Robert V. Sobczak
Restoration of the Turner River has been an amazing environmental success story in south Florida. Road and canal building decades ago caused the river to dry up and virtually disappear until the NPS modified the road and canal network in the late 1980s and mid 1990s to re-direct water back into Turner River. Kayakers and canoeists were soon to follow, making this not only an ecological success story, but also a premier example of how scenic, recreational, and educational benefits can flow quickly behind the water; and how restoration success can be achieved with relatively minor re-plumbing actions.
The attached figure shows river flow relative to flows in the adjacent canal, updated through Summer 2007. The original phase of restoration work was completed in 1989, but canal flows still spiked out of system until follow-up restoration work was completed in 1996. River flows have equalled or exceeded flows in the adjacent canal for the past 10 years. Additional restoration work is needed to replenish additional waters into the river's headwater wetlands, to complement restoration flows directed directly into the river's headwater pools.
2 comments:
I was wondering if there was information available for and restoration of the flora and fauna to the Turner River area since some restoration of hydrology has occurred?
That's a good question. Hydrologic criteria has been the primary determinant to date. Flow and water level data collected by the USGS, SFWMD, and NPS has been used to show positive effect of past restoration activities in terms of better distributing surface waters into the affected wetlands. That data also highlights where strategic, and relatively minor, replumbing efforts, can further enhance restoration benefits. In terms of other ecological parameters, Audubon is monitoring fish population and diversity in this area, on both upsteam and downstream sides of the road.
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