Final Report Silver River Ecosystem Metabolism Study (2011-2012) Prepared for Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute June 2012 Prepared by Wetland Solutions, Inc. Acknowledgements This report was prepared by Wetland Solutions, Inc. (WSI) for the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) and was partially funded by a grant from the Felburn Foundation. Final Report Silver River Ecosystem Metabolism Study (2011-2012) Prepared for Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute June 2012 Prepared by Wetland Solutions, Inc. i Silver River Ecosystem Monitoring Project Table of Contents Figures ....................................................................................................................................................iii Tables ...................................................................................................................................................... iv Section 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5 Section 2.0 Methods ............................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Sampling Events ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Monitoring Stations ................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Light Measurements ................................................................................................................ 11 2.4 Secchi Disk Visibility ............................................................................................................... 12 2.5 Bathymetry ................................................................................................................................ 12 2.6 Vegetation Cover ...................................................................................................................... 12 2.7 Discharge/Stage ....................................................................................................................... 12 2.8 Solar Radiation ......................................................................................................................... 13 2.9 Metabolism ................................................................................................................................ 13 Section 3.0 Results ................................................................................................................................ 14 3.1 Water Quality ........................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1 Water Quality Sondes ...................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1 SJRWMD Water Quality Profiling ................................................................................. 15 3.1.1 Florida SPRINGWATCH Water Quality ...................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Nitrate+Nitrite-N Grab Samples .................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Light Measurements ........................................................................................................ 17 3.1.2 Secchi Disk Visibility ....................................................................................................... 27 3.1.3 Bathymetry ........................................................................................................................ 28 3.1.4 Vegetation Cover .............................................................................................................. 28 3.1.5 Discharge/Stage ............................................................................................................... 29 3.1.1 Rainfall and Solar Radiation ........................................................................................... 30 3.1.1 Metabolism ........................................................................................................................ 30 Section 4.0 Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 35 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 35 i Silver River Ecosystem Monitoring Project 4.2 Discharge ................................................................................................................................... 36 4.3 Water Clarity ............................................................................................................................ 36 4.4 Nitrate Nitrogen ....................................................................................................................... 36 4.5 Ecosystem Function ................................................................................................................. 37 4.6 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 38 4.6.1 Recommendation #1: Mandate Overall Springs Protection ...................................... 39 4.6.2 Recommendation #2: Restore Spring Flows ................................................................ 39 4.6.3 Recommendation #3: Groundwater Assessment and Protection ............................. 40 4.6.4 Recommendation #4: Restore Groundwater Quality ................................................. 40 4.6.5 Recommendation #5: Insure Effective Communication ............................................. 41 4.6.6 Recommendation #6: Document Spring Health .......................................................... 42 Section 5.0 References.......................................................................................................................... 43 ii Silver River Ecosystem Monitoring Project Table of Exhibits Figures Figure 1. Silver Springs and River Location ........................................................................................... 5 Figure 2. Silver River Multiparameter Water Quality Sonde Deployment Locations ..................... 8 Figure 3. Florida SPRINGSWATCH Silver Springs and Silver Run - Monitoring Stations ............ 9 Figure 4. Sample Sonde Deployment Showing Anchor, Sonde Housing (with HOBO Light Sensor), and Float ................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 5. Silver River Multiparameter Water Quality Sonde Deployment – April 2011 (DO, pH, Specific Conductance) .................................................................................................... 16 Figure 6. Silver River Multiparameter Water Quality Sonde Deployment – April 2011 (Temperature, Turbidity) ...................................................................................................... 17 Figure 7. Silver River Multiparameter Water Quality Sonde Deployment – October 2011 (DO, pH, Specific Conductance) .......................................................................................... 18 Figure 8. Silver River Multiparameter Water Quality Sonde Deployment – October 2011 (Temperature, Turbidity) ...................................................................................................... 19 Figure 9. Silver River Multiparameter Water Quality Sonde Deployment at the 1200m Station (Daily Average Values) ............................................................................................ 20 Figure 10. SJRWMD Dissolved Oxygen Profile, April 13, 2011 (Morning) ..................................... 21 Figure 11. SJRWMD Dissolved Oxygen Profile, April 13, 2011 (Afternoon) ................................... 22 Figure 12. SJRWMD Dissolved Oxygen Profile, April 20, 2011 ......................................................... 23 Figure 13. Florida SPRINGWATCH Program Dissolved Oxygen Measurements ......................... 24 Figure 14. Florida SPRINGWATCH Program Temperature and Specific Conductance Measurements ........................................................................................................................ 25 Figure 15. Nitrate+Nitrite-N Grab Samples ......................................................................................... 26 Figure 16. Silver River Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient and Percent Transmittance (@ 1m) Estimates ................................................................................................................................. 26 Figure 17. Silver River Water Clarity using Horizontal Secchi Distances ....................................... 27 Figure 18. Silver River Period of Record Discharge (10/1932 - 4/2012, Provisional data > 10/2011) and Stage (02/1947 - 4/2012, Provisional data > 10/2011) ............................. 31 Figure 19. Silver River 2011-2012 Discharge and Stage (Provisional data > 10/2011) ................... 32 Figure 20. Daily Total Rainfall and Average Solar Radiation in the Vicinity of the Silver River (FAWN Network - Citra and Ocklawaha Stations) ................................................ 33 Figure 21. Daily Metabolism for the MB to 1,200m Segment at Silver River .................................. 35 iii Silver River Ecosystem Monitoring Project Tables Table 1. Silver River Multiparameter Water