A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Land Use and Water Quality in Southern Miami Dade County

Authors

Mario Londono, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Environmental Studies

First Advisor's Name

Jeff Onsted

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Assefa Melesse

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Henry Briceño

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Jed Redwine

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Keywords

land use, water quality

Date of Defense

6-25-2015

Abstract

This thesis research employs a multi-pronged analysis approach to contribute to the existing knowledge regarding land use and water quality in southern Miami Dade County. Nutrient concentrations for TP, NOx-N, and NH3-N were evaluated for water quality monitoring stations across seven canals for two time periods: 1990-2003 and 2009-2014. Overall, the sites did not surpass the mandated TP threshold but a number of sites exceeded the NOx-N and NH3-N criteria set by multiple government agencies. Statistical tests demonstrated that the sites had differing distributions, not sharing similar median concentrations. Land use classifications were derived for the area interest for the years 1994 and 2013. Regression models relating land use classifications to nutrient concentrations at various spatial scales provided mixed results. Lastly, a trend analysis for nutrient concentrations at the stations for 1990-2003 and 2009-2014 demonstrated that there were either no trends or a decreasing trend at most sites.

Identifier

FIDC000127

Recommended Citation

Londono, Mario, "A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Land Use and Water Quality in Southern Miami Dade County" (2015). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2174.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2174