Last updated: August 21, 2024
Article
Assessment of Estuarine Water Quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve: 2023 Data Summary
By Eric N. Starkey, SECN Aquatic Ecologist
Summary and Key Findings
In July 2023 the Southeast Coast Network assessed water-quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve as part of the National Park Service Vital Signs Monitoring Program.Monitoring was conducted following methods developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the National Coastal Assessment Program (EPA 2014). Laboratory analysis measured chlorophyll a and total and dissolved concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous. Field measurements included water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. Water clarity, which requires a Secchi depth measurement, was calculated when possible. All measured parameters were rated as good, fair, or poor based on thresholds set by the EPA (2012).
- Water clarity was rated good at nine sites (30%), fair at ten sites (33%) and poor at eleven sites (37%).
- Chlorophyll a concentrations were rated good at five sites (17%), fair at twenty-two sites (73%) and poor at three sites (10%).
- Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations were good at all thirty sites (100%).
- Dissolved inorganic phosphorus concentrations were good at four sites (13%), fair at twenty-three sites (77%) and poor at three sites (10%).
- Dissolved oxygen concentrations (bottom) were rated good at seventeen sites (57%) and fair at thirteen sites (43%).
- A water-quality condition summary index was calculated for each site sampled at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve based on the categorical assessments of chlorophyll a, DIN and DIP concentrations, dissolved oxygen, and water clarity. This summary index indicated good water-quality conditions at two sites (7%), fair at twenty-four sites (80%), and poor at four sites (13%).
- See supplemental materials to compare the distribution of good, fair, and poor ratings for each parameter across the period of record.
- Based on the EPA summary water-quality index rating, overall water-quality conditions at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve during 2023 sampling were fair.
- The EPA summary water-quality index rating for overall water-quality conditions at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is consistent with findings in 2008 and 2013, and an improvement from a poor rating in 2018.
Introduction
Overview
Due to the importance of water resources to park management from ecological, regulatory, and visitor experience perspectives, estuarine water and sediment quality in and around parks were selected to be monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Division’s Southeast Coast Network (SECN; DeVivo et al. 2008). Since 2005, the SECN has employed a multiscale approach to assess estuarine resources in seven park units located in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Data collected as part of this effort are intended help resource managers: (1) better understand ecological processes and impacts caused by development, (2) make informed management decisions, and (3) form/maintain strategic partnerships to monitor and improve water-quality conditions in and around park units. In addition, given the diverse and dynamic nature of estuaries, this monitoring is intended to capture the spatial and temporal variability of these systems.
Monitoring at permanent fixed stations using continuous data loggers and discrete samples allow for evaluation of temporal patterns in core water quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, temperature, and turbidity), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and chlorophyll a. While fixed-station monitoring provides fine resolution data to determine diel, monthly, and seasonal fluctuations in water quality, it lacks spatial extent. To fill this gap, spatial variability of water and sediment quality is determined with park-wide assessments every five years. These assessments include discrete sampling of nutrients, water quality parameters, and evaluation of sediment contaminates following methods developed by the Environmental Protection Agency-National Coastal Assessment Program. This monitoring approach leads to an understanding of the spatiotemporal status and variability of estuarine water quality and yields information useful to park management.
The SECN’s monitoring approach is extensively documented in the Protocol for Monitoring Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality in Selected Southeast Coast Network Parks: Protocol Narrative (Gregory et al. 2013; Starkey et al. 2023) and associated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Version 1.0 of the protocol (Gregory et al. 2013) was implemented between 2007 and 2018. Version 2.0 of the protocol (Starkey et al. 2023) was implemented 2019 to present and was updated to be aligned with new technology and techniques documented in revised Standard Operating Procedures. Monitoring objectives remain consistent across both versions of the protocol.
Monitoring Objectives
The Southeast Coast Network identified an overall goal of monitoring the status and trends in water and sediment quality in estuaries surrounding SECN parks. To achieve this goal, data are collected and analyzed to meet four specific monitoring objectives. These objectives remain consistent across both versions of the protocol (Gregory et al. 2013; Starkey et al. 2023) and are listed below.
- Determine diel and seasonal water-quality patterns for five core parameters (dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, pH, and turbidity) at selected coastal areas near SECN parks using fixed-station continuous data loggers.
- Determine monthly and seasonal patterns in nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and chlorophyll a at selected coastal areas near SECN parks by collecting discrete water samples.
- Determine status and spatial variability of water and nutrient conditions in estuarine waters every five years near SECN parks.
- Determine status and spatial variability of benthic sediment quality (organic contaminants, carbon, and metal levels) every 10 years in estuarine waters near SECN parks.
This report summarizes water-quality monitoring data collected during a parkwide assessment to address objectives 3 at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Data were gathered from July 24–July 27, 2023. The purpose of this document is to report the most recently collected data from the monument as part of an ongoing long-term water-quality monitoring program. This report was designed to provide water-quality monitoring data to managers as a concise summary in the context of applicable federal standards developed by the EPA. Previous synoptic assessments of water-quality conditions at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve were conducted in July 2008, August 2013, and July 2018 as part of I&M monitoring efforts (Gregory et al. 2011; Wright et al. 2013; Starkey et al. 2019).
Study Area
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve encompasses 18,600 hectares (46,000 acres) of salt marsh and coastal hammock habitat in addition to estuarine, marine, and brackish open waters (Figure 1). The park includes the seaward confluence of the Nassau and St. Johns Rivers and is along the northeastern coast of Florida in Duval County and entirely within the city limits of Jacksonville. Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve includes several rare and vulnerable natural communities including coastal strand, maritime hammock, scrub, and shell mound habitat. Other state and city parks in the area include Big and Little Talbot Island State Parks, Fort George Island Cultural State Park, Little Jetties Park, Huguenot Memorial Park, and the Sisters Creek Park and boat ramp (Anderson et al. 2005).
Water resources are an integral part of the park with approximately 75% of the protected area composed of wetlands and open water. These resources include numerous tidal creeks, portions of the Nassau and St. Johns Rivers, Sisters Creek/Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW), and the Fort George River. The park's estuarine setting serves as a vital ecological link between freshwater habitats and the ocean. The waters of Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve have been affected by land use in the surrounding watersheds. Examples of water-quality issues applicable to the park include nonpoint source pollution from urban and agricultural areas, elevated metal concentrations in the sediments of the St. Johns River, effects of several Superfund sites and landfills, and water pollution from malfunctioning septic systems within and adjacent to Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve (Anderson et al. 2005).
Methods
The water-quality assessment was conducted in estuarine waters in the vicinity of Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, following the methods developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Coastal Assessment Program. Descriptions of the water-quality parameters and the assessment criteria are from the EPA National Coastal Assessment IV Report (EPA 2012). Methods used for these assessments were adapted and integrated into protocols tailored specifically to parks in the Southeast Coast Network (Starkey et al. 2023). Site selection and sampling methodology are briefly outlined in the following sections.
In 2023, thirty sites in estuarine waters near the preserve were randomly selected for monitoring following methods developed by the EPA (Table 1, Figure 2, Stevens 1997; Stevens and Olsen 1999; Stevens and Olsen 2004). This method of randomly selecting spatially balanced sites provides managers with a statistically valid estimate of the overall conditions of the assessed resource within or around the park.
Table 1. Site name (which includes site number 01, 02, …etc.), waterbody name and location, depth, coordinates, and chemical and physical attributes of sampling sites at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, July 24–27, 2023. The table references site names used to present data in this report (Figure 2). All coordinates are in NAD83 Datum, in UTM zone 17. Salinity, pH, and water temperature measured at a depth of 0.5 meters unless water depth was too shallow in which case it was measured at 0.1 meters. [SAV—sub-aquatic vegetation; m—meters; °C—degrees Celsius; PSU—practical salinity units].
Site Name | Water Body | UTMX | UTMY | SAV | Debris | Site Depth (m) |
Water Temp (°C) |
pH | Salinity (PSU) |
TIMU01_2023 | Saint Johns River | 454905 | 3361730 | No | No | 8.5 | 29.24 | 7.93 | 25.68 |
TIMU02_2023 | Nassau River | 454720 | 3377426 | No | No | 5.6 | 29.99 | 7.95 | 33.53 |
TIMU03_2023 | Nassau River | 450743 | 3381732 | No | No | 9.2 | 30.67 | 7.82 | 31.59 |
TIMU04_2023 | Nassau River | 442983 | 3381312 | No | No | 4.8 | 29.99 | 7.25 | 17.69 |
TIMU05_2023 | Fort George River | 459749 | 3366177 | No | No | 4.4 | 30.67 | 8.17 | 35.46 |
TIMU06_2023 | Shad Creek | 458053 | 3363045 | No | No | 6.0 | 30.66 | 8.04 | 26.62 |
TIMU07_2023 | Nassau River | 453462 | 3378552 | No | No | 6.3 | 30.45 | 7.82 | 31.70 |
TIMU08_2023 | Pumpkin Hill Creek | 450617 | 3379056 | No | No | 4.8 | 31.24 | 7.75 | 30.12 |
TIMU09_2023 | Hannah Mills Creek | 454502 | 3363436 | No | No | 2.0 | 31.72 | 7.98 | 22.08 |
TIMU10_2023 | Clapboard Creek | 450635 | 3368071 | No | No | 1.4 | 30.02 | 7.51 | 19.64 |
TIMU11_2023 | Clapboard Creek | 451720 | 3364957 | No | No | 1.5 | 31.65 | 8.01 | 19.52 |
TIMU12_2023 | Back River | 451552 | 3380141 | No | No | 3.1 | 30.33 | 7.62 | 29.39 |
TIMU13_2023 | Cedar Point Creek | 452729 | 3363547 | No | No | 0.6 | 30.23 | 7.60 | 21.62 |
TIMU14_2023 | Pumpkin Hill Creek | 453635 | 3371943 | No | No | 1.0 | 31.31 | 7.50 | 28.33 |
TIMU15_2023 | Browns Creek | 450477 | 3365887 | No | No | 1.1 | 31.16 | 7.94 | 21.64 |
TIMU16_2023 | Nassau River | 456721 | 3376588 | No | No | 5.9 | 30.03 | 7.96 | 33.64 |
TIMU17_2023 | Fort George River | 458612 | 3367669 | No | No | 0.6 | 31.43 | 8.04 | 32.58 |
TIMU18_2023 | Nassau River | 455709 | 3376863 | No | No | 3.4 | 29.90 | 7.96 | 33.63 |
TIMU19_2023 | Nassau River | 449246 | 3377300 | No | No | 4.1 | 30.09 | 7.55 | 28.05 |
TIMU20_2023 | Unnamed Tributary to Nassau River | 439332 | 3383119 | No | No | 1.5 | 28.96 | 6.85 | 5.92 |
TIMU21_2023 | Mud River | 457445 | 3369563 | No | No | 1.7 | 30.85 | 7.62 | 26.44 |
TIMU22_2023 | Hannah Mills Creek | 455062 | 3363996 | No | No | 3.0 | 31.42 | 7.99 | 21.90 |
TIMU23_2023 | Sawpit Creek | 454752 | 3375095 | No | No | 6.5 | 30.75 | 7.79 | 29.94 |
TIMU24_2023 | Nassau River | 450496 | 3380944 | No | No | 1.3 | 30.15 | 7.56 | 28.99 |
TIMU25_2023 | Cedar Point Creek | 453375 | 3364609 | No | No | 0.5 | 30.16 | 7.78 | 21.88 |
TIMU26_2023 | Cedar Point Creek | 453776 | 3365674 | No | No | 0.5 | 31.15 | 7.83 | 21.75 |
TIMU27_2023 | Saint John River | 448986 | 3364934 | No | No | 10.4 | 30.41 | 7.94 | 20.67 |
TIMU28_2023 | Nassau River | 452912 | 3379592 | No | No | 0.1 | 30.22 | 7.81 | 31.87 |
TIMU29_2023 | Clapboard Creek | 451487 | 3364485 | No | No | 3.4 | 30.22 | 7.76 | 20.97 |
TIMU30_2023 | Sawpit Creek | 456212 | 3372925 | No | No | 0.6 | 30.74 | 7.55 | 28.36 |
Water-Quality Data Collection
The water-quality assessment conducted during this sampling period incorporated hydrographic profiles at 0.5–1.0 meter (1.6–3.3 feet) intervals at each site, to measure temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. Chlorophyll a and total dissolved nutrient samples were collected from 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) below the surface. Chlorophyll a samples were processed using known volumes of water samples that were filtered onto glass-fiber filters then refrigerated and submitted for laboratory analysis.
Water clarity was estimated at each site using a Secchi disk to determine light extinction depths, which were converted to light attenuation coefficients (k) using the equation: K = c / Secchi depth (in meters) where “c” is a constant that corresponds to the water body’s naturally occurring clarity conditions ( i.e., c = 1.0 for naturally turbid conditions, c = 1.4 for normal turbidity conditions, or c = 1.7 for waters supporting submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration [Smith et al. 2006; EPA 2016]). Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve uses a coefficient of 1.4 because the area experiences “normal turbidity” conditions (EPA 2016). This method of estimating water-clarity condition is generally used when information on light transmission in the water column is missing. The Southeast Coast Network is reporting derived values to maintain data consistency across other network parks. Water clarity was not assessed at sites with excessive current or depths too shallow to ascertain an accurate Secchi depth measurement. When sites were too shallow to access by boat, or when they were located in heavily trafficked channels where safety was a concern, alternate sites were used.
Water-Quality Assessment Criteria
The categorical assessments (e.g., good, fair, poor) use measurements of chlorophyll a, nutrient concentrations, bottom dissolved oxygen, and water clarity (Table 2) and are intended to characterize acutely degraded water-quality conditions at a site. The assessments do not consistently identify sites that experience occasional or infrequent hypoxia, nutrient enrichment, or decreased water clarity. Therefore, a rating of poor for the water-quality index means the site likely exhibited consistently poor conditions before or after the assessment period. If a site is designated fair or good, the site did not experience poor conditions on the date of sampling; however, the site could be characterized by poor conditions for short time periods.
Site assessments were also made using an index that combines the ratings for each parameter into a site-specific water-quality index rating. This index allows for general comparisons between sites in a park (Table 3) and can be used to summarize overall conditions in the waters around a park. This rating also allows general comparisons between parks and at the same park over time based on the percentage of sites that fall within the good, fair, or poor categories.
Table 2. Water-quality monitoring condition criteria for water-quality parameters collected by the Southeast Coast Network based on thresholds set by EPA (2012) [μg/L—micrograms per liter; mg/L—milligrams per liter].
Rating | Water Clarity (k)1 | Chlorophyll a (µg/L) | Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) (mg/L) | Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus (DIP) (mg/L) | Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Good | < 1.61 | < 5 | < 0.1 | < 0.01 | >5 |
Fair | 1.61–2.30 | 5–20 | 0.1–0.5 | 0.01–0.05 | 2–5 |
Poor | > 2.30 | > 20 | > 0.5 | > 0.05 | <2 |
Table 3. Condition criteria used for water-quality assessment summaries at individual sampling sites and parks.
Rating | Site Water-Quality Index Rating1 | Park Water-Quality Index Rating |
Good | A maximum of one indicator is rated fair, and no indicators are rated poor. | Less than 10% of sites are in poor condition, and more than 50% of sites are in good condition. |
Fair | One indicator is rated poor, or two or more indicators are rated fair. | 10% to 20% of sites are in poor condition, or 50% or less of sites are in good condition. |
Poor | Two or more of the five indicators are rated poor. | More than 20% of sites are in poor condition. |
Missing | Two components of the indicator are missing, and the available indicators do not suggest a fair or poor rating. | NA |
Results
Parameter-Based Water Condition Assessments
Figures 3–7 illustrate the spatial distribution of sampling sites and the corresponding ratings for water clarity, chlorophyll a, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and bottom-reading dissolved oxygen (DO) based on each parameter’s corresponding condition category. Inset graphs on Figures 3–7 show the proportion of sites in the assessed area that were placed in each rating category. The map and graph in Figure 8 summarize Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve’s water-quality conditions during the assessment. Site-specific water-quality data for each parameter are also presented in Table 4. For comparison with past assessments, maps and condition rating summary graphs for sample years 2008–2023 can be found in the supplementary materials.
- Water clarity was rated good at nine sites (30%), fair at ten sites (33%) and poor at eleven sites (37%).
- Chlorophyll a concentrations were rated good at five sites (17%), fair at twenty-two sites (73%) and poor at three sites (10%).
- Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations were good at all thirty sites (100%).
- Dissolved inorganic phosphorus concentrations were good at four sites (13%), fair at twenty-three sites (77%) and poor at three sites (10%).
- Dissolved oxygen concentrations (bottom) were rated good at seventeen sites (57%) and fair at thirteen sites (43%).
- A water-quality condition summary index was calculated for each site sampled at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve based on the categorical assessments of chlorophyll a, DIN and DIP concentrations, dissolved oxygen, and water clarity. This summary index indicated good water-quality conditions at two sites (7%), fair at twenty-four sites (80%), and poor at four sites (13%).
- Site water-quality condition ratings indicate that overall water-quality was better during the 2023 assessment than in 2018 (reduction of poor sites by 10%). However, there were still more sites rated as poor in 2023 than seen in the 2013 and 2008 assessments, 7% and 3% respectively.
- Chlorophyll a concentrations improved relative to the 2018 assessment and were similar to ratings in 2013 and 2008.
- See supplemental materials to compare the distribution of good, fair, and poor ratings for each parameter across the period of record.
- Based on the EPA summary water-quality index rating, overall water-quality conditions at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve during 2023 sampling were fair.
- The EPA summary water-quality index rating for overall water-quality conditions at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is consistent with findings in 2008 and 2013, and an improvement from a poor rating in 2018.
Site | Water Clarity (kd) | Chlorophyll a (μg/L) | Dissolved Oxygen (DO, mg/L) |
Dissolved Inorganic N (DIN, mg/L) |
Dissolved Inorganic P (DIP, mg/L) |
Total Dissolved Nitrogen (mg/L) |
Total Dissolved Phosphorus (mg/L) |
Site WQ Index Rating |
TIMU01_2023 | 1.8E | 3.04D | 4.8E | 0.0827D | 0.0382E | 0.06 | 0.0564 | FairE |
TIMU02_2023 | 7.0F | 6.51E | 5.3D | 0.0175D | 0.0089D | 0.05* | 0.0326 | FairE |
TIMU03_2023 | 1.4D | 14.53E | 6.3D | 0.0176D | 0.0141E | 0.05* | 0.0326 | FairE |
TIMU04_2023 | 1.4D | 11.77E | 5.7D | 0.0350D | 0.0338E | 0.58 | 0.0526 | FairE |
TIMU05_2023 | 1.8E | 1.65D | 6.0D | 0.0132D | 0.0056D | 0.05* | 0.0250 | GoodD |
TIMU06_2023 | 2.0E | 3.49D | 5.4D | 0.0557D | 0.0337E | 0.05* | 0.0488 | FairE |
TIMU07_2023 | 4.7F | 7.57E | 4.4E | 0.0213D | 0.0142E | 0.05* | 0.0326 | FairE |
TIMU08_2023 | 0.7D | 15.31E | 6.8D | 0.0207D | 0.0166E | 0.05* | 0.0325 | FairE |
TIMU09_2023 | 1.1D | 7.24E | 5.7D | 0.0688D | 0.0458E | 0.06 | 0.0593 | FairE |
TIMU10_2023 | 1.1D | 12.00E | 4.9E | 0.0595D | 0.0435E | 0.51 | 0.0622 | FairE |
TIMU11_2023 | 1.8E | 5.87E | 5.4D | 0.0694D | 0.0512F | 0.50 | 0.0678 | FairE |
TIMU12_2023 | 2.0E | 12.73E | 5.7D | 0.0419D | 0.0215E | 0.05* | 0.0517 | FairE |
TIMU13_2023 | 2.8F | 19.11E | 3.8E | 0.0398D | 0.0494E | 0.07 | 0.0695 | FairE |
TIMU14_2023 | 1.4D | 18.64E | 4.4E | 0.0207D | 0.0152E | 0.05* | 0.0458 | FairE |
TIMU15_2023 | 2.8F | 4.96D | 4.6E | 0.0794D | 0.0517F | 0.07 | 0.0709 | PoorF |
TIMU16_2023 | 1.8E | 7.66E | 5.4D | 0.0135D | 0.0077D | 0.05* | 0.0232 | FairE |
TIMU17_2023 | 1.8E | 6.03E | 5.7D | 0.0145D | 0.0130E | 0.05* | 0.0356 | FairE |
TIMU18_2023 | 1.1D | 6.34E | 5.8D | 0.0174D | 0.0087D | 0.05* | 0.0254 | GoodD |
TIMU19_2023 | 1.8E | 12.07E | 6.5D | 0.0304D | 0.0201E | 0.05* | 0.0403 | FairE |
TIMU20_2023 | 1.2D | 35.73F | 5.6D | 0.0116D | 0.0420E | 0.75 | 0.0633 | FairE |
TIMU21_2023 | 2.8F | 23.30F | 4.3E | 0.0294D | 0.0271E | 0.05* | 0.0532 | PoorF |
TIMU22_2023 | 4.7F | 5.02E | 4.4E | 0.0787D | 0.0472E | 0.06 | 0.0645 | FairE |
TIMU23_2023 | 2.8F | 7.63E | 3.3E | 0.0174D | 0.0169E | 0.05* | 0.0368 | FairE |
TIMU24_2023 | 1.8E | 11.51E | 5.7D | 0.0455D | 0.0257E | 0.06 | 0.0627 | FairE |
TIMU25_2023 | 2.3F | 5.74E | 4.2E | 0.0726D | 0.0439E | 0.06 | 0.0618 | FairE |
TIMU26_2023 | 2.8F | 6.91E | 5.0E | 0.0541D | 0.0427E | 0.06 | 0.0624 | FairE |
TIMU27_2023 | 2.8F | 2.83D | 5.5D | 0.0943D | 0.0553F | 0.07 | 0.0680 | PoorF |
TIMU28_2023 | 1.4D | 14.41E | 5.2D | 0.0222D | 0.0141E | 0.05 | 0.0308 | FairE |
TIMU29_2023 | 2. E | 5.25E | 4.6E | 0.0708D | 0.0453E | 0.06 | 0.0638 | FairE |
TIMU30_2023 | 4.7F | 26.48F | 3.6E | 0.0179D | 0.0225E | 0.05 | 0.0467 | PoorF |
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Supplemental Materials
The Supplemental Materials to accompany this summary report include maps and graphs and are available on NPS IRMA
Data Package
The data package contains data and associated metadata used in the preparation of this report
Other Reports in this Series:
- Assessment of Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, 2008. Available at: DataStore - Assessment of estuarine water and sediment quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, 2008 (nps.gov)
- Assessment of Estuarine Water Quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, 2013. Available at: DataStore - Assessment of estuarine water quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, 2013 (nps.gov)
- Assessment of Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve 2018 Data Summary. Available at: DataStore - Assessment of Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve: 2018 data summary (nps.gov)