218

 1           DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
 2     DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, STATE OF FLORIDA
 3    SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE  )
      OF FLORIDA; ROTH FARMS, INC.;   )
 4    and WEDGWORTH FARMS,            )
                Petitioners,          )
 5       V                            ) DOAH Case No. 92-3038
      SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT  )
 6    DISTRICT, an agency of the State)
      of Florida, et al.,             )
 7              Respondents.          )
      FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE, INC.;)
 8    UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION;)
      and NEW HOPE SOUTH, INC.,       )
 9              Petitioners,          ) DOAH Case No. 92-3039
         V                            )
10    SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT  )
      DISTRICT, an agency of the State)
11    of Florida; et al.,             )
                Respondents.          )
12    FLORIDA FRUIT AND VEGETABLE     )
      ASSOCIATION; LEWIS POPE FARMS;  )
13    W. E. SCHLECHTER & SONS, INC.,  )
      and HUNDLEY FARMS, INC.,        )
14              Petitioners,          ) DOAH Case No. 92-3040
         V                            )
15    SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT  )
      DISTRICT, an agency of the State)
16    of Florida, et al.,             )
                Respondents.          )
17 
                          VOLUME II
18              Deposition of Steven M. Davis
   
19 
               Taken before Marianne Martini Holmes,
20   Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public in
     and for the State of Florida at large, pursuant to
21   notice of taking deposition filed by the Petitioners
     in the above cause.
22                        -   -   -
   
23   Tuesday, March 3, 1993
     319 Clematis Street
24   West Palm Beach, Florida  33401
     9:06 - 4:59 p.m.

                                                 219

 1   APPEARANCES:
 2        On behalf of the Petitioners Florida Sugar Cane League,
 3        Inc., United States Sugar Corporation, and New Hope
 4        South, Inc.:
 5             Peeples, Earl & Blank, P.A.
 6             One Biscayne Tower
 7             Suite 3636
 8             Two South Biscayne Boulevard
 9             Miami, Florida  33131
10             By:  MARK T. KOBELINSKI, ESQUIRE
11                  WILLIAM L. HYDE, ESQUIRE
12 
13        On behalf of the Petitioners Sugar Cane Growers
14        Cooperative of Florida, Roth Farms, Inc., and
15        Wedgworth Farms, Inc.:
16             Hopping, Boyd, Green & Sams
17             123 South Calhoun Street
18             Tallahassee, Florida  32314
19             By:  WILLIAM H. GREEN, ESQUIRE

                                                 220

 1   APPEARANCES:  (Continued)
 2        On behalf of the Respondent SFWMD:
 3             Popham, Haik, Schnobrich & Kaufman, Ltd.
 4             4100 One Centrust Financial Center
 5             100 Southeast Second Street
 6             Miami, Florida  33131
 7             By:  PAUL L. NETTLETON, ESQUIRE
 8 
 9        On behalf of the Intervenor, United States of America:
10             Department of Justice
11             601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
12             Fifth Floor, Room 5613
13             Washington, D.C.  20004
14             By:  STEPHEN G. BARTELL, ESQUIRE
15 
16 
17         Also Present:  W. Michael Dennis, Ph.D.
18                        Courtney T. Hackney, Ph.D.
19 

                                                 221

 1                         -  -  -
 2                      I  N  D  E  X
 3                         -  -  -
 4 
 5  WITNESS:            DIRECT  CROSS  REDIRECT  RECROSS
 6  Steven M. Davis (Continued)
 7 
    By Mr. Kobelinski    222
 8 
   
 9 
   
10                         -  -  -
11                     E X H I B I T S
12                         -  -  -
13 
14  NUMBER            PAGE NO.    DESCRIPTION
15  DAVIS EXHIBIT 3     371       Draft Memorandum dated
                                  July 27, 1989
16 
   

                                                 222

 1                 P R O C E E D I N G S
 2                         -  -  -
 3   Thereupon,
 4              Steven M. Davis,
 5   being by the undersigned Notary Public previously
 6   duly sworn, was further examined and testified as
 7   follows:
 8             THE COURT REPORTER:  Mr. Davis, you're
 9        still under oath.
10             THE WITNESS:  Okay.
11                        CONTINUED DIRECT (Steven M. Davis)
12   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
13       Q.    Good morning, Mr. Davis.
14             MR. BARTELL:  Mark, before you begin, I
15        just want to mention that I will probably be
16        leaving about an hour or so early today.
17             And just because I should have to leave
18        certainly doesn't mean that you have to end any
19        earlier than you would have planned.
20             MR. KOBELINSKI:  All right, that's fine.
21        Thank you.
22   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
23       Q.    Mr. Davis, just a reminder that you're
24   still under oath and we will be following the same
25   procedures we did yesterday.  I'll be asking you

                                                 223

 1   questions.  If at any time you don't understand a
 2   question, please state so and I'll attempt to
 3   rephrase it.
 4             If you don't know the answer to a question,
 5   please state so.  If you don't remember the answer,
 6   please tell us what you recall and qualify it in
 7   whatever way you'd like, all right?
 8       A.    All right.
 9       Q.    Okay.  Yesterday you had mentioned in
10   passing that, or I believe you had, that you had
11   changed I believe the reference was to departments in
12   the last year or two years.
13             Perhaps if you could take us through from
14   1985 forward what your duties have been at the
15   District, just briefly.
16       A.    In 1985 I was an Environmentalist IV in the
17   Environmental Sciences Division.  I directed a group
18   of researchers and continued to do data analysis
19   myself on research in the water conservation areas
20   and Kissimmee River floodplain.
21       Q.    Okay.  And who was that group of
22   researchers that you were supervising?
23       A.    Nancy Urban, Lou Toth.  I believe Pamela
24   Reeder was there during that time.  I'm, I'm not sure
25   of the chronology of when some of the staff came and

                                                 224

 1   left.
 2       Q.    Okay.  And I believe you'd mentioned
 3   yesterday that around '85 is the time that you had
 4   stopped doing your actual field work as opposed to
 5   data analysis; is that correct?
 6       A.    About 1985.
 7       Q.    All right.  Proceeding forward then from
 8   that date?
 9       A.    In May '86 I was promoted to senior
10   environmentalist in the Environmental Sciences
11   Division.  I continued my responsibilities
12   supervising research staff on the Kissimmee River and
13   the Everglades.  I also became involved in the
14   Everglades symposium and was co-chairman of the
15   Steering Committee.
16       Q.    The Everglades symposium, who sponsored
17   that?
18       A.    The Water Management District and
19   Everglades National Park.
20       Q.    Okay.  Had the research staff that you were
21   supervising, had it changed from the preceding year?
22       A.    No.
23       Q.    Okay.
24       A.    Again, I'm not sure of the chronology of
25   when people came and went, but it was essentially the

                                                 225

 1   same --
 2       Q.    Group of three?
 3       A.    -- group of three or four.
 4       Q.    Okay.  Anyone in addition to the three that
 5   you'd mentioned that you recall for '86?
 6       A.    Not that I recall.  I'd have -- I haven't
 7   really thought out when people came.  We had a couple
 8   of technicians in the group which I haven't
 9   mentioned.  I only mentioned the professional staff.
10       Q.    That's fine.
11             Any other primary duties that commenced in
12   '86?
13       A.    I led an interdisciplinary group that
14   examined the alternatives for a nutrient removal
15   system for the Knight Farm property, came up with a
16   research design, and I was a staff advisor to
17   LOTAC II concerning Everglades nutrient inputs.
18       Q.    That would be the Everglades Nutrient
19   Removal Project?
20       A.    Yes.
21       Q.    Okay.
22       A.    I was also involved in the Northeast Shark
23   River slough general design memorandum, the Holeyland
24   restoration project and a Kissimmee River tributary
25   floodplain restoration planning project and a small

                                                 226

 1   exhibit at the South Florida Science Museum.
 2       Q.    Proceeding forward then?
 3       A.    In 1989 I became a supervising professional
 4   and I had supervisory responsibility for all the
 5   staff in Environmental Sciences for a period of about
 6   a year, about 22 staff I believe at that time.
 7       Q.    That would be 22 professionals?
 8       A.    No, professionals and technicians.
 9   Probably about half of those professionals.
10       Q.    Okay.
11       A.    I continued my involvement in the
12   Everglades symposium and my involvement in the
13   planning of the Everglades Nutrient Removal Project.
14       Q.    Okay.  From '86 to '89 essentially your
15   duties had stayed the same?
16       A.    (No response).
17       Q.    Is that what you described commencing 1986,
18   May of '86?
19       A.    The supervisory responsibilities remained
20   the same, but I was involved in several additional
21   planning efforts that I've mentioned in addition to
22   simply supervising research staff.
23       Q.    Right.
24             Other than those that you've already
25   mentioned, though, was there anything else between

                                                 227

 1   '86 and '89?
 2       A.    Nothing major.
 3       Q.    Proceeding forward from 1989 then?
 4       A.    In February 1990 I served as acting
 5   assistant division director when the division
 6   director Walt Dineen died.  We had two acting
 7   division directors, myself and Dewey Worth, and I was
 8   in charge of the Everglades and Kissimmee River
 9   projects and staff and Dewey was in charge of
10   estuaries and other projects.
11       Q.    Did that change your supervision of
12   research professionals?
13       A.    Actually it cut it in half because we had,
14   I had Dewey working with half the staff, whereas
15   before I was handling the entire staff.
16       Q.    Okay.
17       A.    But I had more administrative
18   responsibilities to balance it that go along with
19   division director.
20       Q.    Advancing forward from then?
21       A.    I remained as supervising professional
22   since, and January 1992 I transferred to the Planning
23   Department and was in -- or directed the
24   environmental planning activities for what's called
25   the lower division planning which is Lake Okeechobee

                                                 228

 1   south including the Everglades and lower east coast.
 2       Q.    Now, the Planning Department, does it
 3   conduct research?
 4       A.    No.
 5       Q.    Essentially this is -- that's what you
 6   mentioned yesterday.  A year or so ago you were no
 7   longer doing any type of research activities.  Is
 8   that essentially that cutoff point?
 9       A.    During the last two, couple of years I had
10   published papers, and that was my research activity,
11   but I wasn't doing any actual field research.
12       Q.    Okay.  You had stated that after '85,
13   after --
14       A.    Yes.
15       Q.    -- or about that time you stopped field
16   research, you continued doing data analysis.
17             Has that essentially continued on through
18   January of 1992?
19       A.    Yes, data analysis and publication, yes.
20       Q.    Okay.  And that data analysis would be with
21   regard to the papers that you've published or are in
22   current process of publishing?
23       A.    Yes.
24       Q.    Proceeding forward then from the January
25   1992 date?

                                                 229

 1       A.    I'm still the senior professional in the
 2   Planning Department.
 3       Q.    I believe you mentioned yesterday you
 4   actually are the supervising professional; is that
 5   right?
 6       A.    Supervising professional.  Did I say
 7   senior?
 8             Yes, supervising professional in the
 9   Planning Department.
10             My duties shifted in, it's actually the
11   fall of 1992, about October, even though the decision
12   was made in August, to make my primary responsibility
13   the completion of the book coming out of the
14   Everglades symposium.
15       Q.    What are your other duties at this time?
16       A.    None as priorities.  Minor things come up,
17   but it's my priority.
18       Q.    Does the book take that much of your time?
19       A.    Yes.
20       Q.    You mentioned yesterday that the St. Lucie
21   Press was publishing the book.
22             Is the book being sponsored by the District
23   as the symposium was?
24       A.    And the Park, yes.
25       Q.    Who is St. Lucie Park?  Where are they --

                                                 230

 1   excuse me, Publishing?  Where are they located?
 2       A.    Delray Beach.
 3       Q.    Delray Beach?
 4             How were they selected for publisher?
 5       A.    We had an Editorial Board meeting and
 6   reviewed responses of perhaps ten presses to a book
 7   proposal we had sent out and included in those
 8   responses was St. Lucie Press, and by vote of the
 9   Editorial Board chose St. Lucie Press.
10       Q.    Okay.  Are you familiar with what the
11   ownership of the Press is, St. Lucie Press?
12       A.    It's owned by Dennis Buda, B-u-d-a.
13       Q.    Do you have a copy of the book proposal by
14   St. Lucie Press?
15       A.    Yes.
16       Q.    Is the District picking up any of the costs
17   of publication?
18       A.    No.
19       Q.    What about the Park?
20       A.    The Park is possibly going to contribute
21   about $7500 to color illustrations in the book.
22       Q.    Okay.  The remainder is being fronted by
23   St. Lucie Press?
24       A.    Yes.
25       Q.    All right.  Yesterday we were discussing

                                                 231

 1   your opinions as to the causes of cattail expansion
 2   in response to a question as to a listing of causes
 3   of expansion in addition to nutrients.  I believe
 4   your response was hydroperiod, fire and disturbance;
 5   is that correct?
 6       A.    That's correct.
 7       Q.    What is your understanding of hydroperiod?
 8   What do you mean by that term?
 9       A.    I use the term hydroperiod in the broadest
10   sense, meaning hydrologic conditions including the
11   depth, duration of flooding.
12       Q.    Do you make any distinctions between
13   hydrologic conditions which are either created due to
14   anthropogenic activities such as the diking off of
15   the water conservation areas and natural hydrologic
16   conditions?
17       A.    Well, there are differences.
18       Q.    But do they all fit within your term of
19   hydroperiod or is hydroperiod just a description of
20   the natural --
21       A.    They would all fit within my term of
22   hydroperiod.
23       Q.    Fire, I assume you're just talking about
24   fires in the Everglades.
25       A.    That's correct.

                                                 232

 1       Q.    All right.  What is meant by disturbance?
 2       A.    Disturbance would be a change in natural
 3   patterns that is not a cyclical event or a long-term
 4   trend.
 5       Q.    Could you give me a couple of examples of
 6   what a disturbance would be?
 7       A.    A severe fire, physical soil disturbance
 8   due to levee construction or dredging of a canal, a
 9   major hurricane.
10       Q.    You'd mentioned a severe fire.  However,
11   you'd also listed fire as a separate cause or factor.
12             Is fire such a, let's say, relatively
13   common factor or does it have such an impact that
14   you've listed it separately apart from disturbance?
15       A.    I would view fire as a type of disturbance.
16       Q.    Okay.  What about a severe drought, for
17   instance, a one-in-a-hundred-year drought?  Would
18   that be considered a disturbance or is that
19   essentially since it's hydroperiod, it falls under a
20   different factor in your definition?
21       A.    That would be a disturbance by that
22   definition.
23       Q.    So there can be times when a particular
24   event falls under one or more of the factors
25   resulting in the expansion of cattails; is that

                                                 233

 1   correct?
 2       A.    Fire, hydroperiod and disturbance aren't
 3   mutually exclusive terms.
 4       Q.    Would an anthropogenic change in
 5   hydroperiod be a disturbance, for instance, the
 6   period of time that WCA-3 was kept flooded?
 7             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to the form.
 8             THE WITNESS:  I don't recall what period of
 9        time WCA, that you're referring to when WCA-3 --
10   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
11       Q.    I'm sorry.  I meant to reference 2A.
12             MR. GREEN:  Does that resolve the objection
13        to form?
14             MR. NETTLETON:  (Shrugged shoulders).
15             THE WITNESS:  That would be stretching the
16        definition of disturbance.  It would be more a
17        change in hydrology.  A disturbance is usually
18        viewed as a discrete event.
19   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
20       Q.    Can one event have an impact as to both
21   hydrology and disturbance?  For instance, a canal can
22   drain an area, which would that be a disturbance in
23   your viewpoint?
24       A.    It could be.
25       Q.    Okay.  And, likewise, the drainage would

                                                 234

 1   create an alteration of hydroperiod; is that correct?
 2       A.    It could.
 3       Q.    Okay.  Are there any instances where
 4   nutrients would fall into the disturbance category,
 5   introduction of nutrients?
 6       A.    Would fall into the disturbance category?
 7   I don't understand.
 8       Q.    Well, we had discussed where fire could be
 9   a disturbance.
10             Is there any situations where nutrients can
11   be a disturbance?
12       A.    Possibly.
13       Q.    Okay.  Would you be able to think of any
14   examples?
15             MR. NETTLETON:  I'll object to the form.  I
16        mean, are you asking him for hypothetical
17        examples or actual occurrences?
18             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Same type of examples he's
19        been describing all along, counsel.
20             MR. NETTLETON:  Like a plane dropping a ton
21        of phosphorus on...
22             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Could you swear him in?
23             THE WITNESS:  That would be an example.
24   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
25       Q.    Anything other than what your counsel is

                                                 235

 1   testifying as to?
 2       A.    Again, I think nutrient additions to a
 3   system would not generally fall under the description
 4   of a disturbance but a long-term change or
 5   directional change.
 6       Q.    We discussed yesterday that Water
 7   Conservation Area 2A was your primary and practically
 8   sole area of study with regard to cattails; is that
 9   correct?
10       A.    That's correct.
11       Q.    Given both your research and the historical
12   review that you have done as to that area, could you
13   take us through what changes have occurred in Water
14   Conservation Area 2A or what is currently Water
15   Conservation Area 2A that would classify as a
16   disturbance, an example of fire or an example of
17   hydroperiod and, finally, the example of nutrients
18   that have resulted in impacts to cattail?
19             Would it be best if we just took those one
20   at a time, would that be easier for you?
21       A.    Yes.
22       Q.    All right.  Start at the top of your list
23   which is nutrients.
24             What throughout the history of Water
25   Conservation Area 2A nutrient changes have resulted

                                                 236

 1   in your opinion or had an impact upon the expansion
 2   of cattail in that area?
 3             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 4             THE WITNESS:  Nutrient supplies through the
 5        S-10 structures.
 6   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 7       Q.    Prior to the operation of the S-10
 8   structures were there any changes in nutrient
 9   patterns that had an impact upon expansion of cattail
10   in Water Conservation Area 2A?
11       A.    Not that I'm aware of.
12       Q.    Okay.  Are there any other nutrient-related
13   events which had had an impact upon expansion of
14   cattail in Water Conservation Area 2A?
15       A.    Not that I have any direct evidence for.
16       Q.    Okay.  Would the implementation of the
17   Interim Action Plan have had any impact on Water
18   Conservation Area 2A that you're aware of?
19       A.    Very likely.
20       Q.    And what was that impact?
21       A.    Increasing nutrient loads through the S-10
22   structures.
23       Q.    Okay.  Does that essentially cover
24   nutrients then?
25       A.    Yes.

                                                 237

 1       Q.    Going on to hydroperiod.  I recognize that
 2   some events, as you said, sort of cross over
 3   different areas.
 4             What events have created changes or
 5   alterations to hydroperiod, be they natural or
 6   unnatural, which have resulted in impacts upon the
 7   expansion or distribution of cattails within Water
 8   Conservation Area 2A?
 9       A.    As I mentioned yesterday, the completion of
10   construction of Water Conservation Area 2A and its
11   flooding probably allowed the replacement of willow
12   by cattail in that subsidence valley below the
13   Hillsboro Canal.
14       Q.    The Hillsboro Canal was dredged prior to
15   the completion of construction of Water Conservation
16   Area 2A, was it not?
17       A.    That's correct.
18       Q.    All right.  Would the dredging of the
19   Hillsboro Canal be the first alteration in
20   hydroperiod having an impact upon that area?
21       A.    Probably.
22       Q.    Okay.  Do you know when that was?
23       A.    Either in the Teens or early Twenties of
24   the Twentieth Century.
25       Q.    Okay.  What impacts did the Hillsboro Canal

                                                 238

 1   have on the area that is currently Water Conservation
 2   Area 2A?  You'd mentioned subsidence in the area
 3   approximately a mile south of the S-10 structures.
 4             Any other impacts?
 5       A.    That would be due to local drainage around
 6   the canal.
 7             Other than that, I don't think it's clearly
 8   understood the effects of the original canals.
 9       Q.    Prior to the construction of the levees
10   around 2A or essentially the completion of the Water
11   Conservation Area did the Hillsboro Canal result in
12   severe drainage of the area with fires in the
13   northern end of Water Conservation Area 2A or what is
14   currently Water Conservation Area 2A?
15       A.    As I just said, I don't think it's clearly
16   understood the effects of the Hillsboro Canal before
17   construction of the water conservation areas.
18       Q.    Have you reviewed any of the historical
19   accounts by the Corps of Engineers or any of the
20   state agencies as to the impacts of the Hillsboro
21   Canal or the condition of the area that is now Water
22   Conservation Area 2A prior to the construction of the
23   conservation area levees?
24       A.    There were major droughts and fires.  It's
25   hard to separate the natural causes of these droughts

                                                 239

 1   and fires from the causes induced by the construction
 2   of these canals.
 3       Q.    Once there was construction of Water
 4   Conservation Area 2A then, what impacts did that have
 5   on the hydroperiod resulting in impacts upon the
 6   cattail distribution and expansion?
 7       A.    As I just said, raising water levels
 8   probably drowned out the willows and allowed
 9   replacement by cattail in that subsidence valley.
10             From what we know about Typha domingensis,
11   deeper water would have encouraged that species along
12   with nutrient enrichment.
13       Q.    Exactly when did that cattail become
14   established in the area that was formerly willow
15   approximately a mile south of Water Conservation
16   Area 2A?
17       A.    I don't know the exact date.
18       Q.    Was it a steady overtaking or change from
19   one to the other?
20       A.    I don't know.
21       Q.    Have you done any research or done anything
22   to establish whether or not nutrients did have an
23   impact upon the change from willow to cattail?
24       A.    As I stated yesterday, what we now know
25   about the nutrient status of cattail, it would be

                                                 240

 1   unlikely it would take over without an increase in
 2   nutrient supply.
 3       Q.    Don't cattail move into a disturbed area
 4   even without a nutrient supply?
 5       A.    That's questionable.  It may well be that
 6   the disturbances in one way or another increase the
 7   nutrient supply temporarily.
 8       Q.    All right.  Then perhaps let me change my
 9   question.
10             Have any research or historical review that
11   you've done determined that nutrients from
12   agricultural runoff resulted in the establishment of
13   the cattail as opposed to -- or the changeover from
14   willow to cattail after the construction of 2A?
15       A.    Yes.
16       Q.    And what research and data would that be?
17       A.    That would be that cattail's generally
18   viewed as an early colonizer of a disturbed site but
19   generally does not persist over the time frame of
20   decades in a site without -- in areas that do not
21   have elevated nutrient supply.
22       Q.    Okay.  So if I understand your testimony,
23   you're saying that elevated nutrient supply from
24   agricultural runoff would have allowed the cattail
25   after it replaced the willow to remain there; is that

                                                 241

 1   correct?
 2       A.    That's correct.
 3       Q.    Do you have an opinion as to whether or not
 4   nutrients from agricultural runoff resulted in the
 5   establishment of the cattail site in that area in the
 6   first place?
 7       A.    No, I don't.
 8       Q.    Okay.  With regard to the Water
 9   Conservation Area 2A, we discussed yesterday there is
10   a canal essentially that runs the interior of the
11   conservation area alongside the 10 structures; is
12   that correct?
13       A.    That's correct.
14       Q.    Was that canal there prior to the
15   construction of the project or Water Conservation
16   Area 2A?
17       A.    Not to my knowledge.
18       Q.    So the construction of the levee and that
19   interior canal itself right by the area south of the
20   10 structures would have been an example of a
21   disturbance, would it?
22       A.    I'm unclear on that.
23             There was, before construction of Water
24   Conservation Area 2A there was the Hillsboro Canal in
25   a much shallower form than exists now.

                                                 242

 1             I don't know if the canal to the south of
 2   the levee was part of that canal or the canal north
 3   of the levee.  I'm assuming the canal north of the
 4   levee, but I'm not clear on that.
 5       Q.    If the canal north of the levee was the
 6   site of the original Hillsboro Canal and the canal
 7   south of the levee within Water Conservation Area 2
 8   was constructed as part of the project, would that be
 9   considered a disturbance in your opinion?
10       A.    Yes.
11       Q.    Okay.  Do you know by what date the cattail
12   stand just south of the S-10 structures, what we've
13   referred to as essentially that one mile area, became
14   established?
15       A.    I don't recall the particular year.  I've
16   looked at aerial photography from the about the mid
17   Sixties that showed that stand.
18       Q.    Okay.  How long would a disturbance from,
19   for instance, the dredging of that interior canal,
20   construction of the dike, the disturbance of the
21   soil, how long would that result in an impact on the
22   spread or establishment of cattails?
23       A.    I don't know.
24       Q.    Would the disturbance of the soils in that
25   fashion, the construction of a canal, result in a

                                                 243

 1   release of nutrients from the peat?
 2       A.    Possibly.
 3       Q.    How long would that effect last?
 4       A.    I don't know.
 5       Q.    Any other changes in hydroperiod after this
 6   initial establishment of the Water Conservation Area
 7   and the flooding that you referred to?
 8       A.    The water regulation schedule for Water
 9   Conservation Area 2A was changed in roughly 1980 to a
10   schedule with lower water levels.
11       Q.    What impact did that have upon the
12   establishment or expansion of cattails?
13       A.    There's no way to be certain.
14             I would, I would think given the deep water
15   affinity for Typha domingensis, that it would have
16   decreased the competitive ability of that species.
17       Q.    So that in your opinion would have had a
18   negative impact upon the establishment or expansion
19   of cattails?
20       A.    That's correct.
21       Q.    If I understand you correctly, it's your
22   opinion then that had the original water regulation
23   schedule for Water Conservation Area 2A, the one
24   prior to the change about 1980, had remained in
25   effect, there would have been a greater degree in

                                                 244

 1   density of cattails throughout Water Conservation
 2   Area 2A.
 3       A.    That's only hypothetical, but based on what
 4   we know about Typha domingensis, that's believable.
 5       Q.    Well, what is your opinion as to that based
 6   upon your studies and research?
 7       A.    My opinion would be that that would have a
 8   negative effect on Typha domingensis.
 9       Q.    What would have a negative effect?
10       A.    The lowered water regulation schedule.
11       Q.    I'm asking had there never been a change in
12   the water regulation schedule --
13       A.    Oh.
14       Q.    -- and that prior to 1980 higher water
15   regulation schedule remained in effect, what is your
16   opinion based upon your research and studies as to
17   the impact that would have had on the distribution
18   and spread of cattail throughout Water Conservation
19   Area 2A?
20             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
21             THE WITNESS:  I think that would continue
22        to encourage the spread of cattail.
23   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
24       Q.    Was it your opinion then that we would have
25   greater cattail under that scenario than we do today?

                                                 245

 1             MR. NETTLETON:  Same objection.
 2             THE WITNESS:  Yes.
 3   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 4       Q.    Any other changes in hydroperiod that have
 5   impacted the spread or distribution of Water
 6   Conservation Area 2A?
 7       A.    The major drought during 1989 to 1990.
 8       Q.    What effect did the drought have of 1989
 9   and 1990?
10       A.    It visibly killed back the above-ground
11   portions of cattails throughout the area.
12       Q.    Did it kill off any of the below-ground
13   portions of cattails?
14       A.    I don't know.
15       Q.    How would you establish that?
16       A.    I don't know.
17       Q.    Would the lack of regrowth of cattail in
18   that prior cattail-dominated area for a year after
19   water levels were restored be indicative of a killing
20   off of the below-ground portion of the cattail plant?
21             THE WITNESS:  Would you repeat that
22        question, please?
23               (Thereupon, a portion of the record
24                was read by the reporter.)
25             THE WITNESS:  Probably.

                                                 246

 1   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 2       Q.    Did you experience that in any of your
 3   study sites in the Urban cattail study?
 4       A.    I'd have to review the data -- or the
 5   report to look if there's any specific instance in a
 6   particular year at a particular site where we saw
 7   that.
 8       Q.    Okay.  Would the killing off of both the
 9   above-ground and below-ground portions of the cattail
10   plant be considered a long-term impact, be it as a
11   result of fire or hydroperiod or any other reason?
12       A.    Not necessarily.
13       Q.    In what instance would it not be?
14       A.    Cattail has a wind-blown seed and can very
15   rapidly recolonize a site through seed distribution.
16       Q.    Any other instances?
17       A.    Not that I can think of.
18       Q.    How quickly would that seed reestablishment
19   result?
20       A.    I don't know.
21       Q.    Okay.  Would seed reestablishment be
22   greater in a high nutrient soil concentration or low
23   nutrient soil concentration site?
24       A.    Based on my observations, I'd have to say
25   high phosphorus concentration sites.

                                                 247

 1       Q.    In fact, cattail seeds are born by both
 2   wind and water; is that correct?
 3       A.    That's correct.
 4       Q.    Okay.  Do cattail seeds always establish
 5   wherever they happen to land?
 6       A.    I don't know.
 7       Q.    What factors are necessary for a cattail
 8   seed to establish and commence growing a plant?
 9       A.    The major factor would be adequate
10   moisture.
11       Q.    Okay.  Anything else?
12       A.    A source of nutrients.
13       Q.    Okay.  Anything else?
14       A.    I don't know.
15       Q.    What would you consider adequate moisture?
16       A.    Anything from moist soil to flooded
17   conditions.
18       Q.    Can a seed establish in flooded, a cattail
19   seed establish in flooded conditions?
20       A.    I've observed that, yes.
21       Q.    How deep?  How deep a flooded condition can
22   you have an establishment of cattail plant through
23   seed?
24       A.    I don't know for sure.
25       Q.    Okay.  Is there a preferable water depth

                                                 248

 1   for the establishment of a cattail seed?
 2       A.    Not that I'm aware of.
 3       Q.    Is there a preferable depth for the
 4   establishment of a sawgrass seed?
 5       A.    To my knowledge, sawgrass seed rarely
 6   germinates in deep water conditions.
 7       Q.    What is a deep water condition?
 8       A.    Probably someplace over a foot.
 9       Q.    All right.  How much, what level nutrients
10   or what availability of nutrients would be necessary
11   for the establishment of a cattail plant?
12       A.    I don't know the specific availability.
13       Q.    Have any of your studies considered what
14   nutrients are necessary to establish a cattail plant?
15             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
16             THE WITNESS:  They'd indicate that
17        phosphorus would be the limiting nutrient in the
18        water conservation areas.
19   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
20       Q.    What level of phosphorus or phosphorus
21   availability would you require to have a cattail seed
22   establish as a plant?
23       A.    I don't know.
24       Q.    Okay.  Have any of your studies indicated
25   what that level would be?

                                                 249

 1       A.    No.
 2       Q.    How would the control of phosphorus
 3   concentrations in surface water stop the
 4   establishment of a cattail seed from growing or
 5   establishing as a plant?
 6       A.    Simply inadequate nutrition for growth.
 7       Q.    Okay.  And what would be that inadequate...
 8       A.    I don't know that level.
 9       Q.    Did any of your studies show a level at
10   which cattail seeds would not establish?
11       A.    On personal observations after the, after
12   the drought indicated that cattail seedlings were not
13   establishing themselves throughout most of the water
14   conservation areas, only in the areas below the
15   structures with major nutrient inputs.
16       Q.    Is there a particular phosphorus
17   concentration at which you will no longer see an
18   expansion of cattail?
19       A.    All I can say is that we do not see that
20   expansion under what we consider to be background
21   phosphorus concentrations in the interior portions of
22   the water conservation areas or the park.
23       Q.    All right.  In your studies how can you
24   determine whether or not a cattail plant is the
25   result of a being established from a cattail seed as

                                                 250

 1   opposed to a vegetative propagule?
 2       A.    By digging up the plant.
 3       Q.    And have you done that?
 4       A.    No.
 5             There's one other way you could tell.
 6   Simply if there's a single cattail seedling coming up
 7   with no other cattails in the immediate vicinity, I
 8   think it's a safe assumption that it's a seedling.
 9       Q.    What is a propagule?
10       A.    Propagule is a seed that's, as far as I
11   know, usually water-distributed.  I guess it could be
12   extended to air-distributed.
13             I may have misanswered your question.  If
14   you could repeat that question before what is a
15   propagule.
16               (Thereupon, a portion of the record
17                was read by the reporter.)
18             THE WITNESS:  I misanswered your question.
19   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
20       Q.    All right.  What would the accurate
21   response be?
22       A.    To my knowledge, the definition of a
23   propagule is a seed that's distributed by primarily
24   water, perhaps by wind.
25             So a propagule is different from vegetative

                                                 251

 1   reproduction.
 2       Q.    All right.  Vegetative reproduction would
 3   be from rhizomes?
 4       A.    That's correct.
 5       Q.    How long would a rhizome survive?
 6       A.    I don't know.
 7       Q.    In a drought condition how long can a
 8   rhizome survive?
 9       A.    I don't know.
10       Q.    What impacts would dry-out of an area have
11   on a rhizome?
12       A.    If it was dry long enough, it could
13   potentially kill the rhizome.
14       Q.    How long would long enough be?
15       A.    I don't know.
16       Q.    Okay.  What impact would a dry-down have
17   upon a cattail plant?
18       A.    If it was dry long enough, it could kill
19   the plant.
20       Q.    Okay.  How dry is dry?
21       A.    I don't know.
22       Q.    How long is long?
23       A.    I don't know.
24       Q.    Okay.  Let me ask you this, going back for
25   a moment to the change in regulation schedules

                                                 252

 1   pre '80 and post '80, you'd offered the opinion that
 2   had there not been a change, we would have seen a
 3   greater density or spread of cattail as a result of
 4   the higher water levels, is that accurate?
 5       A.    That's correct.
 6       Q.    Would further lowering in the water
 7   regulation schedules result in a further decrease in
 8   the density and spread of cattails?
 9       A.    I would expect that, yes.
10       Q.    How much per foot?
11       A.    I don't know.
12       Q.    Have any of your studies shown what the
13   change in density and distribution would be as a
14   result of a one-foot change?
15       A.    No.
16       Q.    Have you examined the pre-project
17   hydroperiod simulation by the natural system model
18   developed by the District?
19       A.    Yes.
20       Q.    Are you basing any of your opinions upon
21   that natural system model hydroperiod?
22       A.    Opinions about what?
23       Q.    Any of these opinions as to the causes of
24   distribution and expansion of cattails in Water
25   Conservation Area 2A.

                                                 253

 1       A.    Yes.
 2       Q.    And how does the model simulation, what
 3   impact or effect does that model simulation have upon
 4   your opinions?
 5       A.    The model indicates a wide range of
 6   hydrologic conditions throughout the Everglades under
 7   which we do not have evidence for expanding cattail
 8   stands.
 9       Q.    With regard to the area that is now Water
10   Conservation Area 2A, how did the hydroperiods
11   reflected in the natural system model simulation
12   compare to the existing hydroperiods for the area?
13       A.    I'd have to review that data.
14       Q.    Have you ever reviewed that in coming to
15   your opinion?
16       A.    My recollection is that the water would be
17   a little deeper there, but not much deeper than it is
18   now.
19       Q.    Would that be true throughout the entire
20   conservation area?
21       A.    No.  As I mentioned yesterday, the
22   northwestern portion of Area 2A is much drier because
23   there's no water source to it and the extreme
24   southern end is pooled water and is probably deeper.
25       Q.    The southern end is probably deeper than

                                                 254

 1   the natural hydroperiod?
 2       A.    Probably.
 3       Q.    And the northern end then would be drier
 4   than the natural hydroperiod?
 5       A.    It's not that simple a relationship.  Even
 6   though the southern end is deeper, it's highly
 7   fluctuating up and down.  So it's not comparable.
 8   It's not an easy comparison to make just in terms of
 9   water depth.
10       Q.    Is there any portion, to your knowledge, of
11   Water Conservation Area 2A that does essentially
12   match the natural hydroperiod?
13             MR. NETTLETON:  Object.  Asked and
14        answered.
15             THE WITNESS:  I would have to review the
16        model before I could answer that.
17             Can we take a quick break?
18             MR. KOBELINSKI:  We certainly can.
19               (Thereupon, a recess was taken from
20                10:06 a.m., until 10:15 a.m.)
21   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
22       Q.    I believe your last mention of hydroperiod
23   impacts on cattail density and distribution was the
24   major drought in 1989-1990.
25             Has there been any subsequent change in

                                                 255

 1   hydroperiod which has resulted in an impact upon
 2   cattail spread or distribution in Water Conservation
 3   Area 2A?
 4       A.    Well, at the end of the drought the water
 5   has returned.
 6       Q.    Okay.  Anything subsequent to that?
 7       A.    Not to my knowledge.
 8       Q.    And what would the return of water after
 9   the drought do with regard to cattail densities and
10   distribution?  Did it increase or decrease?
11       A.    The cattails came back in areas near the
12   structures of nutrient input.
13       Q.    And I believe you'd mentioned earlier that
14   you have to actually look at the data to determine if
15   that was true of all sites that you studied; is that
16   correct?
17       A.    That's correct.
18       Q.    The next factor would be fire.  And by
19   next, I put them in no particular order, just the
20   next one I'm going to discuss with you.
21             What impacts has fire had on Water
22   Conservation Area 2A resulting in a change in density
23   or distribution of cattails in that area or what is
24   currently that area?
25       A.    A large fire occurred in the north end of

                                                 256

 1   Water Conservation Area 2A I believe in the late
 2   Eighties.  I'd have to review the data.  Much of the
 3   area that was burned was colonized by cattail after
 4   the burn.
 5             There have been numerous other small fires
 6   in Conservation Area 2A -- or not so small, I should
 7   say -- where cattail did not come in after the burn.
 8       Q.    Okay.  With regard to the fire in northern
 9   2A in the late Eighties that you referred to, the
10   colonization by cattail, does that cattail area still
11   remain today or exist today?
12       A.    I don't know.
13       Q.    Did that area exist in 1991 when you did
14   your vegetative helicopter mapping?
15       A.    Yes.
16       Q.    What document does that cattail vegetative
17   mapping -- ah, found it.
18             Drawing your attention to what's been
19   marked as Exhibit 2, Bates page or number 1084713 --
20             MR. GREEN:  What page?
21             MR. KOBELINSKI:  1084713.
22             MR. GREEN:  Thank you.
23             MR. KOBELINSKI:  You're welcome, sir.
24   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
25       Q.    -- is that cattail site indicated on this

                                                 257

 1   map?
 2       A.    The burn site?
 3       Q.    Yes.
 4       A.    It would be included within the stippled
 5   area at the north end of Water Conservation Area 2A.
 6       Q.    Up by the S-6?
 7       A.    No, mostly between S-10C and S-10A.
 8       Q.    Over what area was that fire?  How large
 9   was the area affected by the fire?
10       A.    I don't recall.
11       Q.    How far south of the S-10C and S-10A
12   structures did the fire...
13       A.    I don't know for certain.  Nancy Urban has
14   the data on that.  I haven't reviewed that for -- I'd
15   have to take another look at that.
16       Q.    With regard to the Urban data on that, is
17   that just data that she collected as part of the
18   Urban, Davis cattail study?
19       A.    It would just be an observation on her part
20   of the extent of the fire since she was working out
21   there so frequently during that period.
22       Q.    Okay.  But she didn't attempt to map it in
23   any sense of the term.
24       A.    I don't know if she did or not.
25       Q.    Okay.  At that time were you still

                                                 258

 1   supervising Ms. Urban?
 2       A.    Yes.
 3       Q.    Was she assigned with attempting to
 4   delineate the boundaries of the fire or the
 5   fire-impacted area?
 6       A.    I didn't supervise Nancy at that level of
 7   supervision.  I left decisions on her field study up
 8   to her.
 9       Q.    Was this fire over a one-acre area, over a
10   two-acre area?
11       A.    Yes.
12       Q.    Over a hundred acres?
13       A.    Yes.
14       Q.    Two hundred acres?
15       A.    Yes.
16       Q.    Three hundred acres?
17       A.    Yes.
18       Q.    Can we go hot and cold on this one?  Strike
19   that.
20             Was it in excess of a thousand acres?
21       A.    To my knowledge it was.  Probably closer to
22   2,000.
23       Q.    Okay.  I started too low.
24             What impact did that fire have upon the
25   distribution and spread of cattails in Water

                                                 259

 1   Conservation Area 2A?
 2       A.    It was in an area that already had the
 3   scattering or peppering effect of cattails, although
 4   after the fire the cattails came in in much greater
 5   density.
 6       Q.    And that would have been an impact
 7   resulting from the fire?
 8       A.    The results of the Urban, Davis and Aumen
 9   study would indicate that was the result of the
10   combination of the fire and nutrient enrichment.
11       Q.    Do all fires result in an impact upon
12   cattail expansion or distribution?
13       A.    No.
14       Q.    What distinctions would there be or what
15   type of fire would result in an expansion or
16   distribution of cattail?
17       A.    A very severe peat-burning fire that would
18   destroy the meristem and rhizome system of the
19   sawgrass or a fire in a nutrient-enriched area.
20       Q.    Would all fires in a nutrient-enriched area
21   have an impact upon cattail densities?
22       A.    I don't have direct knowledge of that.
23       Q.    All right.  What type of fire within a high
24   nutrient area or nutrient impact area would have an
25   effect on cattail spread and distribution?

                                                 260

 1       A.    All I can comment on is this fire that
 2   we've been referring to in the north end of
 3   Conservation Area 2A.
 4       Q.    Given the areal extent of it, approximately
 5   2,000 acres, was that a peat-burning fire?
 6       A.    Not to my knowledge.
 7       Q.    Did it kill any of the rhizomes that you've
 8   referred to?
 9       A.    I don't know.
10       Q.    Would it have made a difference in your
11   study as to whether or not that was a peat-burning
12   fire or not?
13       A.    It could have.
14       Q.    How so?
15       A.    As I mentioned before, a peat-burning fire
16   would be more damaging to the sawgrass.
17       Q.    Would it also be damaging to cattail?
18       A.    Yes.
19       Q.    In what way?
20       A.    It would probably kill the cattail rhizome
21   systems as well as the sawgrass.
22       Q.    In a background site what impact would a
23   peat-burning fire have with regard to cattail
24   distribution or density?
25       A.    It is likely that cattail would colonize a

                                                 261

 1   site after a peat-burning fire in a background
 2   location.
 3       Q.    Would cattails colonize a site if it was
 4   not a peat-burning fire?  Would you call that a
 5   surficial fire or is there a distinction or another
 6   term you use for that other than one's peat-burning
 7   and one is not?
 8       A.    There's no particular terminology for it.
 9       Q.    For the sake of the deposition, I'll refer
10   to a nonpeat-burning fire as a surficial fire, okay?
11             Would you have cattail colonization in a
12   background site where there was just a surficial
13   fire?
14       A.    Probably not usually.
15       Q.    Why not?
16       A.    Because sawgrass is a species adapted to
17   fire and fire affects sawgrass, a surficial fire
18   affects sawgrass by increasing its density rather
19   than decreasing it in its regrowth after the fire.
20       Q.    What is it about a peat-burning fire that
21   results in the establishment or colonization of
22   cattail even in a background site?
23       A.    It would be the killing of the sawgrass
24   plants.
25       Q.    Okay.  Anything else?

                                                 262

 1       A.    As I mentioned before, many types of
 2   disturbances, and probably fire would be accompanied
 3   by a brief availability of nutrients.
 4       Q.    How long would that availability of
 5   nutrients exist?
 6       A.    Very limited data on that would indicate a
 7   few weeks.
 8       Q.    All right.  How long do cattail exist in a
 9   peat-burning burnt-out background area?
10       A.    I don't know.
11       Q.    Okay.  Does a peat-burning fire also result
12   in a deeper water level?
13       A.    It could, yes.
14       Q.    Would the hydroperiod impact and fire
15   impact then overlap in that instance?
16       A.    Apparently over in -- only in
17   nutrient-enriched areas.
18       Q.    Why so?
19       A.    Because over the 5,000-year history of the
20   Everglades soil cores indicate peat-burning fires
21   over the entire area without evidence for domination
22   by cattail following the burn.
23       Q.    So in some instances where you have a
24   peat-burning fire cattail will not colonize.
25       A.    That would be correct.

                                                 263

 1       Q.    In what instances?
 2       A.    Probably under low-nutrient conditions from
 3   external nutrient supply.
 4       Q.    I thought you had stated, though, that a
 5   peat-burning fire does result in a nutrient release.
 6       A.    Yes, and you would expect after such a fire
 7   even in a low-nutrient site to get -- I would not be
 8   surprised, let's say, to see a regrowth of cattail,
 9   but that has to be temporary and cattail has to be
10   viewed there as an early colonizer, otherwise the
11   entire Everglades would be cattail.
12       Q.    Okay.  Given its role as an early
13   colonizer, do you ever have in a background site a
14   peat-burning fire without the cattail coming in as an
15   early colonizer?
16       A.    Yes.
17       Q.    What instances would you have that?
18       A.    The instances I can think of would be in
19   Conservation Area 3A following severe fires in the
20   early to mid Seventies.
21       Q.    And there was no cattail establishment
22   after those fires?
23       A.    No.
24       Q.    Okay.  Do you have any theory as to why
25   there was not?

                                                 264

 1       A.    Only that these were low-nutrient, would be
 2   considered low-nutrient areas removed from any pump
 3   stations or structural inputs.
 4       Q.    You made reference a few moments ago to
 5   core samples showing that there were fires throughout
 6   the Everglades but that cattail was not the dominant
 7   species in the Everglades.
 8             Were these core samples that you took?
 9       A.    No.
10       Q.    Who took these core samples that you're
11   referring to?
12       A.    A number of individuals.  Primarily Pat
13   Gleason and some of his coworkers.
14       Q.    In what areas were these core samples
15   taken?
16       A.    To my knowledge, these cores have been
17   collected throughout the Everglades system from
18   Conservation Area 1 down through the park over the
19   last couple of decades.
20       Q.    Have you ever reviewed the data from these
21   core samples?
22       A.    No.
23       Q.    With regard to the major peat fires I
24   believe you said in the Seventies in the northern
25   portion of Water Conservation Area 3A; is that right?

                                                 265

 1       A.    As I recall, they were mostly north of
 2   Alligator Alley, yes.
 3       Q.    After the fire do you know what the
 4   hydrologic conditions were at those sites?
 5       A.    I'd have to review the data.
 6       Q.    Do you know whether there was sufficient
 7   water for the cattails to establish?
 8       A.    I don't know.
 9       Q.    Would that be a factor that could have
10   impacted the establishment of cattail in that area?
11       A.    Could have.
12       Q.    You also made the comment that the water
13   level depth in a peat fire only has an impact in a
14   high-nutrient site, not in a low-nutrient site.
15             Why is that?
16             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
17   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
18       Q.    Or am I misunderstanding your prior
19   statement?
20       A.    Two reasons.  One is the reason I just
21   stated, that there was chronic fire history
22   throughout the 5,000 years of the Everglades without
23   major establishment of large cattail stands, and the
24   second reason is that our research on cattail
25   nutrient status would indicate that the species would

                                                 266

 1   not be competitive in low-nutrient situations even
 2   under deeper water conditions.
 3       Q.    And what study are you referring to there?
 4       A.    (Witness reviewing Exhibit 2).
 5             The last two references on Exhibit 1084703,
 6   Davis, 1989 and Davis, 1991.
 7       Q.    That would be of Exhibit --
 8             MR. NETTLETON:  2.
 9   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
10       Q.    -- 2?
11       A.    2.
12       Q.    In these two studies did you have sites
13   located in varying hydroperiods with background
14   sites?
15       A.    No.
16       Q.    How do you draw that opinion or conclusion
17   from these studies then?
18       A.    The growth and nutrient retention
19   characteristics of sawgrass and cattail as a result
20   of these studies indicated cattail was a species that
21   would only be competitive under high levels of
22   nutrient availability, while sawgrass would only be
23   competitive under low levels.
24       Q.    Yet, you have stated that after a
25   peat-burning fire even in a background site cattail

                                                 267

 1   will establish as an early colonizer.
 2       A.    That's correct.
 3       Q.    And that's only with several weeks of
 4   nutrient impact from the fire or disturbance.
 5       A.    That could happen, yes.
 6       Q.    You referred to cattails as an early
 7   colonizer.
 8             How long does the cattail stay in that
 9   background site in that fire hole or the depression
10   created by the fire?
11             MR. NETTLETON:  Objection.  Asked and
12        answered.
13             THE WITNESS:  I don't know.
14   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
15       Q.    Have your studies shown that cattail
16   essentially builds up peat faster than sawgrass?
17       A.    No.
18       Q.    Sawgrass builds up peat faster than
19   cattail?
20       A.    My studies have not measured peat buildup
21   by either species.
22       Q.    Okay.  What role does cattail have --
23   perhaps this isn't, not a scientist -- but does
24   cattail have a role in the Everglades ecosystem as an
25   early colonizer in a post peat fire burn hole?

                                                 268

 1       A.    Probably.
 2       Q.    What would that role be?
 3       A.    It probably has a beneficial effect on
 4   habitat diversity and creating more of a patchiness
 5   in the natural system.
 6       Q.    With regard to a surficial fire in a
 7   background site -- let me withdraw that for a moment.
 8             Sawgrass in a background site, are they
 9   just one monospecific stand continuous with no breaks
10   whatsoever?
11       A.    No.
12       Q.    Do you have breaks between the clumps of
13   sawgrass?
14       A.    Yes.
15       Q.    Open areas?
16       A.    Yes.
17       Q.    Okay.  Is there a nutrient release as a
18   result of a surficial fire?
19       A.    Yes.
20       Q.    And do cattail establish themselves in
21   these openings between the sawgrass after a surficial
22   fire in a background site?
23       A.    I don't believe I've seen that documented.
24       Q.    Is that because without a peat burn,
25   there's no difference in water level or an increase

                                                 269

 1   in the depth of water level?
 2       A.    That would be difficult to say.
 3       Q.    Well, what would you attribute the
 4   difference in reaction between a peat burn site and a
 5   surficial site in a background area?  Why do you have
 6   establishment of cattail in one and not the other?
 7       A.    I can immediately think of three factors
 8   that would all be compounding one another.  One would
 9   be the increased depth, one would be increased
10   nutrient availability, simply more peat burned and
11   therefore would release more nutrients, and the third
12   would be the death of the existing vegetation if it
13   were sawgrass which would open a niche for the
14   encroachment by cattail.
15       Q.    There already exists, though, niches
16   between the sawgrass stands; is that correct?  We
17   discussed that.  You have open areas.
18       A.    That's correct.
19       Q.    Okay.  Have you ever tested to determine
20   what the difference in nutrient release from a
21   surficial fire and a peat-burning fire is?
22       A.    No.
23       Q.    Have you ever tested to see what the
24   difference in water depth is between the two?
25       A.    No.

                                                 270

 1       Q.    With regard to the Gleason study of soil
 2   cores, how did they establish that there was no
 3   cattail or cattail did not exist where the site was
 4   that the core was taken?
 5             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 6             THE WITNESS:  As I understand it, the
 7        presence of cat- -- the long-term presence of a
 8        cattail stand would be indicated both in the
 9        structure of the peat and in pollen within the
10        peat.
11   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
12       Q.    Were both studied with regard to the
13   Gleason study you referred to?
14       A.    As I understand it, they were, yes.
15       Q.    I may have asked this already, but how long
16   do, in a background site where there's a peat burn,
17   how long do cattails last after they're established?
18       A.    I don't know.
19       Q.    Would that depend upon the depth of the
20   peat burn?
21       A.    I don't know.
22       Q.    Have you studied any cattails outside of
23   the Everglades?
24       A.    No.
25       Q.    Does the natural system model that the

                                                 271

 1   District has developed show that the hydroperiod for
 2   the natural Everglades prior to the project or
 3   anthropogenic impact was vastly different than the
 4   hydroperiod of the Everglades today or the remainder
 5   of the Everglades that we have today?
 6       A.    It varies from place to place in the
 7   Everglades, but in general the system was wetter
 8   historically.
 9       Q.    And have you considered how changes in
10   hydroperiod would have impacted the pre-anthropogenic
11   impact distribution of cattail?
12             THE WITNESS:  Would you repeat that
13        question, please?
14               (Thereupon, a portion of the record
15                was read by the reporter.)
16             THE WITNESS:  I don't understand the
17        question.
18   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
19       Q.    Well, I'll withdraw the question.
20             MR. NETTLETON:  I don't have to object to
21        its form then.
22             MR. KOBELINSKI:  You blew your chance.
23   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
24       Q.    With regard to the establishment of a
25   cattail plant from seed, is that correct that that

                                                 272

 1   would be referred to as germination; is that right or
 2   no?
 3       A.    That's correct.
 4       Q.    Okay.  Does a cattail seed itself carry any
 5   type of supply of nutrients for the germination of
 6   the seed once it hits the soil or substrate?
 7       A.    Probably some.
 8       Q.    Okay.  Is it sufficient for the initial
 9   germination or establishment of the plant?
10       A.    I don't know.
11       Q.    With regard to the 2,000-acre,
12   approximately 2,000-acre fire that occurred in Water
13   Conservation Area 2A in the late Eighties, were there
14   any areas where there was a peat-burning fire as
15   compared to a surficial fire such that they could be
16   studied, the differences in reaction?
17       A.    To my knowledge, none of that fire was a
18   peat burn.
19       Q.    Throughout the entire 2,000 acres?
20       A.    To my knowledge.
21       Q.    Did anyone study that, go out and check?
22       A.    I would have to rely on Nancy Urban's
23   observations for that.
24       Q.    Did you ever have a discussion with Nancy
25   Urban as to whether or not there was any peat

                                                 273

 1   burning?
 2       A.    Her descriptions of the fire to me would
 3   not indicate a peat burn.
 4             Peat burn is very obvious, keeps smoking
 5   for days after the surficial fire goes out.
 6       Q.    Was Ms. Urban able to actually get into the
 7   fire area immediately after the fire?
 8       A.    As I recall, she was out there within a few
 9   days after.  I'd have to check her notes on that.
10       Q.    Did Ms. Urban have difficulty getting to
11   most of the sites in dry conditions?
12             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
13             THE WITNESS:  Yes.
14   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
15       Q.    Were the conditions dry when the peat fire
16   of 2,000 acres occurred?
17       A.    Let me qualify that.  She had difficulty
18   getting to the site by airboat during dry conditions.
19       Q.    How would she get out there otherwise?
20       A.    Helicopter.
21       Q.    How often did she use a helicopter?
22       A.    Generally to collect water samples which
23   she collected every two weeks during periods when she
24   could not get around by airboat.
25       Q.    If Ms. Urban was not out there within days

                                                 274

 1   of the fire, how would you go about establishing
 2   whether or not there was a peat fire or surficial
 3   fire?
 4       A.    I'd check with either the Florida Game and
 5   Freshwater Fish Commission or the Florida Forest
 6   Service.
 7       Q.    Why would they know?
 8       A.    They are the agencies that keep track of
 9   Everglades fires in terms of size and intensity.
10       Q.    That's the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish
11   Commission and?
12       A.    Florida Forest Service.
13       Q.    If you're not able to review a site until
14   after the fire's out and sufficient water's returned
15   for you to gain access, how would you, is there
16   visually some way to tell whether it was a surficial
17   or a peat-burning fire?
18       A.    I don't know.
19       Q.    Have you visually ever seen that out in the
20   Everglades?
21       A.    After reflooding?
22       Q.    After reflooding so you could gain access
23   to the site that was burned.
24             THE WITNESS:  Would you repeat the question
25        again?

                                                 275

 1   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 2       Q.    I'll just restate it.
 3             After a site's reflooded after a fire, have
 4   you ever in your experience out in the Everglades
 5   been able to just visually be able to tell whether
 6   there was a peat-burning fire there or a surficial
 7   fire?
 8       A.    No.
 9       Q.    Would a fire have a greater impact upon a
10   sawgrass that was growing in a tussock growth pattern
11   as opposed to a regular stand of sawgrass?
12       A.    I don't know.
13       Q.    Would you anticipate it would?
14       A.    I don't know.
15       Q.    Well, in a tussock growth pattern is there
16   a greater portion of the root structure exposed above
17   ground?
18       A.    Yes.
19       Q.    Would the burning of this greater portion
20   of the root structure result in a greater impact to
21   the plant?
22       A.    I'm not certain that that burning would
23   occur in tussock growth.
24       Q.    Why is that?
25       A.    To my knowledge, the intensity of a marsh

                                                 276

 1   fire is, unless there's a peat burn, is greatest at
 2   the level of the foliage a few feet off the ground,
 3   not right within the first foot of the ground where
 4   the tussocks would be.  And I do not know the
 5   susceptibility of the root and rhizome systems in a
 6   tussock to burning.  I don't know the protection that
 7   the tussock provides the roots within it.  There's
 8   just a lot of factors I don't know.
 9       Q.    After the drought years in '89 and '90 when
10   water was reintroduced to the area in Water
11   Conservation Area 2A, would that have resulted in any
12   type of a surge of nutrients?
13       A.    Yes.
14       Q.    Why?
15       A.    Well, for two reasons.  One, there was
16   reduced resistance to water flow from the structures
17   across the marsh because of the burn and, two, there
18   would be some regeneration of phosphorus in the
19   burned material.
20       Q.    Was there any oxidation of the peat soils
21   in Water Conservation Area 2A as a result of the
22   '89-'90 long drought?
23       A.    I don't know.
24       Q.    Did Ms. Urban ever remeasure her water
25   depths after the drought to determine whether or not

                                                 277

 1   the ground level had decreased at all?
 2       A.    I'd have to check with her on her notes on
 3   that.
 4       Q.    Could there have been any compaction or
 5   subsidence of the soils at the study sites as a
 6   result of the long drought, the '89-'90 drought?
 7             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 8             THE WITNESS:  I would doubt if it would be
 9        measurable, and I think there could be
10        offsetting factors where any oxidation that
11        might have occurred might be balanced by the
12        compaction of the sediments in the water column
13        which would actually increase the soil level.
14   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
15       Q.    At what sites did you have the flowing
16   sediments in the water column?
17       A.    I didn't say flowing sediments.
18       Q.    Okay.  At what sites did you have sediments
19   in the water column that would result in a
20   countervailing factor as compared to subsidence or...
21       A.    At any site there is a matrix of detritus
22   above the soil surface in the water column.  It is a
23   flocculant texture at enriched sites.  But even in
24   background sites there's a matrix of detritus in
25   various stages of decomposition which would be

                                                 278

 1   consolidated on the marsh floor with the drought.
 2       Q.    Would any of that have been burnt off as a
 3   result of the fire?
 4       A.    Some of it could have been.
 5       Q.    Is it possible that the drought between
 6   subsidence, oxidation and the like resulted in a
 7   decrease in the or a drop in the level of the
 8   substrate surface --
 9             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
10   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
11       Q.    -- at the study sites?
12       A.    As I said, I'd be very surprised if it was
13   measurable.
14       Q.    Did you do any testing to determine whether
15   there was a measurable difference in depth?
16       A.    As I said, I'd have to look at Nancy
17   Urban's notes to see if she did that.
18       Q.    Do you recall if you instructed her to do
19   so?
20       A.    No, I do not.
21       Q.    Any other fire impacts in Water
22   Conservation Area 2A that have resulted in a change
23   in density or distribution of cattail?
24       A.    Not that I'm aware of recently.
25       Q.    Disturbance.

                                                 279

 1             What disturbance events are you aware of
 2   that have occurred in Water Conservation Area 2A or
 3   the area that is currently known as Water
 4   Conservation Area 2A that would have impacted the
 5   spread and density of cattails?
 6       A.    We've discussed fire and drought.  Both
 7   could be viewed as a disturbance also.
 8             I might go back and add one hydrology
 9   effect, it would be more of a hydrology effect than
10   disturbance, and that is when the area was kept under
11   the deep water hydrologic regime before 1980 there
12   was a drowning of tree islands, and cattails came in
13   in this situation in small patches.
14       Q.    That would have been during what period?
15       A.    That would have been during the Sixties.
16       Q.    Did the flooding during the Sixties and
17   Seventies have any impact upon the sawgrass marsh?
18       A.    As I said yesterday, it resulted in a
19   conversion of some sawgrass areas to deeper water
20   slough communities and created a tussock growth
21   response of sawgrass in deeper water areas, a
22   thinning.
23       Q.    Is sawgrass relatively resilient to changes
24   in hydroperiod?
25       A.    That would depend on the situation.

                                                 280

 1       Q.    Okay.  Do you know whether or not the
 2   flooding that you've referred to in the Sixties and
 3   Seventies, was that a gradual draw-up of the water
 4   level or was that a rapid filling of the water
 5   conservation area with water?
 6       A.    I'd have to look at the water records, but
 7   it was initiation of a water regulation schedule that
 8   involved deep water conditions during most times.
 9   How fast it filled up would depend on rainfall.  I'd
10   have to look at the records for that.
11       Q.    Would the degree or the amount of time it
12   took to raise levels of Water Conservation Area 2A
13   have an impact upon the sawgrass community therein?
14       A.    I don't know.
15       Q.    Going back to disturbance, what disturbance
16   events are you aware of that have had an impact upon
17   the spread and distribution of cattails within Water
18   Conservation Area 2A?
19       A.    The only other one I can think of in what
20   we've discussed would be just the physical impact of
21   levee and canal construction at the construction
22   site.
23               (Discussion held off the record.)
24   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
25       Q.    Are you familiar at all with the District's

                                                 281

 1   use of herbicides within Water Conservation Area 2A?
 2       A.    Only that they periodically spray canals
 3   for water hyacinths.
 4       Q.    Do you know whether or not that spraying
 5   has any impact upon the cattail distribution and
 6   expansion?
 7       A.    I don't know how it would other than on the
 8   canal banks that were sprayed.
 9       Q.    How was the spraying taking place?
10       A.    To my knowledge, it's usually by airboat.
11       Q.    How would spraying along the canal banks
12   have an impact upon the distribution and spread of
13   cattails?
14             MR. NETTLETON:  Objection.  Asked and
15        answered.
16             THE WITNESS:  If it were to kill other
17        species of vegetation along the canal bank,
18        cattail might come in, it might encourage
19        cattail to come in.
20   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
21       Q.    Have you done any studies to determine
22   whether or not that has occurred?
23       A.    No.
24       Q.    In your studies of the water conservation
25   area -- when did you start studying Water

                                                 282

 1   Conservation Area 2A?
 2       A.    The very early work was in 1974.  We really
 3   began in earnest in about '75.
 4       Q.    Are Water Conservation Area 1's perimeter
 5   canals also sprayed with herbicide?
 6       A.    I don't know.
 7       Q.    When herbicide is sprayed on the water
 8   hyacinths in Water Conservation Area 2 in the canals,
 9   would water overflow from that canal into the marsh
10   carry the herbicide?
11       A.    I don't know.
12       Q.    Are you familiar with the Army Corps of
13   Engineers mowing the sawgrass and cattail in Water
14   Conservation Area 2A below the S-10 structures?
15       A.    No.
16       Q.    What impact would mowing of a mile-wide
17   swatch through the cattail and sawgrass from the
18   S-10C down to the S-11 structures have?
19             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
20             THE WITNESS:  I have no idea.
21   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
22       Q.    Would you characterize that as a
23   disturbance?
24       A.    By definition, yes.
25       Q.    Okay.  The mowing that took place was in

                                                 283

 1   1969.
 2             Are you aware that Carroll White of the
 3   Army Corps of Engineers testified that in 1969 a mile
 4   wide strip was mowed from south of S-10C to S-11B --
 5             MR. NETTLETON:  Object --
 6   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 7       Q.    -- with underwater mowers?
 8             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 9             THE WITNESS:  No.
10   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
11       Q.    Would that mowing have resulted in a spread
12   of seeds and rhizomes and the like?
13             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
14             Can I ask --
15             MR. KOBELINSKI:  May I finish my question,
16        counsel?
17             MR. NETTLETON:  Can you identify where the
18        testimony is?
19             MR. KOBELINSKI:  After I finish my
20        question, I will identify whatever you'd like.
21   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
22       Q.    Now, would the underwater mowing from S-10C
23   to S-11 result in a spread of cattail seeds and
24   rhizomes into the interior marshes of Water
25   Conservation Area 2A?

                                                 284

 1             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 2             THE WITNESS:  I don't know.
 3             MR. NETTLETON:  Counsel, can you identify
 4        what you were referring to as testimony, where
 5        it came from?
 6             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Sure.  I'm referring to
 7        the deposition of Ormond Carroll White taken in
 8        part of the SWIM proceedings on November 23,
 9        1992, and specifically I'm referring to page 89
10        of his deposition.
11             At line 20 the question was asked, "You did
12        mow it?
13             "Answer:  We did mow it.
14             "Question:  When was that?
15             "Answer:  Let me see it.  I can guess it
16        was during the major floods of '69 and '70,
17        during that period.  That's the only time that
18        we had a real major flood in my terms as major
19        until this year.  We have had some pretty good
20        floods.
21             "Question:  The purpose of the mowed strip?
22             "Answer:  Was to reduce the friction.  And
23        as the depth of water increased, you would have
24        more of your water column that didn't have that
25        friction from the vegetation there."

                                                 285

 1             MR. NETTLETON:  I just asked for
 2        identification.  I didn't need you to read it
 3        into the record, but...
 4             MR. HYDE:  We like it, however.
 5             MR. KOBELINSKI:  We like it.
 6   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 7       Q.    Finally, are you aware the testimony where
 8   the question was asked Mr. White, "You said mowed a
 9   mile wide, what did you use?
10             "Answer:  We had a mowing machine that
11   would mow underwater.  It was something like an
12   airboat and it was a cycle type mower, the same kind
13   you go out and mow but it mowed underwater.  And it
14   broke down a lot"?
15             MR. NETTLETON:  I'll object to form.
16   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
17       Q.    In your studies as to the Water
18   Conservation Area 2A, what would a mile-wide mowed
19   strip starting at S-10C going down to the S-11
20   structures right through that cattail area have done?
21       A.    Would do apparently nothing.
22       Q.    Nothing?
23             Why not?
24       A.    I don't see a strip of vegetation change
25   between S-10C and S-11 structures and I didn't, we

                                                 286

 1   didn't start to observe the expansion of cattail
 2   until the late Seventies, ten years after this.
 3       Q.    Okay.  So in this instance that would not
 4   be a disturbance?
 5       A.    I think it would be a disturbance.  I don't
 6   believe I ever said that cattail was given an
 7   advantage by every disturbance.
 8       Q.    Okay.  In your opinion then the mowing of a
 9   strip from S-10C down to S-11 would not be the type
10   of disturbance that would give cattail an advantage.
11       A.    Based on our observations in area 2A I
12   would say it did not.
13       Q.    Since you have studied cattails, why didn't
14   it in this instance?
15             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
16             THE WITNESS:  All I know, it would be a
17        very different type of disturbance than a burn
18        or excavation or a drought.  It wouldn't affect
19        sediments.
20             If you look at mowing the lawn, what it
21        does is increase the density of the grass.
22             Mowing through sawgrass areas might have
23        done the same thing.
24             I don't think we have any evidence that it
25        would have had any effect at all.

                                                 287

 1   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 2       Q.    All right.  You used the example
 3   excavation, burn and drought.
 4             Excavation and burn and drought, as we've
 5   discussed, all deal with changes in water level.
 6             Mowing apparently would not have a change
 7   in water level; is that correct?
 8             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 9             THE WITNESS:  I wouldn't think so.
10   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
11       Q.    The S-10 structures were already
12   carrying --
13       A.    I didn't mean to imply --
14       Q.    I'm sorry.
15       A.    -- that all excavation, burn or drought had
16   an effect on water level, lowering -- increasing
17   water level by lowering soil, if that's what you're
18   getting at.  I didn't mean to make that implication.
19       Q.    Okay.  But I believe your testimony was
20   that a surficial fire does not result in the
21   establishments of cattail as an opportunistic
22   species.  It's only when there's a peat burn which
23   does lower the surface level.
24             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.

                                                 288

 1   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 2       Q.    Is that correct?
 3       A.    I said I haven't seen a documentation of a
 4   surficial fire that's resulted where cattails come
 5   in.
 6       Q.    Well, in your experience then the only fire
 7   sites you've seen where cattail has established is
 8   where the peat has burned and there's been a lowering
 9   of surface, ground surface level; is that correct?
10       A.    No.
11       Q.    Okay.  Well, have you seen then a surficial
12   fire where cattail has been established?
13       A.    As far as I'm aware, that burn of
14   approximately 2,000 acres was a surficial fire by
15   your definition and cattails did become established.
16       Q.    But cattails were already there beforehand,
17   weren't they?
18       A.    In a mixed stand as opposed to a much
19   increased density after the fire.
20       Q.    Okay.  And a background stand then, the
21   only time you'll ever have establishment of cattail
22   after a burn is if there's a peat burn resulting in a
23   reduction in the substrate level; is that correct?
24       A.    Establishment in the sense of a long-term
25   stand, yes.

                                                 289

 1       Q.    Well, is there a short-term establishment
 2   of cattail after a surficial fire in a background
 3   site?
 4       A.    I don't know.  Cattails occur throughout
 5   the Everglades in little patches here and there.
 6   There's no way to sort that out.
 7       Q.    Going back to the mowing, you said there
 8   would be no disturbance of the substrate as a result
 9   of an underwater mowing?
10       A.    I wouldn't think so.
11       Q.    Why not?  Is the substrate so compacted
12   without any flocculant or detritus that a mower
13   swishing over it cutting off the plants and perhaps
14   ripping them up by their roots would not have any
15   impact upon it?
16             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
17             THE WITNESS:  Mowing in terms of clipping
18        the plants off, which is what my view of mowing
19        is, I wouldn't think would affect the soil
20        surface, particularly if Carroll White described
21        the vehicle used as an airboat type device that
22        wasn't running over the substrate.
23   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
24       Q.    I believe his description, which I can read
25   back to you, was that the airboat -- the mowing was

                                                 290

 1   underneath the airboat; it was not just on the
 2   surface of the water.  It was an underwater mowing.
 3       A.    Well, until I saw the device and saw it in
 4   operation, it would just be pure conjecture that -- I
 5   view mowing as clipping of vegetation.
 6       Q.    Well, have you ever done any underwater
 7   mowing?
 8       A.    No, I never have.
 9       Q.    Okay.  So your comparison to the mowing of
10   your lawn may not apply; is that correct?
11       A.    Or it might apply.
12       Q.    But you don't know, do you?
13       A.    No.
14       Q.    Now, the water coming out of the S-10
15   structures in '69-1970, did they already have
16   nutrient-enriched water from agricultural runoff?
17       A.    Yes.
18       Q.    Was the nutrient concentration in the water
19   coming out of the S-10 structures in '69-'70 have any
20   impact upon the spread and distribution of cattails
21   in Water Conservation Area 2A?
22       A.    The most likely impact would be the
23   allowing of cattails to come in in the area that had
24   been formerly willow.
25       Q.    It wouldn't have an impact beyond that?

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 1       A.    As I stated previously, through the early
 2   to mid Seventies up through about 1980 we did not see
 3   an expansion of cattail beyond that area.
 4       Q.    Is that because the concentrations of the
 5   phosphorus in the water coming out of the S-10s at
 6   that point were essentially at a level resulting in
 7   equilibrium where there would be no spread of
 8   cattail?
 9       A.    I don't know.
10       Q.    Well, was there a spread of cattail with
11   the concentrations that were coming out of the S-10
12   structures at that time?
13       A.    Not that I observed.
14       Q.    So nutrients in the, the phosphorus
15   concentration in the waters coming out of the S-10s
16   up through '70 and I believe you said up through 1980
17   were not causing any type of expansion in the
18   cattail.
19             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
20             THE WITNESS:  I did not see an expansion in
21        the cattail during that period.
22   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
23       Q.    Okay.  Do you have an opinion as to whether
24   or not the nutrients, the phosphorus concentrations
25   in the waters coming through the S-10 structures up

                                                 292

 1   through the Seventies up to the Eighties were causing
 2   an expansion of cattail?
 3       A.    Since there was not a -- since I did not
 4   observe an expansion of cattail, I can presume that
 5   it was not caused by a spread -- by nutrients.
 6       Q.    Now, Mr. White, as I just read, and I can
 7   re-read the section if you'd like, stated that the
 8   purpose of the mowing was to stop the vegetative
 9   friction and allow the water coming out of the S-10s
10   to get down to those S-11s.
11             Would that mowing also have resulted in a
12   greater penetration of nutrient-enriched water into
13   the Water Conservation Area 2A marsh?
14             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
15             THE WITNESS:  Probably for a time period.
16   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
17       Q.    Okay.  Did that result in a, did that
18   increased nutrient load going into the interior of
19   the Water Conservation Area 2A marsh result in an
20   increase in the spread of cattail?
21             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
22             THE WITNESS:  Not to my knowledge.
23   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
24       Q.    Why not?
25       A.    I don't know.

                                                 293

 1       Q.    Was it because the, again, the phosphorus
 2   concentrations in the water that were penetrating the
 3   marsh there were insufficient to result in an
 4   increase or spread of cattail?
 5       A.    I don't know.
 6       Q.    In fact, from your prior testimony this was
 7   at a time when the water levels were at a more
 8   favorable depth for the establishment of cattails; is
 9   that correct?
10       A.    Yes.
11       Q.    Nutrients under that situation should have
12   resulted in a greater magnitude of expansion, if I
13   understand your testimony.
14             MR. NETTLETON:  Is that a question?
15             THE WITNESS:  I would say we just don't
16        have enough knowledge on, you know, the specific
17        amounts of nutrients that might have been
18        introduced to the south or how long they were
19        available for plant growth to make any
20        conclusions.
21   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
22       Q.    Well, you had stated with regard to fire,
23   in a peat-burning fire, that the nutrient flux from
24   that fire lasts for only a couple of weeks.
25             Would you expect that the underground

                                                 294

 1   mowing of vegetation to allow flow from the S-10s to
 2   penetrate the marsh would last for less than a couple
 3   of weeks?
 4             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 5             THE WITNESS:  It easily could.
 6   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 7       Q.    What would grow into that area in a couple
 8   of weeks' time which would stop the water from
 9   flowing into the marsh?
10       A.    I don't, I wasn't observing the situation
11   then.  I don't know what grew.
12       Q.    Well, what could have grown in a couple
13   weeks' time that would have stopped the nutrients
14   from entering the marsh?
15             MR. NETTLETON:  Objection to form.
16             THE WITNESS:  Probably not much would grow
17        up through the water column in that period of
18        time.  That would be very rapid growth.
19   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
20       Q.    Which is, of course, why the Corps cut the
21   vegetation, to increase the flow of water.
22             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
23             THE WITNESS:  If that's what Carroll White
24        said.

                                                 295

 1   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 2       Q.    All right.  The mowing then essentially
 3   would have resulted in, if I understand your
 4   testimony, a disturbance, an increase in nutrients
 5   into the interior marsh and also hydroperiod was more
 6   favorable at the time, but there was no expansion of
 7   cattail.
 8             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 9             THE WITNESS:  Not to my knowledge.
10             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Okay.  Why don't we take a
11        break.
12               (Thereupon, a recess was taken from
13                11:30 a.m., until 11:40 a.m.)
14   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
15       Q.    Back on the record.
16             Perhaps at a bit more rapid pace since this
17   is not an area that you conducted your research in,
18   what nutrient impacts have there been in Water
19   Conservation Area 1, historical impacts that have
20   resulted in the spread and distribution of cattail?
21       A.    My only knowledge of nutrient impacts in
22   Area 1 would be from surface water phosphorus
23   concentration maps, from soil phosphorus maps of John
24   Richardson, and cattail distribution maps from, as
25   mapped by John Richardson in his vegetation map which

                                                 296

 1   all correspond very closely.
 2       Q.    Are there increased soil phosphorus
 3   concentrations south of the S-5A structure?
 4       A.    As I said yesterday, I would have to review
 5   his map to determine that.
 6       Q.    Actually, I was trying to go in a different
 7   direction here.
 8             We've just gone through the various, the
 9   four impact or factors that you've stated cause the
10   distribution and expansion of cattail:  nutrients,
11   hydroperiod, fire, and disturbance for Water
12   Conservation Area 2A.
13             My question was historically what
14   nutrients, changes in nutrients have resulted or have
15   impacted the distribution and spread of cattails in
16   Water Conservation Area 1 similar to what we've just
17   done for Water Conservation Area 2A?
18       A.    The construction of the S-5A and S-6 pump
19   stations.
20       Q.    All right.  Anything else?
21       A.    There's a small pump on the eastern side of
22   Water Conservation Area 1 that would be relatively
23   negligible in its inputs.
24             Is that the Acme Improvement District?
25       Q.    Is there a corresponding cattail in that

                                                 297

 1   area?
 2       A.    I'd have to look at the vegetation map.  It
 3   would not be a big stand.
 4       Q.    Would that be because the nutrient
 5   concentrations in the water are insufficient to
 6   result in a spread of cattail?
 7       A.    As I said yesterday, nutrient
 8   concentrations only are useful as correlates to
 9   nutrient supply.  And although I'm not certain what
10   the concentrations are from that pump outflow, the
11   supply would be low because it's a small pump.
12       Q.    Would that just mean you'd have a smaller
13   impacted area or would that mean that you would have
14   no cattails whatsoever?
15       A.    It would be hard to say in that case since
16   the discharge from that pump is into the perimeter
17   canal, and as I mentioned yesterday, that canal
18   provides a hydrologic bypass for most of the marsh.
19             So I'd have no idea in that case if there
20   was penetration of water and phosphorus into the
21   marsh from that pump station, so there would be no
22   way for me to tell.
23       Q.    You had stated earlier, as a matter of fact
24   you just restated that the nutrient concentrations
25   are, in the surface waters are not the important

                                                 298

 1   factor but, rather, nutrient supply; is that correct?
 2             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 3             THE WITNESS:  I think the nutrient
 4        concentrations are important as correlates to
 5        nutrient supply in a particular area such as
 6        Area 2A.  I don't think you can make a direct
 7        relationship between concentration and supply at
 8        an area below the Acme pump station with the
 9        concentration/supply relationship that exist in
10        Water Conservation Area 2A.
11   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
12       Q.    Can you make a correlation between
13   concentration and supply in the area below S-5A?
14       A.    Probably.
15       Q.    Are the --
16       A.    But it wouldn't be the same one that would
17   exist in Water Conservation Area 2A.
18       Q.    Why is that?
19       A.    Different pumping rate.
20       Q.    Is there more water going into Water
21   Conservation Area 1 or more water going into Water
22   Conservation Area 2A?
23       A.    Everything that goes into at least the
24   north end of 2A has passed through some part of
25   Conservation Area 1.

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 1       Q.    And what are the major influences of
 2   nutrient input into Water Conservation Area 1?
 3       A.    As I've said previously, from the maps I've
 4   seen, elevated surface water phosphorus
 5   concentrations, elevated soil phosphorus and cattail
 6   distribution mostly along the perimeters of
 7   Conservation Area 1.
 8       Q.    Where does the phosphorus come from?
 9       A.    Mostly from S-5A and S-6.
10       Q.    Okay.  But I believe you stated that S-6 is
11   only a minor supply; is that right?
12       A.    It's not a minor supply.  It enters the
13   southern end of the area, so it would not influence
14   very much of the area.
15       Q.    Why wouldn't it influence much of the area?
16       A.    'Cause it's a direct shot to the S-10
17   structures down the canal.
18       Q.    The S-5A, on the other hand, is on the
19   northern end of Water Conservation Area 1.
20       A.    That's correct.
21       Q.    Okay.  Would you anticipate then given the
22   high nutrient -- or phosphorus concentration in the
23   water that you would have high nutrient supply to the
24   vegetation in the northern end of Water Conservation
25   Area 1?

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 1       A.    It would depend on how much that water
 2   mixed with -- went into the marsh rather than down
 3   the canal.
 4       Q.    Would you anticipate that the phosphorus
 5   concentrations were higher in Water Conservation
 6   Area 1 or Water Conservation Area 2A in surface
 7   water?
 8             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 9             THE WITNESS:  It would depend where you
10        were collecting the sample.
11   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
12       Q.    Okay.  Let's say from the canal right below
13   the S-5A input and from the canal below the S-10
14   structures.
15       A.    And what is your question?
16       Q.    Where would you anticipate having higher
17   surface water phosphorus concentrations?
18       A.    I'd anticipate having higher concentrations
19   in the S-5A outflow compared to the S-10 outflows.
20       Q.    Okay.  Would you have an impact on the
21   phosphorus supply to the vegetative community if you
22   spread the flow of water from Water Conservation
23   Area 1 all the way up and down the eastern boundary
24   of Water Conservation Area 2A as opposed to the four
25   structure sites of the S-10s?

                                                 301

 1             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 2             THE WITNESS:  I don't understand the
 3        question.
 4   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 5       Q.    Okay.  Right now the water flows from Water
 6   Conservation Area 1 into Water Conservation Area 2A
 7   through the four S-10 structures plus S-10E which is
 8   a smaller structure; is that correct?
 9       A.    No.
10       Q.    All right.  How does water flow from Water
11   Conservation Area 1 into Water Conservation Area 2A?
12       A.    Through the three S-10 structures plus
13   S-10E.
14       Q.    Okay.  One S-10 structure not being used.
15       A.    There is no S-10B.
16       Q.    Now, would there be a change in the supply
17   of nutrients to the cattail community located below
18   S-10C if you redistributed the water flowing from
19   Water Conservation Area 1 all the way up and down
20   that common border through, let's say, as opposed to
21   four structures you had fifty structures?
22             MR. NETTLETON:  Could you read back the
23        question, please?
24             THE WITNESS:  Yes, please.

                                                 302

 1               (Thereupon, a portion of the record
 2                was read by the reporter.)
 3             MR. KOBELINSKI:  I'll go ahead and rephrase
 4        it.
 5             MR. GREEN:  I thought it was clear.
 6             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Thanks, Bill.
 7   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 8       Q.    Currently, as you've testified, water flows
 9   from Water Conservation Area 1 into 2A through four
10   structures; is that correct?
11       A.    That's correct.
12       Q.    Three primary and one minor?
13       A.    That's correct.
14       Q.    Okay.  And the phosphorus supply to the
15   cattail community below the S-10C structure primarily
16   comes from the S-10C and S-10D structures; is that
17   correct?
18       A.    Yes.
19       Q.    Okay.
20             Now, would there be any impact upon the
21   phosphorus supply to the cattail community below
22   S-10C if you expanded the number of structures which
23   regulate the flow from Water Conservation Area 1 into
24   Water Conservation Area 2A from four to fifty all
25   along and up and down the common border between Water

                                                 303

 1   Conservation Area 1 and Water Conservation Area 2A?
 2             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 3             THE WITNESS:  Just read the last part of
 4        that question to me again.
 5               (Thereupon, a portion of the record
 6                was read by the reporter.)
 7             THE WITNESS:  I don't know.
 8   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 9       Q.    Would there be a change in the phosphorus
10   supply to the cattail community below S-10C if all
11   the water from Water Conservation Area 1 that flowed
12   into Water Conservation Area 2A came solely through
13   the S-10E structure?
14             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
15             THE WITNESS:  Yes.
16   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
17       Q.    Would it be an increase or decrease in
18   phosphorus supply?
19       A.    Decrease.
20       Q.    Okay.  If you spread the flow between Water
21   Conservation Area 1 and Water Conservation Area 2A so
22   that there was a decrease in the amount of water
23   flowing through the S-10C structure, would that
24   impact the water, the phosphorus supply to the
25   cattail community below S-10C?

                                                 304

 1       A.    I don't know.
 2       Q.    What are the factors that comprise
 3   phosphorus supply?
 4       A.    Low volume, the pattern of flow, how the
 5   water flows across the marsh, and the phosphorus
 6   concentration in that water.
 7       Q.    Pattern of flow.
 8             What do you mean by pattern of flow?
 9       A.    Where the water goes.  In other words,
10   would there be a uniform flow across the marsh or
11   would it be going, channeled or going down a canal.
12       Q.    Based upon your studies and research, is
13   there currently a uniform flow across the marsh below
14   the S-10 structures?
15       A.    Probably not.
16       Q.    Where does it flow?  What has impacted a
17   uniform flow?
18       A.    Variations in vegetation density or
19   contours.
20       Q.    Are you familiar with a term
21   flow-weighted P concentration?
22       A.    Yes.
23       Q.    How does P supply differ or phosphorus
24   differ from flow-weighted phosphorus concentrations?
25       A.    We're mixing the term supply and loading

                                                 305

 1   again.
 2       Q.    If you could explain the difference between
 3   the two.
 4       A.    Loading is the external input of phosphorus
 5   to the system.  I've used supply more in terms of
 6   availability, what's available to the plants in the
 7   particular location.
 8       Q.    Okay.  Are you saying then that loading is
 9   equal to flow-weighted phosphorus concentration?
10       A.    No.  It's a correlate of flow-weighted
11   phosphorus concentration times flow volume.
12       Q.    Okay.  Is there a correlate between
13   phosphorus supply and loading?
14       A.    Probably less of one.  The correlate there,
15   as I said yesterday, is between supply or
16   availability and concentration.
17       Q.    What does a flow-weighted phosphorus
18   concentration measure?  How would you calculate that?
19       A.    It measures the phosphorus concentration in
20   the water giving a weighting factor to the
21   concentrations during periods of higher flow.
22             In other words, if you have one week when
23   the phosphorus concentration is a hundred and three
24   weeks when it's ten in a month period, your -- no,
25   excuse me.  If you have a, if you have a phosphorus

                                                 306

 1   concentration of a hundred during a period when
 2   the -- bad example.
 3             It gives more, gives a higher weighting to
 4   phosphorus concentrations when flow volumes are
 5   higher.
 6             If you want me to go through some
 7   calculations for you, I will.
 8       Q.    No need.
 9             In a flow-weighted phosphorus
10   concentration, does that calculation take into
11   consideration the pattern of the flow?
12       A.    Not usually.
13       Q.    In your definition of phosphorus supply is
14   there a timing factor?
15       A.    I don't understand.
16       Q.    Would it make a difference as to how long
17   the water was in contact with the plant or is that
18   merely a portion of the flow volume?
19       A.    The two would be auto-correlated.  They'd
20   fluctuate together.
21       Q.    Have you ever done any study or research or
22   reviewed any study or research wherein a correlation
23   was drawn between phosphorus supply and the expansion
24   or distribution of cattails in the Everglades?
25       A.    Yes.

                                                 307

 1       Q.    What study?
 2       A.    The very strong overlap of the results of
 3   three studies:  the distribution of surface water
 4   phosphorus concentrations, the distribution of soil
 5   phosphorus and the distribution of cattail combined
 6   with our process research indicating that cattail are
 7   a high-nutrient species and sawgrass a low-nutrient
 8   species.
 9       Q.    Okay.  Was that one particular study?
10       A.    I think that's four studies.
11       Q.    Are there papers resulting from those four
12   studies?
13       A.    The soil phosphorus concentrations are in
14   Reddy, et al., as we cited yesterday.
15             The cattail distribution is in the
16   vegetation map produced by Ken Rutchey.
17             Surface water concentrations have been the
18   subject of a number of studies, everything from
19   Millar, et al., in the, I believe the early Eighties
20   to the water sampling by Nancy Urban and Marguerite
21   Koch more recently.
22       Q.    And did Ken Rutchey study the flow volume
23   in preparing his vegetative map?
24       A.    No.
25       Q.    Did he study the pattern of flow?

                                                 308

 1       A.    No.
 2       Q.    Did he study the phosphorus concentrations
 3   in the surface water?
 4       A.    No.
 5       Q.    He did not then determine what the
 6   phosphorus supply was.
 7       A.    No.
 8       Q.    Did Reddy in his soil phosphorus
 9   concentration study, did he look at the flow volume
10   of water?
11       A.    No.
12       Q.    Did he look at the pattern of flow?
13       A.    No.
14       Q.    Did he look at phosphorus concentration in
15   the surface water?
16       A.    I would have to review that to see if he
17   had phosphorus surface water concentration data in
18   that report.
19       Q.    So he possibly looked at one of the three
20   factors comprising phosphorus supply; is that
21   correct?
22       A.    That's correct.
23       Q.    Now, with regard to Urban and Koch's water
24   sampling, have they been establishing or studying the
25   flow volume?

                                                 309

 1       A.    No.
 2       Q.    Have they been looking at the pattern of
 3   flow?
 4       A.    No.
 5       Q.    Have three been looking or establishing
 6   what the phosphorus concentrations are in the surface
 7   water?
 8       A.    Yes.
 9       Q.    Okay.  Did they then determine what the
10   phosphorus supply was?
11       A.    As I said, I was relying on the combination
12   of these studies.
13       Q.    Okay.  Which of the studies you referred to
14   have looked at flow volume?
15       A.    As I said yesterday, phosphorus
16   concentration is commonly used as a correlate to
17   supply at sites in the same area of wetland, and I
18   feel it's a valid correlate.
19       Q.    Okay.  So for phosphorus supply, you can
20   actually knock out the flow volume factor since we
21   already have phosphorus concentration in surface
22   water; is that correct?
23             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
24             THE WITNESS:  As long as you don't imply
25        that concentration equals supply.  It's a

                                                 310

 1        correlate to supply.
 2   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 3       Q.    All right.
 4             Well, does that just give you an error
 5   factor in there?
 6       A.    No.
 7       Q.    Well, how good is the correlation
 8   statistically?
 9       A.    I stated that we made an assumption that
10   phosphorus concentration was a correlate to supply.
11       Q.    When you say phosphorus concentration is a
12   correlate to supply, are you referring to phosphorus
13   supply as a whole?  In other words, phosphorus
14   concentrations are a correlate to the combination of
15   flow volume, pattern of flow and phosphorus
16   concentration in surface water?
17       A.    Availability to the plants at the site.
18       Q.    Well, is that what phosphorus supply is,
19   the availability of phosphorus for the plants in the
20   site?
21       A.    That's the way I'm using it and the way
22   I've used it in my papers and the way it would
23   influence cattail.
24       Q.    Okay.  Have you ever attempted to quantify
25   phosphorus supply?

                                                 311

 1       A.    No.  As I stated yesterday, that's almost
 2   impossible in an open marsh area.  You have to use
 3   correlates.
 4       Q.    Okay.  Have you ever attempted to quantify
 5   patterns of flow?
 6       A.    No.
 7       Q.    Is that something that can be done in a
 8   marsh area?
 9       A.    It would be extremely difficult, if not
10   impossible.
11       Q.    Okay.  Is phosphorus supply more of a
12   concept than a quantitative figure?
13       A.    I wouldn't call it a concept.  I would say
14   that it's a, that it can be used in a quantitative
15   way when comparing sites with low versus high
16   phosphorus concentrations.  I would call it more than
17   a concept.
18       Q.    Have you ever used the term phosphorus
19   supply in any of your papers?
20       A.    Yes, I stated the assumption in my papers
21   that phosphorus concentrations are used as a
22   correlate to phosphorus supply.
23       Q.    And which paper would those be in?
24       A.    That would be the Davis, 1991.  I know that
25   one in specific.

                                                 312

 1             Specifically I'd have to look back at the
 2   others.
 3       Q.    Okay.  In that paper do you explain that
 4   phosphorus supply is comprised of flow volume,
 5   pattern of flow and soil phosphorus concentrations?
 6       A.    I'd have to look at the paper as far as the
 7   specific wording goes, but we do make a definite
 8   point of stating that we are using concentration as a
 9   correlate to supply.
10       Q.    Okay.  If the flow volume increases, what
11   impact does that have on phosphorus supply?
12       A.    It would increase.
13       Q.    Okay.  And if flow volume decreases, what
14   impact would that have on phosphorus supply?
15       A.    It would decrease.
16       Q.    If you had a high flow volume but low
17   phosphorus concentration, what would that do to
18   phosphorus supply?
19             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
20   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
21       Q.    Let me go ahead and give you two examples
22   and see if I understand the concept.
23             If you have high flow volume but low
24   phosphorus concentrations, how would that compare
25   with high phosphorus concentrations but very low flow

                                                 313

 1   volume?
 2             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
 3             THE WITNESS:  Both would give you -- they
 4        would be offset in terms of phosphorus supply.
 5   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 6       Q.    Okay.  If you had then the same low
 7   phosphorus supply but low flow volume, what would
 8   that do to phosphorus supply?
 9             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to form.
10             THE WITNESS:  I think you stated the
11        question incorrectly.
12             Would you restate it?
13             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Okay.  Well, I'll rephrase
14        the question.
15   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
16       Q.    If you had low phosphorus concentration and
17   low flow volume, what would that do to phosphorus
18   supply?
19             MR. NETTLETON:  Same objection.
20             THE WITNESS:  I don't know.
21   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
22       Q.    Okay.
23             Well, if you had low phosphorus supply and
24   in one instance you had low flow volume and in one
25   instance you had high flow volume, would there be a

                                                 314

 1   difference in phosphorus supply?
 2       A.    Would you restate the question?
 3       Q.    Sure.
 4             You have the same concentration of
 5   phosphorus.  In one instance you have very low flow
 6   volume, in the other instance you have high flow
 7   volume.
 8             Would there be the same phosphorus supply?
 9       A.    No.  The phosphorus supply would be higher
10   under the higher flow volume.
11       Q.    Okay.
12             Now, let's say you have a high phosphorus
13   concentration and in one instance you have low flow
14   volume and in one instance you have high flow volume.
15             Would there be an equivalent phosphorus
16   supply?
17       A.    Yes.
18       Q.    Okay.  Why is that?
19       A.    There would be more phosphorus coming
20   across the particular area with the high flow volume.
21       Q.    So the two would be the same; no matter
22   what the volume, as long as the phosphorus
23   concentration is high, there's no impact on
24   phosphorus supply?
25             THE WITNESS:  Would you re-read that?

                                                 315

 1   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 2       Q.    Let me restate the question.  Perhaps you
 3   misunderstood me.
 4             If you have a high volume or concentration
 5   of phosphorus in the surface water and in one
 6   instance you have low volume of flow and in the other
 7   instance you have high volume of flow, would you have
 8   the equivalent phosphorus supply?
 9       A.    No, not necessarily.
10             MR. NETTLETON:  Can I kind of retroactively
11        object to the form?
12             MR. KOBELINSKI:  Sure.
13   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
14       Q.    How does phosphorus concentration in
15   surface water correlate to flow volume?  Is there any
16   correlation there in your experience in Water
17   Conservation Area 2A?
18       A.    Concentrations are often higher under
19   higher flow volumes.
20       Q.    Are concentrations then often lower under
21   low flow volumes?
22       A.    Yes.
23       Q.    Okay.  So there is a correlation between
24   phosphorus concentrations in surface water and flow
25   volumes, a positive, direct correlation?

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 1       A.    I haven't tested that statistically, but my
 2   observation is that at times when structures are open
 3   and a rapid flow of water across the marsh, we do get
 4   penetration of higher phosphorus concentrations into
 5   the marsh.
 6       Q.    Okay.
 7             MR. KOBELINSKI:  This looks like a good
 8        time to break for lunch.
 9               (Thereupon, a luncheon recess was taken
10                from 12:23 p.m., until 2:10 p.m.)

                                                 317

 1            A F T E R N O O N  S E S S I O N
 2                        -   -   -
 3                        CONTINUED DIRECT (Steven M. Davis)
 4   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
 5       Q.    Mr. Davis, is there a means of
 6   mathematically calculating P supply?
 7       A.    Probably only in a laboratory situation.
 8       Q.    Okay.  And what would that calculation be?
 9       A.    Simply where you can add a known amount of
10   phosphorus in whatever form you want it to a small
11   controlled ecosystem and measure its form and content
12   in each of the components of that system.
13       Q.    Okay.  Well, given the three factors:  flow
14   volume, pattern of flow and surface water phosphorus
15   concentration, do you just literally add those three
16   numbers together to come up with a number of
17   phosphorus supply?
18       A.    It would be a multiplication.
19       Q.    Multiply all three of them?
20       A.    It would be volume times concentration.
21             And, of course, it's what would be
22   available to plant uptake or growth in parts of the
23   system such as the soil.
24       Q.    Is there then a factor for soil phosphorus
25   concentrations in P supply, phosphorus supply?

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 1       A.    Yes.
 2       Q.    Again, is there an equation that we
 3   multiply, add or how do you combine these different
 4   factors to come out with your phosphorus supply
 5   number?
 6       A.    In a laboratory situation, that would be
 7   the phosphorus concentration in the inflowing
 8   solution, water in this case, times the volume of
 9   that water divided by the time interval that you're
10   introducing the water or phosphorus plus the
11   concentration times the volume -- concentration of
12   available phosphorus in other components within the
13   system times the volume of, volume or mass of those
14   components whether it's a solid or a liquid.
15       Q.    Did you just develop this calculation now
16   or have you used this calculation in the past?
17       A.    I'm referring to methodologies that have
18   been used in, in refereed papers on this subject.
19       Q.    What papers are you referring to?
20       A.    Specifically referring to Shaver and
21   Mellilo, M-e-l-l-i-l-o, about 1986, '87 in ecology.
22       Q.    Is that one of the papers you're relying
23   upon?
24       A.    No.
25       Q.    Okay.  As I understand it, you multiply the

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 1   phosphorus concentration of the surface water times
 2   the volume, divide that by the time interval of the
 3   water contact with the plant?
 4       A.    It simply gives you concentration times
 5   flow.
 6       Q.    Okay.  Plus the phosphorus concentration in
 7   the soil?  You actually had not said soil.
 8       A.    I said other components in the system.
 9       Q.    Other components.
10             Times the volume or mass.
11       A.    Yes.
12       Q.    Of what?
13       A.    Of those components, of the component in
14   question.
15       Q.    So, for instance, if you're looking at
16   soils component, you'd be multiplying the phosphorus
17   soil concentration times what?
18       A.    For available phosphorus, it would probably
19   be the phosphorus in the interstitial water times the
20   volume of that interstitial water.
21       Q.    And how would you go about calculating the
22   volume of the water?
23       A.    This can be done through determinations of
24   both density of soil which is with and without water
25   content.

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 1       Q.    Okay.  What other component would you have
 2   other than the phosphorus soil concentration?
 3       A.    Another component would be retranslocation
 4   from dying plants to growing plants through rhizomes
 5   or other tissue or release of phosphorus from dying
 6   plant tissue into the water which would then be
 7   utilized by the growing plants.
 8       Q.    And how would you calculate that
 9   concentration?
10       A.    As I recall in the laboratory, that's done
11   by subtraction, looking at the difference between
12   input and output of phosphorus to the, to your
13   laboratory system, looking at uptake by growing
14   plants which can be determined within the system by
15   the tissue content of phosphorus, and if there's any
16   uptake that's not accounted for by influx minus
17   outflux from the system, that would be due to
18   translocation.
19       Q.    And in doing that calculation, would you
20   have to take into consideration the impacts of
21   bacteria and fungi on the detritus?
22       A.    If you have detritus in your system, yes.
23       Q.    Would you have detritus in a sawgrass marsh
24   and cattail marsh?
25       A.    Yes.

                                                 321

 1       Q.    Are you aware of any study that has
 2   attempted to make that type of calculation within the
 3   water conservation areas?
 4       A.    No.
 5       Q.    Are you aware of any laboratory study that
 6   has attempted to make that calculation in a manner
 7   where it could be applied to the Everglades
 8   ecosystem?
 9       A.    I believe the study I referred to by Shaver
10   and Mellilo was done in a manner that could be
11   applied to the Everglades ecosystem.
12       Q.    Has anyone ever applied that study then by
13   Shaver and -- is it Mellilo?
14       A.    Yes.
15       Q.    -- to the Everglades system that you're
16   aware of?
17       A.    Not directly, no.
18       Q.    Are you aware of any current macrophyte
19   studies being conducted by the District within the
20   water conservation areas or the Everglades National
21   Park?
22       A.    The only study within the conservation
23   areas or park I can think of is Ken Rutchey's
24   continuing vegetation map of the system.
25       Q.    Are you aware of any greenhouse studies of

                                                 322

 1   macrophytes being conducted by the District?
 2       A.    I don't even think we have any greenhouses.
 3       Q.    Are you aware of any greenhouse experiments
 4   being conducted by a consultant retained by the
 5   District?
 6       A.    No.
 7       Q.    Are you aware of any greenhouse studies
 8   being conducted with regard to macrophytes to be
 9   applied to the Everglades ecosystem by any party?
10       A.    Not that I can think of.
11       Q.    Okay.  For instance, in particular, are you
12   aware of any competition studies being conducted
13   between sawgrass and macrophyte, be they laboratory,
14   greenhouse or field experiment or study?
15       A.    Yes.
16       Q.    What are you aware of?
17       A.    Sue Newman has a competition study set up
18   at the ENR project.
19       Q.    Just so I understand so perhaps I can
20   phrase the question differently in the future, why
21   didn't you mention Sue Newman's study when I asked
22   you about macrophyte studies?
23       A.    I believe you only asked me about
24   greenhouse studies.
25       Q.    No, I --

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 1       A.    Oh, you said in the conservation areas or
 2   the park.
 3       Q.    I see.
 4             What is Sue Newman's competition study
 5   about?
 6       A.    She's testing two levels of, of surface
 7   water phosphorus concentration and two water levels --
 8   I believe it's only two water levels.  It might be
 9   three -- with various combinations of some of the
10   plants that are being considered for the ENR project
11   including sawgrass and cattail and there's two or
12   three others, I believe Pontederia and maidencane, as
13   I recall.  I'm not -- again, I haven't been directly
14   involved in that study.
15       Q.    Is the District currently considering using
16   sawgrass as a vegetative type for the ENR project?
17       A.    It was under consideration when the
18   competition study was set up.
19       Q.    Is it still currently under consideration?
20       A.    I'm very far removed from the ENR project.
21   I don't even know what the latest proposal is.
22       Q.    What is the purpose of Ms. Newman's study?
23       A.    We were concerned in the early stages of
24   planning of the ENR project that some of the species
25   under consideration for planting would not be

                                                 324

 1   competitive against cattail in the high nutrient
 2   situation and, therefore, we would waste a lot of
 3   money in planting cost with cattail coming in anyway.
 4             By the way, one of the species also was
 5   scirpus in their competition study which was one of
 6   the species under consideration.
 7       Q.    Have you heard of any of the results of
 8   Ms. Newman's study?
 9       A.    There aren't any results yet.  The study
10   has to run for a number of years before we'll start
11   to see anything sort out.  I think it's only, it's
12   been going about a year and a half.  I think it's
13   scheduled for three years before the first interim
14   report will be written on it.
15       Q.    Is one of the purposes of the study to
16   determine essentially the vegetative type to be used
17   in the ENR project?
18       A.    That was the main purpose of the study or
19   to question the planting of species which might not
20   be competitive with cattail, to evaluate the cost of
21   planting if it wasn't going to be effective.
22       Q.    Does the study have any applicability to
23   the STA's?
24       A.    I would think so.
25       Q.    Going back for a moment to the phosphorus

                                                 325

 1   supply, does the vegetative type or the type of
 2   vegetation that you're calculating the phosphorus
 3   supply for have any bearing upon the calculation?
 4       A.    I would think the main bearing would be
 5   species differences in relocation.
 6       Q.    What does that mean?
 7       A.    Some species might tend to -- or
 8   translocation, retranslocation.
 9             Some species might translocate phosphorus
10   more readily than others, therefore create an
11   internal supply more than other species.
12       Q.    Does the cattail have the same phosphorus
13   uptake if the water level is only, for instance, two
14   inches above the ground as compared to two foot above
15   soil level?
16       A.    I don't know.
17       Q.    Would that have a bearing upon phosphorus
18   supply for the plant?
19       A.    It could.
20       Q.    How is that factored into the equation?
21       A.    It wasn't in the work of Shaver and
22   Mellilo.
23             The reason it could have a factor in the
24   conservation areas is that both sawgrass and cattail
25   have upward growing roots into the water column

                                                 326

 1   between the dead leaf sheaves which are active uptake
 2   sites.
 3       Q.    Did you take it into consideration in your
 4   analysis of phosphorus supply for Water Conservation
 5   Area 2A?
 6             MR. NETTLETON:  Object to the form.
 7             THE WITNESS:  Did I take what into
 8        consideration?  The depth of the water?
 9   BY MR. KOBELINSKI:
10       Q.    Yes, and its impact upon phosphorus supply.
11       A.    That