Integrated Modeling in South Florida Coastal Area

Coastal management in South Florida is challenging because of the complexity of several major watershed-estuarine systems and the widespread impacts from freshwater discharges to coastal areas. Coastal resources within South Florida Water Management District boundaries include: Southern Indian River Lagoon including the St. Lucie River and Estuary, Loxahatchee River and Estuary, Lake Worth Lagoon, Caloosahatchee River and Estuary, Southern Charlotte harbor, Estero Bay, Naples Bay, Biscayne Bay, and Florida Bay and the Florida Keys. Each system possesses unique characteristics and efforts to enhance our conceptual understanding of them continues on several fronts include inflow measurement, biological/water quality monitoring and modeling. In order to better understand the relationships between water management and estuarine ecosystems, an integrated modeling framework approach is being developed, including watershed modeling, ground water modeling, estuary hydrodynamic/sediment transport modeling, estuary water quality modeling, and sediment diagenesis (benthic flux) modeling. These models will eventually be linked with ecological (seagrass or oyster) models to evaluate the impacts on coastal ecosystems. The inventory of modeling efforts in each coastal water body is under development. Data and research needs and a plan for the integrated modeling approach to meet management objectives will be identified, developed and incorporated into the South Florida Coastal Ecosystem Science Plan. This work provides the foundation for completing restoration plans, increasing understanding of the ecosystems through applied scientific hypothesis-driven research, and developing technical criteria for projects and flood management planning activities that improve the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of flow to coastal water bodies from their tributary watersheds.