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Weeki Wachee River System Recommended Minimum Flows and ...

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system grid is not totally orthogonal; however, there have been many applications of orthogonal<br />

grid-based models, such as the EFDC <strong>and</strong> the Princeton Ocean Model (POM), to computational<br />

grids that aren’t totally orthogonal with satisfactory results. The length of grid cell sides in the<br />

horizontal dimension ranges from about 100 – 200 feet (30.5 – 61 meters, m). In the estuarine<br />

portion of the grid, there are 3 cells across the river’s channel. The middle cell represents a<br />

central portion of the channel that is on the order of 6.6 – 9.8 feet (2 – 3 m) deep; whereas, the<br />

two lateral cells on either side represent shallow areas on the order of 3.3 feet (1 m) or less. The<br />

EFDC employs what is called a “sigma stretched grid” in the vertical dimension. This is a model<br />

grid where the top of the top layer follows the water surface <strong>and</strong> the bottom of the bottom layer<br />

follows the estuary’s bathymetry. Four sigma layers were used in the model’s application to<br />

WWRS.<br />

The period from November 1, 2003 through February 28, 2004 was used in the calibration of the<br />

numerical model. Water surface elevation, salinity <strong>and</strong> temperature data were available to drive<br />

the Gulf boundary of the grid. Water discharge <strong>and</strong> temperature of the <strong>Weeki</strong> <strong>Wachee</strong> Spring<br />

were specified at the head of the river. In addition, a constant discharge of 45 cfs <strong>and</strong> a constant<br />

temperature of 73.4 ºF (23 ºC) were specified at Mud Spring. Although salinity at Mud Spring<br />

can often be quite high (e.g., 20 parts per thous<strong>and</strong> salt, ppt, or about 57% seawater salinity),<br />

there is no discussion in the ATM report about an assumed or measured salinity boundary<br />

condition at Mud Spring. If the modelers assumed that artesian groundwater discharges from<br />

Mud Spring were fresh, then this could be a serious error.<br />

Interior data for comparison with model results were available at 3 stations. Water surface<br />

elevation, salinity, <strong>and</strong> temperature were available at Station No. 02310551 (river kilometer 2.3<br />

= R km 2.3). At Stations Nos. 02310545 (R km 3.6) <strong>and</strong> 02310530 (R km 7.3) only water surface<br />

elevations were available. In the ATM report, Figure 3.12 clearly shows that the tide is<br />

essentially damped out at Station No. 02310530, 4.5 miles (7.3 km) above the river’s mouth,<br />

which is expected from the river’s slope over the distance inl<strong>and</strong> from the Gulf of Mexico.<br />

Figures 4.11 <strong>and</strong> 4.12 in the ATM report show the comparison of computed water elevations<br />

with the observed data at R km 3.6 <strong>and</strong> R km 2.3, respectively. Although it is difficult to see the<br />

18

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