Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
P. O. BOX 9000
MAYAGUEZ,PR 00681
Performing Department
Agri Engineering
Non Technical Summary
Estuaries and wetlands are considered the kidney of nature because they filter out sediments from surface runoff, remove excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) from urban and agricultural runoffs and regulate flooding in their surrounding. We all benefit from these functions of estuaries and wetlands, but more frequently we see the devastating effect of flooding and degradation of natural ecosystems when they disappear due to anthropogenic intervention and are no longer able to execute their function in nature. The purpose of this project is to protect estuaries and wetlands by developing a methodology to identify them and delineate their topographic boundaries using ground base remote sensing and geographic information systems. Accurate wetland delineation constitutes the cornerstone for the development of adequate management and protective guidelines, as well as the foundation for establishing sustainable land use and sustainable development efforts in surrounding communities.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
50%
Developmental
40%
Goals / Objectives
1. Conduct a detailed literature review of coastal estuaries in Puerto Rico and past supporting data (topographic, DEM, groundwater equipotential headings) used to define the current delineation used by local and federal agencies in Puerto Rico.2. Delineate the water divide of the San Juan Bay Estuary and its catchment area using the updated methodology that uses modern data sets including surface water modeling, remote sensing (ground base or satellite imagery) and high-resolution LiDAR's derived DEMs.3. Apply the validated methodology in Objective 2 to estuary systems in selected alluvial valleys in the north and western Puerto Rico.
Project Methods
Objective 1: Conduct a detailed survey of coastal estuaries in Puerto Rico and past supporting data (topographic, DEM, groundwater equipotential headings) used to define their current delineation. Standard methodology used for topographic mapping and watershed delineation relied upon photogrametric data. Metadata for Hydrological Unit Maps (USGS 2019) indicates that the original hydrologic unit boundary was hand-digitized on a digitizing table from USGS 7.5-minute quadrangles for over 20 years period between 1980 and 2000. Therefore, the delineation of catchment area for estuaries and watersheds appears to be primarily concerned about surface hydrology runoff. We will search the literature about the historic evolution of watershed delineation in the Caribbean region of the USGS in particular Puerto Rico.Objective 2: Delineate the water divide of the San Juan Bay Estuary and its catchment area using modern data sets including available GIS tools in surface water modeling, remote sensing (ground base or satellite imagery) and high-resolution LiDAR derived DEMs. We will concentrate efforts to delineate the catchment area of the San Juan Bay estuary using digital elevation models (DEMs) commissioned by the Government of Puerto Rico and the USGS in 2010 and more recently in 2015. The latter is a LiDAR derived DEM published by NOAA Office for Coastal Management on April 1, 2019 (NOAA, 2019). This is a 1m resolution DEM that squared the island into 4,440 tiles of 1,500 m by 1,500 m each (NOAA, 2019). This LiDAR DEM requires non-vegetative vertical accuracy of 19.6 cm at a 95% confidence level at RMSEz (10cm).To determine the best methodology to delineate the SJBE we will use conventional geostatistical procedures for spatial interpolation of raster datasets (DEM and LiDAR's DEM) within a GIS platform (ArcMap-ESRI ), and mathematical algorithms discussed previously, mostly 1. Stream burning, 2. AGREE and 3. ANUDEM. The resulting delineations will be compared with existing delineation of the estuary and its watershed (CSA, 2000). A second approach for the validation of the delineation will consider National Wetland Inventory Maps (USFWS) since most estuaries fall under the protection of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (USEPA, 1972) and contain some form of wetland polygons developed by these agencies. We will compare the rational and applicability in local terrain and propose a recommendation for the SJB estuary areal polygon.For the lower elevation of the estuary we will also consider the groundwater equipotential lines developed by the USGS in previous studies of the coastal flats from the municipality of Dorado to Loíza, Puerto Rico. This study does not consider a comprehensive installation of piezometers for the monitoring of groundwater in the study area, but will consider the installation of piezometers or retrofitting old wells in specific areas when needed.