HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY OF PONDHAWK NATURAL AREA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL

The 80-acre Pondhawk Natural Area is located in densely populated southern Palm Beach County, Florida. Aerial photos and historical surveyor's notes indicate that, until the early 1960's, hydric conditions persisted on a portion of the site. Beginning in the 1940's, canals were constructed to drain the area, provide flood protection, and manage water supplies. This drainage lowered the water table, and standing water has not been present on the site since the early 1960's. Palm Beach County acquired the site in 1990 as part of its Environmentally Sensitive Lands Acquisition Program and is implementing plans for wetland construction to restore and maintain native ecosystems. In order to assess the effects of the County's management activities on hydrology and water quality, we have installed a network of wells and are monitoring water table elevation and major ion chemistry. This paper summarizes our conceptual model of the local hydrology based on data collected pre-wetland construction and discusses future needs for monitoring hydrology and water quality as wetland construction proceeds.