutrophic lakes with pH near 8.0. These results suggest that water column conditions have a greater influence on thecamoebian assemblages than do sediment variables. We used multivariate analysis to evaluate the relations between water quality variables and testate rhizopod assemblages. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that alkalinity and pH are the water column variables that most influence the relative abundance of species. Thecamoebians thus hold promise as bioindicators of acidification in Florida lakes. Thecamoebian remains in lake sediment cores should be useful to infer past anthropogenic shifts in lake pH.