Fixed-station water-quality monitoring at Canaveral National Seashore: 2005 to 2009 Data Summary

Wright, Wendy; Gregory, M.

doi:10.36967/2195998

In 2005 the National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Coast Network (SECN) began collecting water-quality data in the estuarine waters of Canaveral National Seashore as part the NPS Vital Signs monitoring program. The scope of the monitoring program includes Mosquito Lagoon and is comprised of continuous water-quality monitoring conducted by the SECN at one site and is augmented with monthly data collected at five stations by St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). The continuous-monitoring data station is located at the Canaveral National Seashore visitor center dock and collects pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, turbidity and water-level data every 30 minutes. The five stations located throughout Mosquito Lagoon are sampled by Volusia County for the SJRWMD as part of the District’s Indian River Lagoon Water-Quality Monitoring Network; data at these five stations include monthly measurements of water-clarity conditions, nutrients, and chlorophyll a levels. Both the SECN and the SJRWMD programs use methods adapted from, or compatible with, the water-quality monitoring program established by the National Estuarine Research Reserve Program. The Canaveral National Seashore fixed-station water-quality monitoring site is part of the SECN estuarine water- and sediment-quality monitoring efforts, which routinely collects data in the vicinity of seven park units along the southeastern U.S. coast. Information collected by this monitoring program will be used to help managers make better-informed decisions by understanding trends and variability related to water-quality conditions in park waters. This report only addresses the continuous data collected at one site at the Canaveral National Seashore Visitors Center. Mean monthly temperatures ranged from 16.6 °C in January and February of 2009 to 31.4 °C in August 2007. Highest water temperatures at CANA were typically observed during the late summer months of July and August with the coolest temperatures in January and February. Mean monthly salinity values averaged 35.5 ppt for this period and ranged from 27.6 ppt in June 2009 to 44.0 ppt in June 2008. Typically, lower salt concentrations were common in the winter and higher during the summer months. Rainfall events, tropical storms, and periods of drought influence salinities. Mean monthly dissolved oxygen levels ranged from 3.8 mg/L in June 2007 to 8.1 mg/L during January 2008. Mean monthly dissolved oxygen levels were typically lowest from June to October. Mean daily dissolved oxygen levels occasionally dropped below 3 mg/L during summer 2007 and fall 2009. Mean monthly pH values averaged 8.01 during this period. Almost all daily average values were between 7.5 and 8.5 except for several days during August when pH values briefly dropped below 7.0. Mean monthly turbidity ranged from 1.6 NTU in January 2008 to 34 NTUs in June 2008. Mean monthly average turbidity level for the period was 11.4 NTUs; however, mean daily turbidity values were highly variable. Water depth at the sampling site varied by 0.5 meters during the period of monitoring. From July 2005 until April 2007 and during July 2007all data collected were flagged due to lack of proper calibration procedures and instrument failures and are not shown in this report. Excluding this period, the average percentage of valid data (all parameters) collected monthly ranged from 14 % to 100 %. During this same period approximately 83 % of all data collected at this site is available for use.

Fixed-station water-quality monitoring at Canaveral National Seashore: 2005 to 2009 Data Summary

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