Impacts of hurricanes on surface water flow within a wetland

Material Information

Title:
Impacts of hurricanes on surface water flow within a wetland
Series Title:
Journal of Hydrology
Creator:
Deng, Yang
Solo-Gabriele, Helena M.
Laas, Michael
Leonard, Lynn
Childers, Dan
He, Guoqing
Engel, Victor
Publisher:
Elsevier
Publication Date:
Language:
English

Notes

Abstract:
Between 2001 and 2005, seven category 3 or higher major hurricanes made landfall within the US. The hydrologic impacts of these distinct climatic phenomena frequently occurring in wetland watersheds, however, are not well understood. The focus of this study was to evaluate the impacts of hurricane wind and rainfall conditions on water velocity and water elevations within the study wetland, the Florida Everglades. Specifically water velocity data was measured near two tree islands (Gumbo Limbo (GL) and Satin Leaf (SL)) and wind speed, water elevation, and rainfall were obtained from nearby wind observation stations. During the direct impacts of the hurricanes (Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma), water speed, flow direction, and hydraulic gradients were altered, and the extent of variation was positively related to wind characteristics, with significant alterations in flow direction at depth during Hurricane Wilma due to higher wind speeds. After the direct impacts, the longer lasting effect of hurricanes (time scale of a few days) resulted in altered flow speeds that changed by 50% or less. These longer lasting changes in flow speeds may be due to the redistribution of emergent vegetation.
Citation/Reference:
Deng, Y., H. Solo-Gabriele, M. Laas, L. Leonard, D.L. Childers, G. He, V. Engel. 2010. Impacts of hurricanes on surface water flow within a wetland. Journal of Hydrology 392(3-4): 164-173.

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
Please contact the owning institution for licensing and permissions. It is the users responsibility to ensure use does not violate any third party rights.
Resource Identifier:
FI14082533