E Sciences Experience

Monroe County Residential Canal Inventory and Assessment

Monroe County requested a residential canal inventory and assessment study to develop an inventory of the residential canals in the county and compile a database of the physical characteristic of each canal that can potentially affect water quality. This database was used to develop a classification model of the canals based on physical characteristics, with recommendations for treatment technologies that would be applicable depending upon the classification.

The project consisted of the following tasks:

Compilation and Review of Existing Data – Existing data related to water quality, primarily but not exclusively pertaining to the Florida Keys, was reviewed and classified for inclusion in the study. Data that was applicable and available in an electronically compatible format were incorporated into the GIS database. All data reviewed was compiled into a report which summarized content, author, format, publisher/source and applicability to the project.

Creation of GIS Database and Canal Classification System – The purpose of this task was to develop a GIS database of canal physical attributes that could potentially impact water quality. Characteristics included: size (length, width, area), depth, whether canal was open or plugged, degree of convolution, surrounding land use, wastewater inputs, stormwater inputs, energy of water body at outfall, physical improvements, and proximity of canal to additional stressors (e.g., marina). These characteristics contributed to a canal classification that was developed to estimate the potential for water quality degradation based on the physical attributes of canals and using the canal-specific existing data. The GIS database included shape files (e.g., basemap using aerials), point files (e.g., existing water quality monitoring locations), and physical characteristics.

Evaluation of Treatment Technologies – A matrix of potential treatment technologies was developed with associated estimated costs that could be plugged into a table using the information in the GIS database.

Case Study – A case study was performed on a recently unplugged canal. The purpose of the study was to evaluate water quality in the canal since improvements were implemented and the canal system was unplugged. The study looked at trends over time, identified data gaps, and provided recommendations for monitoring future projects to assess water quality before and after improvements are implemented. Monitoring performed in conjunction with the case study included collection of salinity, turbidity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO) parameters. Samples were collected twice a day - in the morning and afternoon to assess changes during the day in parameters, particularly for DO.

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