Developing Remote Sensing Tools to Identify Flooding Stress Risk in Avocado Trees.

South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the US Army Corps of Engineers Modified Water Deliveries MWD to the Everglades and C-111 South Dade plans are to raise the water levels in the C-111 canal and the adjacent water detention areas as part of a new management plan to increase water flow into Taylor Slough. This increase in water management stage height has resulted in increased water table stage height in the agricultural areas of southwestern Miami-Dade County. Much of this land is below 6 ft above sea level and has traditionally been covered with avocado groves. These conditions present an increased risk of flooding stress to the avocado trees which have a low flood tolerance. Remote sensing techniques were used to model these hydrogeologic changes and to identify areas that are likely to have flooding stress. LiDAR data sets are used in combination with groundwater monitoring well data sets to produce maps that display depth to water table from the soil surface. Areas were identified as having either a high, moderate, low risk of yearly flooding stress. Sample areas are being monitored for soil moisture levels and measurements of photosynthetic efficiency are taken from the avocado trees. This data should show a correlation to the depth to water table maps. This process will be a useful tool to predict impacts of sea level rise on agriculture in south Florida.