Wednesday, November 7, 2007
285-18
Simulated Restoration Strategies for Isolated Wetlands in the Okeechobee Basin.
Arne E. Olsen1, James Jawitz2, and Daniel Perkins2. (1) Water Environment Research Institute of the Western Pacific, University of Guam, UOG Station, Mangilao, 96923, Guam, (2) University of Florida, University of Florida, 2169 McCarty Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611
Drainage of isolated wetlands within the Okeechobee Basin has been implicated as one potential cause of increased phosphorous flux to Lake Okeechobee. Restoring these wetlands may therefore reduce the flux of phosphorous to Lake Okeechobee. Several wetland restoration strategies were investigated using an updated version of the finite element model SUTRA. Simulations indicate that complete filling of drainage ditches with native soils is the most effective strategy for wetland restoration. Partial filling of drainage ditches reduces the flow volume and delays the time of maximum flow proportionally to the length of the filled ditch. Construction of concrete dams, however, provides only minimal changes in flow volume. This result is due to flow bypassing the dam through the relatively permeable surrounding soils. Simulations therefore indicate that considerable restoration activities are required to reduce the flow of water from the isolated wetlands of the Okeechobee Basin to Lake Okeechobee.