Water Quality and Upland Wetland Aquatic Communities of Cumberland Island, Georgia, 1999–2000

Abstract

Cumberland Island is the southernmost and largest barrier island along the coast of Georgia. The island contains about 2,500 acres of freshwater wetlands, which are located in a variety of physical settings, have a wide range of hydroperiods, and are influenced to varying degrees by surface and ground water, rainwater, and seawater. During 1999–2000, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted a water-quality study of Cumberland Island National Seashore to document and interpret the quality of a representative subset of surface- and ground-water resources for management of the seashore’s natural resources (Frick and others, 2002; Fig. 1). As part of this study, historical groundwater, surface-water, and ecological studies conducted on Cumberland Island also were summarized.