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Richard Jay Verdi

Publications and source records attributed to Richard Jay Verdi.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2009

A centennial tribute, 1906-2006: History of U.S. Geological Survey streamgaging activities for the Suwannee River at White Springs, Florida

For centuries, the banks of the Suwannee River at White Springs were considered a sacred ground where people sought refuge in its 'healing waters'. Many believed that the mineral-enriched waters cured illnesses. The U.S. Geological Survey began continuous streamgaging activities at White Springs, Florida, in 1906 after an increase in congressional appropriations and rapid town development due to growing tourism and residential population. In 1906, streamgage data was a once-per-day gage reading that were handwritten in a water-level booklet by a local observer with discharge measurements taken every 6 to 8 weeks by a hydrographer. In 2006, real-time data were recorded at 1-hour increments and transmitted to U.S. Geological Survey computer networks using the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, thus enabling the general public to access readings within minutes of the actual measurement. Additional data and measurements are taken and made available for high or low flows that occur during significant floods and droughts. The gage at White Springs has recorded several historic hydrologic events that affected the Suwannee River and surrounding areas. Major droughts include those during 1931-35, 1949-57, and 1998-2002. Severe floods occurred in 1948, 1973, and 2004. On April 10, 1973, the discharge was 38,100 cubic feet per second, which is the highest recorded discharge for the period of record. A flood of this magnitude is expected at a recurrence interval of about once every 200 to 500 years.

Florida↗
USGS2009

Hydrologic Conditions in Florida during Water Year 2007

Record-high and record-low hydrologic conditions occurred during water year 2007 (October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007) based on analyses of precipitation, surface-water flows, lake elevations, and ground-water levels. For example, the streamgage at Suwannee River at White Springs in northwest Florida recorded an annual streamflow of 103 cubic feet per second during 2007, or about 6 percent of the period-of-record average since monitoring began in 1906. Lake Okeechobee in south Florida reached record-low elevations (8.82 feet on July 2) since monitoring began in 1912. Several wells throughout the State registered period-of-record lowest daily maximum water levels.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2007

Hydrologic conditions in northwest Florida: 2006 water year

National data for streamflow, ground-water levels, and quality of water for the 2006 water year are accessible to the public on the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Site Information Management System (SIMS) website http://web10capp.er.usgs.gov/adr06_lookup/search.jsp. This fact sheet describes data and hydrologic conditions throughout northwest Florida during the 2006 water year (fig. 1), when record-low monthly streamflow conditions were reported at several streamgage locations. Prior to 1960, these data were published in various USGS Water-Supply Papers and included water-related data collected by the USGS during the water year (October 1 to September 30). In 1961, a series of annual reports, 'Water Resources Data-Florida,' was introduced that published surface-water data. In 1964, a similar report was introduced for the purposes of publishing water-quality data. In 1975, the reports were merged to a single volume and were expanded to publish data for surface water, water quality, and ground-water levels. Formal publication of the annual report series was discontinued at the end of the 2005 water year, upon activation of the SIMS website database.

Florida↗
USGS2006

Drought of 1998-2002: impacts on Florida's hydrology and landscape

Lower than normal precipitation caused a severe statewide drought in Florida from 1998 to 2002. Based on precipitation and streamflow records dating to the early 1900s, the drought was one of the worst ever to affect the State. In terms of severity, this drought was comparable to the drought of 1949-1957 in duration and had record-setting low flows in several basins. The drought was particularly severe over the 5-year period in the northwest, northeast, and southwest regions of Florida, where rainfall deficits ranged from 9-10 in. below normal (southwest Florida) to 38-40 in. below normal (northwest Florida). Within these regions, the drought caused record-low streamflows in several river basins, increased freshwater withdrawals, and created hazardous conditions ripe for wildfires, sinkhole development, and even the draining of lakes. South Florida was affected primarily in 2001, when the region experienced below-average streamflow conditions; however, cumulative rainfall in south Florida never fell below the 30-year normal. The four regions of Florida, as referred to throughout this report, are defined based upon U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data collection regions in Florida. Record-low flows were reported at several streamflow-gaging stations throughout the State, including the Withlacoochee River at Trilby, which reached zero flow on June 10-11, 2000, for the first time during the period of record (1928-2004). Streamflow conditions varied across the State from 31 percent of average flow in 2000 in southwest Florida, to 100 percent of average in 1999 in south Florida. Low-flow recurrence intervals during the drought ranged from less than 2 years at three locations to greater than 50 years at many locations. During the 1998-2002 drought, ground-water levels at many wells across the State declined to elevations not seen in many years. At some wells, ground-water levels reached record lows for their period of record. Florida Water Management Districts responded by issuing water-shortage mandates to curb water use during the spring months of 2000. Generally, freshwater withdrawals increased 13 percent between 1995 and 2000 as a result of the dry conditions. Hundreds of new sinkholes developed across the State. Lake Jackson, in northwest Florida near Tallahassee, experienced its eighth and ninth drawdowns of the past 100 years, and became nearly dry. Numerous other lakes in northern and central Florida experienced similar events. Water restrictions were put into effect in urban areas of the northeast, southwest, and south Florida regions. Wildfires periodically raged over parts of Florida throughout the period, when tinder-dry undergrowth caught fire from lightning strikes or manmade causes. Smoke from these fires caused traffic delays as sections of major highways and interstate lanes forced traffic to slow to a crawl or were closed. Wildfire statistics (Florida Division of Forestry) show that 25,137 fires burned 1.5 million acres between 1998 and 2002. Finally, rainfall that occurred in late 2002, in 2003, and from a tropical storm and four hurricanes in 2004 ended this drought.

Circular↗
USGS2006

Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Suwannee River Water Management District, Florida, May 2005

Introduction: This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) during May 2005. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements taken at more than 400 observation wells during the period of May 1-31, 2005. A potentiometric surface is defined as an areal representation of the levels to which water would rise in tightly cased wells open to an aquifer (Fetter, 1988). Since these water-level measurements from the Upper Floridan aquifer were taken over a 31-day period, they do not represent a 'snapshot' of the conditions at a specific date and time.

Open-File Report↗