Hydrological and Water Quality Trends through the Lens of Historical Operation Schedules in Lake Okeechobee
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 147, Issue 7
Abstract
Water management operations can drive long-term water quality patterns in nutrient-enriched lakes and reservoirs. This study identified multidecadal trends of rainfall, flow, water levels, total phosphorous (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and Chlorophyll-a in the water column and eight (dis)tributaries during four specific operation schedules (1974–1990, 1991–1999, 2000–2007, and 2008–2019) in Lake Okeechobee (Florida). We found an increasing trend in water discharges towards the Gulf of Mexico (via the Caloosahatchee River) during the dry season for the entire 46 years, and a decreasing trend in discharges towards the Atlantic Ocean (via the St. Lucie Canal) during 2008–2019. Higher flows, combined with increasing TP concentrations in the lake and the Caloosahatchee, led to significant increases in monthly TP mass loads to the Gulf of Mexico by up to 122%–158% during 2008–2019. Higher flows in the Caloosahatchee also resulted in a net TN load increase to the Gulf, despite system-wide decreases in TN concentrations. Overall, results from this study demonstrate that reservoir operations could have long-term effects on nutrient status and exports; thus, modifying operations should be considered as a potential nutrient management tool.
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Data Availability Statement
Water quantity and water quality monitoring data evaluated in this paper is available in DBHYDRO: https://my.sfwmd.gov/dbhydroplsql. Additional rainfall data came from the PRISM group: https://prism.oregonstate.edu/historical/.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the Everglades Foundation for providing a graduate scholarship to O.M.T. This manuscript was completed while M.E.A. was a McKnight Junior Faculty Fellow, supported by the Florida Education Fund. Special thanks to the peers that reviewed this manuscript and provided very valuable feedback.
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Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 147 • Issue 7 • July 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 23, 2020
Accepted: Jan 22, 2021
Published online: Apr 26, 2021
Published in print: Jul 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Sep 26, 2021
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