• ALGAE
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.141-153
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• 2010

Seagrass epiphyte blooms potentially have important economic and ecological consequences in Tampa Bay, one of the Gulf of Mexico's largest estuaries. As part of a Tampa Bay pilot study to monitor the impact of environmental stresses, precise characterization of epiphyte diversity is required for efficient management of affected resources. Thus, epiphyte diversity may be used as a rational basis for assessment of ecosystem health. In May 2001, epiphytic species encompassing green, brown and red macroalgae were manually collected from dense and sparse seagrass beds of Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme. A total of 20 macroalgal epiphytes, 2 Chlorophyta, 2 Phaeophyta, and 16 Rhodophyta, were found on T. testudinum and S. filiforme seagrass at the four sampling sites (Bishop Harbor, Cockroach Bay, Feather Sound, and Mariposa Key). The Rhodophyta, represented by 16 species, dominated the numbers of species. Among them, the thin-crusted Hydrolithon farinosum was the most commonly found epiphyte on seagrass leaves. Species number, as well as species frequency of epiphytes, is higher at dense seagrass sites than sparse seagrass sites. Four attachment patterns of epiphytes can be classified according to cortex and rhizoid development: 1) creeping, 2) erect, 3) creeping & erect, and 4) erect & holding. The creeping type is characterized by an encrusting thallus without a rhizoid or holdfast base. Characteristics of the erect type include a filamentous thallus with or without a cortex, and a rhizoid or holdfast base. The creeping and erect type is characterized by a filamentous thallus with a cortex and rhizoid. A filamentous thallus with a cortex, holdfast base, and host holding branch is characteristics of the erect and holdfast attachment type. This study characterized each species found on the seagrass for epiphyte identification.

• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.181-192
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• 2011

Ballasting and deballasting of shipping vessels in foreign ports have been reported worldwide as a vector of introduction of non-native aquatic plants and animals. Recently, attention has turned to ballast water as a factor in the global increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Many species of microalgae, including harmful dinoflagellate species, can remain viable for months in dormant benthic stages (cysts) in ballast sediments. Over a period of four years, we surveyed ballast water and sediment of ships docked in two ports of Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Sampling conditions encountered while sampling ballast water and sediments were vastly different between vessels. Since no single sample collection protocol could be applied, existing methods for sampling ballast were modified and new methods created to reduce time and labor necessary for the collection of high-quality, qualitative samples. Five methods were refined or developed, including one that allowed for a directed intake of water and sediments. From 63 samples, 1,633 dinoflagellate cysts and cyst-like cells were recovered. A native, cyst-forming, harmful dinoflagellate, Alexandrium balechii (Steidinger) F. J. R. Taylor, was collected, isolated, and cultured from the same vessel six months apart, indicating that ships exchanging ballast water in Tampa Bay have the potential to transport HAB species to other ports with similar ecologies, exposing them to non-native, potentially toxic blooms.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.127-135
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• 2012

This paper introduced the flow forecast modeling system that a water management agency in west central Florida, Tampa Bay Water has been operated to forecast monthly rainfall and streamflow in the Tampa Bay region, Florida. We evaluated current 1-year monthly rainfall forecasts and flow forecasts and actual observations to investigate the benefits of incorporating rainfall forecasts into monthly flow forecast. Results for rainfall forecasts showed that the observed annual cycle of monthly rainfall was accurately reproduced by the $50^{th}$ percentile of forecasts. While observed monthly rainfall was within the $25^{th}$ and $75^{th}$ percentile of forecasts for most months, several outliers were found during the dry months especially in the dry year of 2007. The flow forecast results for the three streamflow stations (HRD, MB, and BS) indicated that while the 90 % confidence interval mostly covers the observed monthly streamflow, the $50^{th}$ percentile forecast generally overestimated observed streamflow. Especially for HRD station, observed streamflow was reproduced within $5^{th}$ and $25^{th}$ percentile of forecasts while monthly rainfall observations closely followed the $50^{th}$ percentile of rainfall forecasts. This was due to the historical variability at the station was significantly high and it resulted in a wide range of forecasts. Additionally, it was found that the forecasts for each station tend to converge after several months as the influence of the initial condition diminished. The forecast period to converge to simulation bounds was estimated by comparing the forecast results for 2006 and 2007. We found that initial conditions have influence on forecasts during the first 4-6 months, indicating that FMS forecasts should be updated at least every 4-6 months. That is, knowledge of initial condition (i.e., monthly flow observation in the last-recent month) provided no foreknowledge of the flows after 4-6 months of simulation. Based on the experimental flow forecasts using the observed rainfall data, we found that the 90 % confidence interval band for flow predictions was significantly reduced for all stations. This result evidently shows that accurate short-term rainfall forecasts could reduce the range of streamflow forecasts and improve forecast skill compared to employing the stochastic rainfall forecasts. We expect that the framework employed in this study using available observations could be used to investigate the applicability of existing hydrological and water management modeling system for use of stateof-the-art climate forecasts.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.143-154
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• 2012

As demand of water resources and attentions to changes in climate (e.g., due to ENSO) increase, long/short term prediction of precipitation is getting necessary in water planning. This research evaluated the ability of MM5 to predict precipitation in the Tampa Bay region over 23 year period from 1986 to 2008. Additionally MM5 results were statistically bias-corrected using observation data at 33 stations over the study area using CDF-mapping approach and evaluated comparing to raw results for each ENSO phase (i.e., El Ni$\tilde{n}$o and La Ni$\tilde{n}$a). The bias-corrected model results accurately reproduced the monthly mean point precipitation values. Areal average daily/monthly precipitation predictions estimated using block-kriging algorithm showed fairly high accuracy with mean error of daily precipitation, 0.8 mm and mean error of monthly precipitation, 7.1 mm. The results evaluated according to ENSO phase showed that the accuracy in model output varies with the seasons and ENSO phases. Reasons for low predictions skills and alternatives for simulation improvement are discussed. A comprehensive evaluation including sensitivity to physics schemes, boundary conditions reanalysis products and updating land use maps is suggested to enhance model performance. We believe that the outcome of this research guides to a better implementation of regional climate modeling tools in water management at regional/seasonal scale.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

미래 기후 정보를 이용한 수문 환경의 단기 미래 예측은 안정적 수자원 공급을 위한 필수적 과제이다. 미국 플로리다 주 중서부 템파지역에서는 주요 수자원 중 하나인 지하수의 효과적 활용을 위해 지하수위 인공신경망 모델 (GWANN)을 개발하여 피압 대수층과 비피압 대수층에 대한 주 단위 평균 지하수위를 월별로 예측하고 그 결과를 수자원 공급 의사 결정에 반영하고 있다. 본 논문은 템파지역에 대한 GWANN 모델을 이용한 지하수위 예측 시스템을 소개하고 모델의 기후 입력 자료의 민감도를 분석함으로써 양질의 기후 정보에 대한 현 시스템의 활용성을 검토하였다. 2006년과 2007년에 대한 연구 결과, 관측 자료를 최적 예측 시나리오 (the best forecast)로 가정하여 적용한 결과는 지하수위 관측 지점에 따라 큰 차이를 보였지만 일반적으로 현 시스템 (현 시점의 실시간 주 단위 평균 강우량을 향후 4주간 동일하게 적용함) 에 비해 예측 성능이 개선되는 것으로 나타났다. 더불어 강우 관측 자료의 백분위 (percentile forecast; 20분위, 50분위, 80분위)를 강우 예측 자료로 활용한 경우에도 현 시스템과 비교하여 일부 나은 결과를 보여주었다. 그러나 지하수위 예측 모델을 활용하지 않고 현 시점의 지하 수위가 지속된다고 가정하는 경우 (na$\ddot{i}$ve model) 향후 2주간의 예측 결과가 best forecast 경우에 비해 높은 정확도를 보이는 등, GWANN 모델의 단기 예측에 대한 양질의 강우 예측 정보의 활용성은 낮으며, 향후 3주 이상에 대한 예측 성능에 있어 best forecast결과가 na$\ddot{i}$ve model 결과에 비해 높은 정확도를 보이기 시작하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 GWANN 모델의 예측 성능은 적용 기간과 지역 및 지하대수층의 특성에 따라 큰 다양성을 가지는 단점을 보여 강우 예측 자료 활용에 앞서 모델 개선의 필요성이 있다고 판단된다. 본 연구는 단기수자원 공급 계획 수립을 위하여 사용되는 지역 모델링 시스템에 대한 기후 예측정보의 활용성 평가를 위한 방법론으로 고려될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.563-569
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• 2002

To overcome the weaknesses of conventional finite difference model in pollutant dispersion modelling, the particle tracking method is used. In this study, a three dimensional particle tracking model which can be used in Princeton Ocean Model was developed and verified through the various numerical tests. Usability of the model was also confirmed through the ocean outfall modelling in Tampa Bay, Florida. As it is expected, random walk model showed the less dispersion in a range compared to the conventional finite difference model and its reason is estimated due to an error from numerical diffusion which the conventional model holds. This newly developed model is expected to be used in various ocean dispersion modelling.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.251-261
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to quantitatively estimate the settling property for fine-cohesive sediments in Keum Estuary and to evaluate the spatial variation by analyzing and comparing the local and seasonal variation of the settling properties in Keum Estuary with that of the settling properties in the other sites. After the spatial variation of physico-chemical properties such grain size distribution, the percentage of organic contents, mineralogical composition etc is investigated through experiments and analyses, interrelation between the physico-chemical properties and settling velocities and effect that the physico-chemical properties have on the quantitative variation of settling velocities were also analyzed in this study. Experimental results of settling tests shows that settling velocities of Keum Estuary mud vary in the range of two orders of magnitude (from 0.01 to 1mm/sec) over the corresponding concentration range of 0.1 to 80 g/L, and a feature of settling velocity profile is quite different in quantity as compared to those of previous studies with mud of other regions: Saemankuem, Tampa Bay, Sevem Estuary and lake Okeechobee. However, their local and seasonal variabilities within Keum Estuary appear to be insignificant.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1114-1119
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• 2004

The biofilms on pipe walls in water distribution systems are of interest since they can lead to chlorine demand, coliform growth, pipe corrosion, and water taste and odor problems. As such, the study described in this paper is part of an AWWARF and Tampa Bay Water tailored collaboration project to determine the effect of blending different source waters on the water quality in various distribution systems. The project was based on 18 independent pilot distribution systems (PDS), each being fed by a different water blend (7 finished waters blended in different proportions). The source waters compared were groundwater, surface water, and brackish water, which were treated in a variety of pilot distribution systems, including reverse osmosis (RO) (desalination), both membrane and chemical softening, and ozonation-biological activated carbon (BAC), resulting in a total of 7 different finished waters. The observations from this study consistently demonstrated that unlined ductile iron was more heavily colonized by a biomass than galvanized steel, lined ductile iron, and PVC (in that order) and that the fixed biomass accumulation was more influenced by the nature of the supporting material than by the water quality (including the secondary residual levels). However, although the bulk liquid water cultivable bacterial counts (i.e. heterotrophic plate counts or HPCs) did not increase with a greater biofilm accumulation, the results also suggested that high HPCs corresponded to a low disinfectant residual more than a high biofilm inventory. Furthermore, temperature was found to affect the biofilms, plus the AOC was important when the residual was between 0.6 and 2.0 mg $Cl_2/l$. An additional aspect of the current study was that the potential of the exoproteolytic activity (PEPA) technique was used along with a traditional so-called destructive technique in which the biofilm was scrapped off the coupon surface, resuspended, and cultivated on an R2A agar. Both techniques indicated similar trends and relative comparisons among the PDSs, yet the culturable biofilm values for the traditional method were several orders of magnitude lower than the PEPA values.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.539-542
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• 2006

The objective of this paper is to compare the applicability of assimilable organic carbon (AOC) or biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) for quantifying biodegradable organic material (BOM) and bio-stability in distribution systems for a variety of finished waters. The study the data is derived from was part of an AWWARF and Tampa Bay Water tailored collaboration project to determine the effect of blending different waters on distribution system water quality. Seven different finished waters were produced from surface, ground, or brackish water on site and fed 18 independent pilot distribution systems (PDSs), either as single finished water or as a blend of several finished waters. AOC and BDOC have often been used as indicators of bacterial regrowth potential in distribution systems. In this study, AOC was the more useful assay of the two for the BOM concentrations observed in the PDSs. BDOC did not distinguish BOM while AOC did at the low BOM levels from many of the advanced treatments (e.g. RO, $O^3/BAC$). AOC in contrast allowed much more meaningful calculations of the consumption or production of AOC as the blends passed through the PDSs even for very low BOM blends. In addition, meaningful trends corresponding to changes in heterophic plate count (HPC) were observed for AOC but not for BDOC. Moreover, AOC stability was associated with waters produced from advanced membrane treatment.