cbec worked with Philip Williams and Associates on a project aiming to characterize the hydraulic connectivity and water quality of large floodplain sloughs within the Apalachicola River System.

This assessment provided data that will compare habitat suitability via water quality and level before and after a restoration project that involves the reconnection / earthen plug removal at Battle Bend for comparisons to other large backwater slough systems within the Apalachicola Floodplain. These critical backwater slough systems have been shown to provide valuable spawning and nursery habitat for at least 50% of all fish within the Apalachicola River System. This dataset will provide a better understanding of ecological function of backwater slough systems within the Apalachicola Floodplain across the range of slough systems. In particular, the evaluation of water quality parameters in Battle Bend and other major sloughs will provide us a better understanding of the importance of water connectivity with the main channel, help to determine the overall success of the current restoration project at Battle Bend, and help to assess the suitability of the approach taken at Battle Bend for use in future restoration activities within the Apalachicola River System.