Storm runoff and soil erosion in south Florida as affected by water table fluctuations

ABSTRACT:

One goal of the Everglades Restoration Plan in south Florida is to increase water flow to the Everglades National Park, which may result in an elevated water table in parts of Miami-Dade County. Useful hydrologic data concerning rainfall-runoff relations, soil erosion, and water holding capacity are limited for this county. The objective of this study was to measure storm runoff, soil water retention curve, and soil erosion for the dominant soils in south Miami-Dade County under different water table regimes. Our results indicated that the rainfall-runoff relations were similar for the three dominant soil types (Perrine, Krome, and Chekika) when tested under a rainfall simulator. However, soil loss from Perrine soil was significantly greater than from Chekika and Krome soils as a result of fewer rock fragments and higher erodibility. In addition, Perrine soil had higher soil water content than did Chekika and Krome soils at any given tension. The results of this study should help water management planning that may result after alteration of the south Florida hydrology by restoration effects in the Everglades National Park.