The Potential For Wave Disturbance in Shallow Florida Lakes

Abstract

ABSTRACT We applied wave theory to calculate the extent and frequency that we would expect wave-driven surface water movements to disturb the sediments in 36 Florida lakes covering a broad range of surface areas and mean depths. The calculated per cent of the lakebed subject to wave disturbance at one time or another ranged from 6 to 100% and the per cent of the time 50% of the lakebed was disturbed ranged from 0 to 65%. The large Florida lakes, Apopka, Okeechobee, and Istokpoga showed high levels of calculated wave disturbance, which was consistent with the conclusions of previous investigations. Historic water level fluctuations in Lake Apopka were calculated to have major effects on wave disturbance in that lake. The dynamic ratio (the square root of lake surface area in square kilometers divided by the mean depth in meters) was significantly related to various measures of wave disturbance in our sample lakes. For lakes with ratio values above about 0.8 the entire lakebed was subject to wave disturbance at least some of the time. The dynamic ratio was also related to lake water quality. We found that increases in the dynamic ratio were significantly related to decreases in water quality as measured by total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll, and Secchi disk depth. Calculations of wind disturbance by waves need to be modified in lakes with extensive beds of macrophytes, where water levels change and in periods where climatic fluctuations result in changes in wind regimes.