Download

Download Full Text (4.3 MB)

Description

The Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh is a 26-acre constructed wetland located in coastal Los Angeles, CA. The Marsh serves an important ecological function of capturing and filtering runoff from the surrounding urbanized area before it enters the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Mosquito populations in the Marsh are monitored by Los Angeles County Vector Control to prevent public health risks. Knowledge of the areas in the Marsh with the least water movement, an indication of the highest probability of mosquito breeding, may help to maximize the efficiency with which the control is being exercised. Additionally, knowledge of the marsh hydrology will assist in further research done in the area. To address this need, the study used flotation devices and GPS tracking units to collect information on surface water velocity and an electronic temperature gauge to measure water temperature in the Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh. The velocity measurements of the water at different points in the Marsh were combined to create a vector field layer edover a satellite map of the marsh to clearly show where water flow is fastest and slowest. This map can facilitate further examination of mosquito concentrations in the Marsh, as well as improve the knowledge of the Marsh’s hydrological characteristics. This research on surface flow is a crucial first step in establishing the entire Ballona Fresh water Marsh Ecosystem Monitoring Program, and the collected data will be useful for a variety of purposes.

Publication Date

2019

Surface Flow Measurements in the Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh

Share

COinS