Kissimmee River Basin Restoration: Analysis of Fractional Vegetation Cover and Latent Heat Dynamics Using MODIS Data

The current ecohydrological restoration activities at the Kissimmee River basin, South Florida were evaluated through fractional vegetation cover (FVC) changes and latent heat flux using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. A grid-based FVC was computed using scaled normalized difference vegetation index. Using the surface energy balance equation, grid-based monthly latent heat flux was computed for the period of study (2000–2004) and comparisons were made. Groundwater level data were also analyzed for selected eight groundwater monitoring wells in the basin. Results have shown that the average fractional vegetation cover and latent heat along 10 km buffer of Kissimmee River between Lake Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee was higher in 2004 than in 2000. Analysis of groundwater level data (2000–2004) showed that, the average monthly level of groundwater was increased by 20 cm and 34 cm between 2000 and 2004, and 2000 and 2003, respectively.