Swath Bathymetry Sounding Data of Seven Rivers in Southwest Florida (2004) in XYZ format

During the past century, river and tidal creeks through the coastal wetlands of the Everglades have filled with sediment and vegetation of surrounding landscapes to the point that many have greatly diminished or disappeared entirely. Restoration plans are under consideration to redirect additional freshwater inflow from the Everglades to open and sustain these waterways to a level that closely resembles historic patterns. In the last 100 years, requirements for water supply and flood protection for urban areas and agriculture in South Florida have resulted in the construction of an extensive canal system to prompt drainage of water into the Atlantic Ocean rather than allowing seasonal seepage through the Everglades and Florida Bay. Water diversions and excessive nutrients and contaminants within the Everglades have decimated bird populations and driven the Florida panther to the brink of extinction. In Florida Bay, declines in sea grasses have resulted in decreasing water clarity, degradation of the food web, and resultant declines in fish populations. The data will be used for hydrodynamic modeling for determining MFL, and for PES scientific studies to improve society's understanding of the environment and assist in the sustainable use, protection, and restoration of the Everglades and other ecosystems within the Southwest region of Florida. This report serves as an archive of processed swath bathymetry data that were collected in Little Shark, Broad, Harney, Huston, Turner, Chatham, and Lopez. All rivers are located within the boundaries of Everglades National Park in 2004. All rivers are located within the boundaries of Everglades National Park in south Florida. Geographic information system data products include a XYZ data set divided by rivers and USGS quadrangle boundaries. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata.