FLORIDA - Key Persons

Bishop Harbor (TCBH) - Data sonde deployment began at this site in April 2008. This station is located at the mouth of Bishop Harbor. This location was chosen, because Bishop Harbor was one of the least-developed harbors along the Tampa Bay Shoreline.

Donald McDonald/South Prong (IRDM) - The South Prong/Donald McDonald datasonde is attached to a piling at Donald McDonald Park's educational overlook. This station is accessible by truck and kayak.

Edwards Creek (NEEC) - The Edwards dock site is located in the northern portion of Betz Tiger Point Preserve (30.50333, -81.49472), where surrounding surface waters carry the designation of Nassau Valley State Reserve Outstanding Florida Water. Edwards Creek is neighbored by two smaller creek systems, Starrett and Samples Creek, both of which are filled by the larger-bodied Pumpkin Hill Creek. The area is a mixture of salt marshes along with pine flatwoods and maritime hammock. Substrate type consists of mudflats with emergent patches of oyster beds. This station began collecting continuous data (15-minute intervals) using an EXO2 datasonde in November of 2020.

Gamble Rogers (TMGR) - Station TMGR is located near the northern boundary of the TMAP within the southern portion of Smith Creek (ICW) just before it converges with the Halifax River (ICW). TMGR (29.43636, -81.11181) is visible from the Gamble Rogers boat ramp and kayak launch area and can be accessed by kayak or small boat. This area exhibits estuarine characteristics with freshwater inputs from the Halifax river drainage basin emptying through the marsh and into the tidal influenced Smith Creek. The site is adjacent to a 22 acres dragline ditch restoration project completed by SJRWMD in 2019, so the area is in its second year of recovery. This marsh, river confluence area where the sonde is located is comprised of mud flats, oyster beds, mangrove lined shorelines and saltwater marsh plant communities. The area provides an important nursery area for fish, shrimp, and crab caught commercially and recreationally as well as a popular birding and kayak destination for visitors.

Guana River Marsh Aquatic Preserve (GMAP), located within the boundaries of GTM Research Reserve, is unusual because it includes uplands. Nearly 12,000 acres of uplands were purchased by the state of Florida in 1984 because of their environmental sensitivity and to protect several species of endangered and threatened plants and animals. GMAP has an abundance of habitats including salt marshes, a large artificial freshwater-to-brackish water lagoon, open ocean, and a complete cross-section of a relatively undisturbed barrier island. This diversity provides habitat for a wide variety of resident and migratory wildlife. Bird rookeries, including a sizable breeding population of the endangered wood stork, are found within the preserve. The preserve also contains 13 miles of beach with high dunes (35-40 feet), stabilized by native coastal vegetation, that provide breeding and nesting habitat for sea turtles and ground-nesting shorebirds such as the threatened least tern. In 1957, an earthen dam was constructed across the Guana River creating Guana Lake. This wetland is approximately 2,400 acres, and provides both open water and marsh habitats. The drainage basin includes approximately 7,800 acres extending from the dam 17 miles north into Jacksonville Beach.

Kingsley Dock (NEKD) - The Kingsley Dock site is located at the Kingsley Plantation boat dock within the NPS Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve on Ft. George Island. Surrounding land use is predominantly natural with very limited residential development on neighboring Islands. This site and surrounding surface waters carry the dual designation of Class II Shellfish Harvesting Waters and Outstanding Florida Waters. The average depth at this site is 4.0m with a tidal range of 1.54m; the substrate type is muddy sand, with emergent oyster beds lining the immediate shoreline. Data collection began in March 2004 and remained in continuous service up until 2011.

Lofton Creek (NELN) - The Lofton Creek site is located just inside the mouth of creek from its confluence with the Nassau River. Lofton Creek is one of the largest tributaries of the Nassau River and transitions from sawgrass dominated cypress swamps to spartina and needlerush marshes within the aquatic preserve. The creek is mostly border by rural home sites with septic systems though large planned communities are being developed along the eastern bank. The meandering bends in the creeks yield steep banks and shoals with sparse oyster growth along the more saline stretches. This station is located about 10 miles north upstream of the historical NELC station. Though the site characteristics are similar, water quality characteristics at this site may differ from the historical Lofton Creek site.