As previously discussed here at The Hinky Meter, I passed Dr. Jawitz’s report to a wetland expert and asked that he provide an analysis of the soundness of the water level analysis and its conclusions. Brian McGowan, CWD, CCP agreed to review Dr. Jawitz’s report and has offered his learned opinion. The following are his conclusions after spending several months looking over the available data obtained from the Stormwater Management office of Orange County. (The same data Dr. Jawitz is assumed to have utilized in his analysis.)
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After reviewing the hydrological report assembled by Dr. James W. Jawitz and dated November 3, 2009, I have come to the following conclusions:
I believe that the methods that Dr. Jawitz employed to measure the groundwater fluctuation at the investigation site are sound and scientifically accurate. I also believe that the data reflected in his report is a true measure of groundwater depth at the investigation site. This data can be accurately extrapolated to measure the groundwater fluctuations at Area A (the site in which the remains were found). Also, the topographic map that he uses on page 3 of his report was adapted from a recent survey dated January 30, 2009 which was conducted by Allen & company Professional Surveyors and Pampers. This topographic data was measured in 1 foot contours which allow a high level of interpretation as to the topography of area A.
On page 3 of his report, Dr. Jawitz stated that he surveyed the elevation of his investigation site and found it to be 1.54 ft. below the elevation of Area A. What is not stated in his report is the instrumentation that was used to survey the investigation site nor what intervals of contours he recorded (i.e. 1-ft, 2 ft., or 5-ft). He most likely measured them in a 1-ft. interval but that is not stated in the report. He also stated in his report that he surveyed the area on November 2, 2009 which is only one day prior to the date on this report (page 3, Paragraph 2). Although Dr. Jawitz methods for measuring the fluctuation of groundwater at the investigation site and correlating that data to the fluctuation of groundwater in Area A is accurate and scientifically sound, he does not take into consideration other factors that could lead to the inundation of Area A that are independent from the Investigation site. Furthermore, the topographic map listed on page 3 of Dr. Jawitz’s report shows a high level of detail for the topography of Area A but does not show any detail for the investigation site which is located approximately 68 ft. from Area A. Without knowing what level of detail Dr. Jawitz used in his own topographic survey of the investigation site it is impossible to determine whether or not the site drains to a lower area. By looking at the topographic map on page 3 of his report, Area A appears to be a poorly drained depressional area.
The remains of Caylee Anthony were found in a wetland or a swampy area as referred to by Dr. Jawitz on page 1, paragraph1 under Site Location of his report. Wetlands can possess a very complicated hydrological regime. For a wetland to exist, three criteria have to be met. The first criteria is that hydric soils must be present. Hydric soils are those soils that are capable of ponding water for at least seven days out of the growing period. Soils are complex in themselves and an there can be many different soil types located in a small area. The second criteria is that a wetland must possess hydrophytic vegetation. This is vegetation that is dependant or can survive in wet or saturated soils. The last criteria is hydrology. This means that there must be a hydrologic regime that can support hydrophytic vegetation.
As a wetland scientist, I have been involved in many wetland investigations in which an area can change from a wetland supporting all three of these conditions to an area that only supports 1 or none of these criteria. To get an accurate picture of whether there are other factors involved in the hydrology of Area A that are independent of the investigation site, a wetland delineation and determination has to be conducted at Area A and the investigation site. At a minimum, the soils at Area A and Dr. Jawitz’s site should be identified and analyzed to determine how the sites drain. It is my professional opinion that Dr. Jawitz’s report dated November 3rd, 2009 lacks data that could be crucial in determining the accurate hydrological characteristics of Area A. Measuring the ground water fluctuations alone cannot give an accurate depiction of an areas hydrologic regime. Although Dr. Jawitz’s investigation site is located approximately 68ft. away from Area A and is also located in a wetland area, this does not mean that the hydrologic characteristics of the two sites are the same even if the groundwater fluctuations are.
Brian McGowan, CWD, CCP
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I would like to say how very grateful I am to Mr. McGowan for agreeing to do this as a personal favor and professional courtesy. In addition to his heavy workload and responsibilities in his own career, he voluntarily spent his personal time to review Dr. Jawitz’s report, analyze the data and provide his experienced opinion on this matter.
Valhall.
Dr. Jawitz’s water level analysis report
Related posts:
- Mason’s water problem and a review of the water analysis report
- Analyzing the Analysis: The Waterlevel Report
- Caylee Anthony case: a defense pathologist Spitz out a report
- 11/06/09 Bug Report – Entomology
- Rainfall Analysis for Conditions on September 1st, 2008
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