Yesterday, the Riverkeeper, Neil Armingeon, attended a meeting in Orlando that was organized by the St. Johns River Water Management District to receive proposals for water withdrawal projects in Central Florida.
From where do you ask will the water come from - the St. Johns River, of course. The District has determined that they cannot guarantee a sustainable source of groundwater after 2013, so counties and cities must begin pursuing alternative water sources. The District has also determined that 150 million gallons of water can be safely sucked out of the river each and every day, and they will provide $45 million dollars in funding to help these thirsty counties and local governments to do so.
Neil described the scene as a feeding frenzy with a room full of consultants, attorneys, and at least a dozen District staffers all there to divy up the water and grab the cash without a mention of the ecological impact on the St. Johns. However, the SJRWMD has previously said that their models demonstrate that this will have little if any adverse impact on the river.
So, let me get this straight. The District has so poorly managed one of the largest sources of drinking water on the plant, the Floridan Aquifer, and now they want us to trust them that they won't mismanage the withdrawal of water from the river, as well. What if they have miscalculated? It will be too late then. Once the spigot is turned on and people become dependent on the water, it ain't going to be easy to turn it off. In other words, once we head down that road, there is no turning back.
Another concern, and this can be substantiated from past history and previous promises, is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Once we have distributed the 150 million gal/day and have further depleted our groundwater supply, folks will begin looking to the river for more H2O.
To understand why this is a concern just think about how salty the river has been in the lower section this year because of the drought conditions. People have reported jelly fish in Drs. Lake. Barnacles are growing on docks in Palatka. If you take water out of the river, that means less freshwater flowing towards its mouth. JaxPort is moving forward with dredging the river to 45 feet. That means more saltwater entering the river. We continue to deplete groundwater and that means less flow from the springs that provide 20-30% of the river's flow. If climate change is in fact occuring and seas are rising, this would push even more saltwater into our river. Compound all of this with drought conditions and we could be on our way to completely changing the chemistry and ecological conditions of the St. Johns River.
More studies, caution, and conservation efforts are needed before we continue down this road. We have a few commercials that tell us to water only twice a week, but we haven't really pushed and mandated conservation. No one has the right to waste and abuse a precious comodity that is a public resource, and no agency has a right to mismanaged that resource and violate their responsibility to the public whom they represent.
Hey, we're going to have plenty of water when those polar caps melt but who cares about that right Mr. Bush? But I guess that will all be salt water. I was appalled a few years back when the St. Johns River Water Management Distinct authorized some ridiculous amount of water to be taken out of the aquifer as an experiment to see what happens. What ever did they find out about that and where did the water go?
I am not really sure what you are referring to. Do you have any more info. about this?
Your reply made we think about another "alternative water supply" practice that the water mgmt. district is supporting, as well. The District would allow surface water or treated wastewater to be injected into the aquifer for storage, so that it could be pumped back out when needed. Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) is already used in some places in Florida and would also be a critical component of Everglades restoration. There are concerns about the water migrating and contaminating groundwater or disrupting the hydrology of the aquifer system.
This is just another example of rolling the dice with our natural resources. We have got to get serious about mandating the conservation of water before we start playing around with Mother Nature. Considering the fact that up to 70% of the potable water that we use during the summer is for watering lawns, we need to address this problem before we turn our attention to water withdrawal, ASR, or other similar short-sighted schemes.
QuoteThe Florida Times-Union
July 24, 2007
Central Florida shouldn't take water from St. Johns
By RON LITTLEPAGE
The Times-Union
Lovers of the St. Johns River be warned.
The St. Johns River Water Management District is gung-ho about plans to take perhaps as much as 150 million gallons a day out of the river to quench the thirst of Central Florida where growth continues out of control.
And it's not just the St. Johns. Millions of gallons could also come out of the Ocklawaha, a major tributary of the St. Johns.
And it's not just water for Central Florida. South Florida and Southwest Florida are bellying up to the bar as well in a behind-the-scenes ploy to get around the public outcry that came when a similar idea was proposed a couple of years ago.
A major problem is no one knows for sure what sucking that much water out of the St. Johns and Ocklawaha would do to the health of the rivers.
It's easy to tell the water management district is serious about proceeding. Why else would it pay the law firm of Fowler White Boggs Banker about $1 million to facilitate planning sessions for the projects?
One such meeting was held in Orlando last week where about 40 entities expressed interest in staking out claims on water from the St. Johns and the Ocklawaha.
The St. Johns Riverkeeper, Neil Armingeon, attended the meeting and described the atmosphere as being "like dogs fighting over a hunk of meat."
When he asked about challenging the projects, Armingeon said he was told, "Hey, dude. It's a done deal."
Well, it shouldn't be a done deal.
When communities spend perhaps as much as $300 million on a plant to treat the river water to make it potable, do you really believe the water management district is going to say, sorry, it turns out we were wrong and the health of the river is being adversely affected, so stop using the water?
And there's no satisfactory answer as to what will happen to the effluent from the plants. When you remove the dirty stuff from the river water, where does it go? Back into the river in concentrated form?
"This is madness," Armingeon said.
The water management district insists withdrawing the water will be safe. I know scientists who disagree.
One big question is how taking that much fresh water out of the St. Johns would affect the river's salinity levels and ecology.
Gov. Charlie Crist has been presenting himself lately as an environmentalist.
I applaud him on his efforts to cut greenhouse gases.
He also needs to make it clear to the boards of the state's water management districts that their mission is not only water supply.
It's also protecting the health of the state's waterways.
He has a perfect opportunity to drive that point home.
The board of the St. Johns River Water Management District has nine members. The terms of three of those members have expired. Crist needs to appoint people who get it.
One thing didn't come up at the Orlando meeting where hands were wrung over finding alternative water supplies to meet the needs of burgeoning development.
Half of the water being taken from the aquifer is being used for irrigation.
Institute strict conservation programs and leave the St. Johns and Ocklawaha alone.
ron.littlepage@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4284
The only information I have is that an article in the Flrorida Times Union said the St. Johns River Water Management District was going to withdraw a large amount of water from the aquifer as an experiment. It was years ago probably in the 90's.
The St. Johns River Water Management District is now saying that this water withdrawal scheme is not a "done deal", despite the fact that they are having utilities and counties line up and submit proposals.
I'm not buying it. However, these plans to take water from the river could be delayed if enough people got fired up and demanded that the SJRWMD apply some pressure to the brakes. We also have to seriously embrace conservation, so that we don't suck our aquifer dry and are forced to look for alternative water sources like the river.
Take into consideration that approximately 50% of all our potable water is sprayed on our lawns. When we have not had much rain, that amount can be as high as 70%. Each of us who resides within the watershed of the St. Johns River uses about 150 gallons of water each and every day. This weekend, maybe think twice about whether or not you really need to water the grass. Need a new toilet, faucet, or water heater? Think about buying a water conservation model that will significantly reduce your water consumption and save you money in the long run.
If we don't get real serious real fast about conservation, we may be drinking a refreshing glass of St. Johns River water sooner than we thought.
QuoteThe Florida Times-Union
September 5, 2007
Thirsty Central Florida has plans for St. Johns
By DAVID HUNT,
The Times-Union
Imagine the Empire State Building flooded nearly to its trademark lightning rod.
That's about how much water the St. Johns River could lose each day under plans to quench a thirsty Central Florida.
Utility managers are considering taking up to 262 million gallons daily from the St. Johns and a tributary, the Ocklawaha River, to support a groundwater network not expected to handle population growth beyond 2013.
Video: RETURN OF THE GREEN MONSTER: See a series of video reports about the St. Johns River by the River Keeper
The idea has led to much debate over environmental and development issues from Orlando, where the water is most needed, to Jacksonville, where the water's loss could be most noticeable.
"It really is quite a domino effect. It's not like you're just pulling an amount of water out or turning a faucet off a little bit," said Quinton White, a Jacksonville University biologist and the school's arts and sciences dean. "This is another example of man trying to harness nature. I don't think we've ever successfully done that."
White said he sees the drawdown blending more of the Atlantic Ocean's saltwater into the river's already salty lower basin, killing off freshwater plants and species. He also said the change in flow could create sediment deposits big enough that dredging will be more frequently necessary to make way for Jacksonville's cargo traffic.
Planning the drawdown are dozens of Central Florida utility managers and the St. Johns River Water Management District, a regulatory agency charged with finding a compromise between development and environmental needs.
The water management district is projecting a 4.9 percent reduction in flow, which officials say should not have significant impacts on salt levels and sea life. Printed agency research shows the drawdown likely would increase the river's habitat for pink shrimp while shrinking the amount of space for blue crabs.
Five conceptual plans are under discussion. If any moves forward, construction could begin by 2009. Projected construction costs range between $800 million and $1.2 billion, with state tax dollars funding as much as $500 million, said agency Water Supply Management Director Barbara Vergara.
While financial issues have become part of the debate, opponents claim the water management district is meddling with Mother Nature and could be sacrificing one of Jacksonville's most precious resources. Agency officials say some of the concerns have been alarmist.
"People get images in their minds of what it looks like out west with the Colorado River stopping in California or the Rio Grande not running to the Gulf of Mexico," said James Gross, an agency senior project manager. "We're talking about reducing the discharge of the St. Johns River to the ocean by 4 percent. We're not talking about permitting out every drop of water."
Even at 262 million gallons each day, enough water to fill nearly 400 Olympic-size swimming pools, it may not be long until the region thirsts again. Vergara said the St. Johns River Water Management District has anticipated this and has been working on plans to desalinate ocean water for the past seven years.
The idea to treat river water has been developing since the mid-1990s, when planners were examining ways to get more drinking water for growing St. Johns County. Vergara said drawing from the river was considered too complicated a solution in that case because of the salt levels in the river's northern sections.
In Central Florida drawing from the river is a much more sound idea, she said, because the north-flowing freshwater pushes away south-flowing saltwater. Although not as expensive as desalination, treating river water will be more costly than what utilities are used to, she added.
Vergara said utilities generally spend about $1 processing 1,000 gallons of groundwater. Processing 1,000 gallons of river water likely will cost between $3.50 and $4.50.
Consumers will see that higher production cost in their water bills, which may promote conservation. That's an issue the water management district already stresses in its "Think Two" campaign and Water Star Homes program.
James Orth, director of the environmental group St. Johns Riverkeeper, said he thinks the water management district should push harder on conservation before tapping the river.
"We haven't gone out and attacked people's use of water. It's almost immoral in my opinion," he said. "The thing that frightens me is once it's done, it's done. People become accustomed to this and, if we realize we're wrong, you can't just shut people's water off."
Neil Armingeon, who serves as Orth's chief river watchdog, said he doesn't believe the water management district has given enough thought to potential damage to the river. He said his group is seeking a third-party environmental assessment and may take the debate into a courtroom.
"We're still in that, 'What can you do legally,' phase," Armingeon said. "We don't know, but there's a coalition of groups forming."
Opposition to the plan is not limited to environmentalists. The Marion County commissioners took a stand last month by telling the water management district they felt pumping the Ocklawaha River would be more harmful than it was worth. However, the commission has no governing power over the water management district.
Orth said he questions whether the drawdown will compromise the mission of Mayor John Peyton's River Accord, a $742 million cleanup plan launched last year.
Peyton spokeswoman Susie Wiles said the mayor has monitored the planning process but hasn't taken a stance.
"We've got a lot of questions, but none that nobody else doesn't have," she said.
david.hunt@jacksonville.com,
This IS the future of the St. Johns River. Learn more by watching this Channel 4 news story - http://www.news4jax.com/news/14052024/detail.html (http://www.news4jax.com/news/14052024/detail.html) or by going to the Riverkeeper Blog at
http://stjohnsriverkeeper.blogspot.com/ (http://stjohnsriverkeeper.blogspot.com/)
Then, get involved.
Tale of a Lost River and Dead Sea
So where does the water go? Look at this little story from a place that is nearly paradise lost. California's step-child, Eastern California. This region is marked by the Owens valley, which was carved between the White Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. This is the back door to Yosemite, Sequoia and a host of other National Parks and forests. Fed by an alpine snow pack, the Owens River, bubbles out of the mountains at Convict Lake, at elevations that really do take your breath away.
(http://www.snre.umich.edu/ecomgt/cases/cures/map.gif)
This image shows the green valley of the Owens River, once one of the leading rivers of the West. Many early cowboy movies were shot in the nearby Alabama Hills, affording a location with eternal sunshine, cool temperatures and lots of water.
(http://www.grazulis.com/highsierra/images/convict1.jpg)
Here is the headwaters of the system, pristine, preserved and alpine, this place is colder then a Witches tits in a brass bra, and the snow pack can last all year, ever feeding the beautiful river.
(http://static.flickr.com/48/177371233_6a08491492_m.jpg)
The Owens, was once the primary watering river in California, countless thousands of acres of ranch and farmland lined it's banks. Fishermen, still trek to it's upper reaches, and ghost towns dominate the lower Owens, where it fed the inland sea known as Owens Lake.
(http://static.flickr.com/110/294552791_46f948cd48_m.jpg)
The evil genius of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, under the leadership of Mr. Mulholland, decided this sparsely populated paradise was the perfect place to "stick the hose" and pump the water off to distant LA. Water wars raged with explosions at the construction sites and even today, destruction of DWP property. With LA's massive population, they bought up the willing sellers early in the 1900's. Those that didn't willingly sell, were starved out, the water was re-routed into the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
(http://www.scvresources.com/highways/us_6/olancha.jpg)
Olancha, is just one location on the West shore of the old Owens Lake. Once a popular resort and small inland port, it sits in the pass as one moves from Southern into Eastern California. Today, it is a sleepy arid place, the railroad, and the Lake, are now history.
(http://www.schweich.com/images/IMGP1524sm.jpg)
Further out on the plain, was the busy port of Swansea, steamboats tied up at the wharfs and from about 1869 until well into the 20Th century, great loads of Lead, and Silver made their way across the waters to the Olancha railhead. Keeler, another of my favorite places, is barely still hanging on. The great ore buckets that moved down from Cerro Gordo on a cable tram, hang in the air, silent. The mill still works a little ore, the railroad is gone, the lake is dry.
(http://static.flickr.com/33/46717593_b644a2153e_m.jpg)
Once a lake more akin to an inland sea, today's hardy trekkers can drive out on the sands of Owens Lake and find the bones of great ships. The climate has changed here as well, your lips dry and chap, your nose bleeds, and the sun bakes everything into dust.
(http://static.flickr.com/11/15376490_c7e4824f1c_m.jpg)
The pretty white sand is hardly what you think, Talc and Borax come from this area, and the dust is unbelievable. This once green and fertile plain, looks more like Mar's, then images from the Cartwright cowboys. Yet treasure might still be found by the hardy, who go in search, not of today, but of Yesterdays California.
Please dear God, don't let us follow in their footsteps. As a defender of the Ocklawaha, and a friend of the St. Johns, I may find myself and my friends tossing their lot in with the spirits of the Owens River wars. Fight on Riverkeeper!
Ocklawaha
Quotehttp://www.ocala.com/article/20070913/OPINION/209130339/1008/OPINION
Article published Sep 13, 2007
OUR OPINION
Forced to follow the law - finally
Here's the $500 million question: Just how much water could be pumped each day from the Ocklawaha River to Orlando and its Central Florida neighbors without destroying the waterway's ecosystem? A) 30 million gallons B) 50 million gallons or C) 100 million gallons.
The answer is . . . nobody knows. That's right, even though each of those rather large figures has been floated at some point by people seemingly in the know, no one really knows for sure how much water can be taken from the Ocklawaha before permanently harming the river and its fragile watershed, which incudes Silver Springs.
Nonetheless, the St. Johns River Water Management District is aggressively pressing ahead with its $500 million plan to solve greater Orlando's water crisis by building a pumping plant and a 136-mile pipeline tapping the Ocklawaha. In its zeal to help foster more growth in greater Orlando by refreshing its dwindling water supply with Ocklawaha water - that is, Marion County water - the water district has failed to answer the most basic of questions: Is such a big investment worth the eventual return?
That question can only be answered by establishing the river's "minimum flows and levels," or MFLs. MFLs require complex scientific analysis to determine just how low the river can be drawn down before environmental havoc occurs. After all, a river's or lake's watershed is home to untold varieties of plants, animals and geological formations, all dependent on a certain level of water flow to remain healthy and vibrant. St. Johns says it is preparing to measure the Ocklawaha's MFLs, presumably between 2008 and 2010, but that is only because it is being, at long last, forced to do so due to the pump-and-pipe proposal.
St. Johns' failure to have already established the Ocklawaha's MFLs is one more example of how Florida's water managers have engaged in mismanagement over the years. Establishing MFLs for Florida's aquifers, rivers and lakes was a well-known part of the Florida Water Resources Act of 1972, the legislation that formed the state's five water management districts and most of the law regulating water disbursement today.
Shamefully, however, the water districts, including St. Johns, have extensively ignored the MFLs requirement, law or not. The reason is simple, says former state senator Nancy Argenziano, who amended the water law twice during her tenure in the Legislature - in 1996 and 2005 - to try and expedite establishing MFLs statewide.
"They've moved very slowly," Argenziano told us. "If you establish MFLs, then you have to actually adhere to them."
And that could constrain water managers and the politicians in Tallahassee. What if the MFLs come up insufficient to allow, say, the Ocklawaha River being used as a source of drinking water for a major economic and political center like Orlando? What if a lack of water forced the state to get serious about desalination, or worse, force the curtailment of new development?
Once again, the water issue isn't being driven by what's best for Florida's environment. It's about money and political clout.
The dereliction shown by St. Johns and the other four water management districts by not establishing MFLs for the state's major rivers and lakes is inexplicable. The need for MFLs has been acknowledged by scientists since the get-go. Yet, they've been ignored by those charged with protecting our water.
It is not just the Ocklawaha, either. No MFLs have been established for Silver Springs or Rainbow Springs. We can't think of two more environmentally important and, yes, threatened Florida waters, and yet, those empowered to manage these irreplaceably resources have been unable to find the will to do what was legally mandated 35 years ago.
It is no wonder St. Johns' proposed solutions to the region's growing water shortage are met with such skepticism, indeed cynicism by local government and the citizenry alike. Establishing minimum flows and levels of Florida's major waterways is as old and fundamental as Florida's water law itself. Yet, here we are, preparing to raid a sensitive and increasingly stressed river - at a cost of $500 million - and our water managers can't even tell us how much water, if any, can be safely taken with doing irreparable environmental harm.
Before the taxpayers let St. Johns proceeds with spending $500 million of our money, we should expect the most basic of answers.
This editorial was published recently in the Ocala Star-Banner and demonstrates how politics are driving this water withdrawal effort. The water withdrawal issue encompasses much more than concerns over the impacts to the St. Johns River or Ocklawaha. This is about how we grow as a state. Are we going to continue to deplete our precious resources and grow unsustainably? We are at the crossroads, and have to decide whether or not we are going to choose a new course or continue down the same old road that requires us to put up our critical natural resources for sacrificial consideration.
I recognize that the purpose of a discussion forum is to actually have a dialogue and not simply continue the thread with your own observations and comments, but this issue of water withdrawal from the river is too important to let this thread fade off into obscurity.
I must say that I am bit dismayed at the lack of attention that the water withdrawal issue has garnered on Metro Jax, considering the importance of the issue and the serious consequences that could result from the proposals to pull millions of gallons of water from our river. I know that this forum was created to primarily focus on urban issues, but the St. Johns River is the heart and soul of our downtown and one of its major attractions and economic assets. As the donor community for these proposed projects in Central Florida, we have nothing to gain and everything to potentially lose if unintended consequences cause harm to the St. Johns River.
As I have mentioned before, this is about much more than just taking water from the St. Johns. This is about the future of our water supply and the future of our state. Do we continue to deplete and expoit our limited natural resources or do we choose a path that focuses on conservation and more sustainable building and planning practices? Urban infill and revitalization would obviously be a part of the latter option. I hope that we in NE FL will learn from the mistakes of Atlanta and Central Florida and will choose to be a leader in creating sustainable communities.
If you are concerned, I would certainly like to hear what folks have to say about this issue. If you would like to learn more about this issue, check out the Riverkeeper website where there is a factsheet and a letter that can be sent to the Governor and the Governing Board of the St. Johns River Water Management District by simply filling in your name and address and hitting the submit button. The Riverkeeper blog also has info. and updates on the issue and links to articles that have appearing in various news publications around the state.
http://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/thirstthreatens.asp (http://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/thirstthreatens.asp)
http://stjohnsriverkeeper.blogspot.com/ (http://stjohnsriverkeeper.blogspot.com/)
Metro Jax members are obviously informed and engaged community leaders and activists. I hope you will all take the time to learn more about this issue and get involved. Your help and leadership could be vital to helping determine the future of our St. Johns River.
Thanks for the links....as this is an extremely important issue and it does need to stay in the limelight until something is done about preserving our water source.
Okay, so I really do have a bright yellow sticker that reads "DEFENDERS OF THE OCKLAWAHA!" The question is, DO YOU? Check us out...
http://www.fladefenders.org/index2.html
Defenders of TheOcklawaha
So what other options do these cities and regions have? Are desalinization plants workable that far inland?
In 2003 The Florida Water Coalition, a non-profit org. of environmental, health and public interest groups, wrote the following statement. It was made as a response to a proposal to send water from the Suwanee River to south Florida. I think it is still a good response today.
http://www.floridawatercongress.org/summaries/summary_FWC.htm (http://www.floridawatercongress.org/summaries/summary_FWC.htm)
Policy Action Plan to Protect Florida’s Water from the Impact of Growth
1.Prohibit inter-basin transfers of water supply or transfer of permits
Continues Florida’s policy of local sources first and treating water as a public resource, not a
privately owned commodity.2.Limit guarantees of water for new growth so that development abides by the
sustainable limits of local sources.
Puts local communities in charge of managing their water supplies and growth while using
conservation and reclaimed water.3.Make the Governor and Cabinet the ultimate decision-makers on water resource
and use conflicts.
Eliminates the need for a new state water board and allows citizens a fair process for
appealing decisions.4.Prohibit state subsidies for water supply for new growth.
Puts the burden of financing expensive new water supply plans on the utilities which can use
their rate-base for long-term financing.5.Protect water resources for the benefit of natural systems and fish and wildlife.
Redirects water managers to prioritize protecting and restoring the environment upon which
fish and wildlife and nature-based recreation depend.6.Equalize budget limits for the water management districts.
Amends the Florida Constitution to remove Northwest Florida Water Management District’s
revenue limits in the Florida Constitution.7.Boards of the Water Management Districts Should Avoid Personal Benefits and
Favors.
Increases citizen faith in responsive and fair government.8.Put Florida’s Nature Based Economy on Par with the Growth Economy.
Economic growth through development is not superior to nature based economies.9.Clean Water must be the highest priority in permit decisions and planning.
Updates Environmental Resource Permits to meet the current challenges of protecting
waterways from all development related pollution.
10.Investment in Protecting, Restoring and Cleaning Up Florida’s Water Should
Precede Growth Subsidies.
Reprioritizes spending to the multi-billion backlog of clean up and protection needs.[/li][/list]
Al of those sound like great ideas to me and they don't sound like too much of a strain on city budgets.
Add to that...
11. Heavily restrict low density sprawling suburban development
T/U letter today: ;D
WATER SUPPLY
Replace sod
One of the advantages of living in Northeast Florida over Central Florida is that we don't have water rationing.
I lived in Polk County for 10 years. The weather was quite pleasant; however, the constant water shortages made living there inconvenient.
As someone who enjoys a nice, healthy green lawn, I found it impossible to get enough water in my yard to accomplish this.
When it comes to a water shortage, obviously a green yard is not what's important. Having water to drink, cook and bathe is far more important than green turf.
Central Florida doesn't have a water problem; it has a St. Augustine problem.
Instead of taking water from another source that might lead to future problems, I recommend replacing the water-sucking turf known as St. Augustine with a grass that doesn't have such an extreme thirst.
In Clearwater, many people landscape their yards with sand and cactus trees. That is a better option than siphoning the St. Johns River.
If you're trying to make your sod green and need 3 inches per week, dig it up and replace it with a "desert friendly" grass.
TERRY HOVIS, Jacksonville
You have made an excellent point about water thirsty landscaping. If it became fashionable again to have flowering shrubs, trees and mulch in place of mowed turf, we would be better off. I have heard that St. Augustine grass is considered a wetland species of grass.
Quote from: lindab on November 05, 2007, 05:49:08 PM
You have made an excellent point about water thirsty landscaping. If it became fashionable again to have flowering shrubs, trees and mulch in place of mowed turf, we would be better off. I have heard that St. Augustine grass is considered a wetland species of grass.
well what north floida with out pretty grass we have to be proud of something
Here are some excerpts from a conservation plan that Riverkeeper and Green Team Project are working on that will offer recommendations for water conservation. It has to include a combination of education, incentives, and regulations.
Unfortunately, water conservation has not been a priority of the SJRWMD, nor has it been a priority of rest of the state either. While U.S. water consumption has been on the decline for thirty years, both per-person consumption and total withdrawals in Florida have been on the rise. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American uses 100 gallons of water each day. However, the average Floridian living within the watershed of the St. Johns River uses 150 gallons of water each day. To make matters worse, we use approximately 50 percent of our water outside the home to water our lawns and landscaping.
The Conservation First plan has established a water conservation goal of reducing per capita consumption with the watershed of the St. Johns River to 100 gallons of water each day.
CONSERVATION FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS
EDUCATION:
*St. Johns Riverkeeper and The Green Team Project are creating the 100 Gallon Diet educational campaign with the goal of reducing per capita water consumption to 100 gallons per day.
Have School Boards incorporate water conservation programs into the classroom and the education curriculum.
Enhance, expand and better coordinate water conservation education programs.
Appropriate more resources to the county agricultural extension offices to increase outreach and education about water conservation.
The media needs to help publicize this issue and educate the public about water conservation.
A corporate water conservation campaign/program should be developed to encourage businesses to reduce water consumption. This could be initiated by regional Chambers of Commerce.
Landscape design, installation, lawn care, and irrigation professionals should all have access to training and certifications as water conservation professionals.
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES:
Increase promotion efforts and provide incentives for the SJRWMD Water Star Program.
Utilities in each county should reevaluate and develop more aggressive water conservation programs and incentives. JEA is currently developing conservation programs as part of its 20-year Water Supply Plan. Utilities should consider the following:
o an inclining block rate structure,
o a full-time water conservation specialist on staff,
o leak detection program,
o rebates for purchase of appliances and fixtures like low-flow showerheads, toilets, rain-sensor, and soil moisture sensors.
Conserve Florida has developed The Guide to help utilities achieve water use efficiency. Utilities should utilize this resource to reduce water use and increase efficiency.
Encourage agricultural operations to further implement Best Management Practices that reduce irrigation requirements.
Provide incentives and opportunities for Low Impact Development (LID) practices.
Incentives should be provided to developers and builders to only use certified water conservation professionals for landscaping, maintenance, and irrigation.
Provide education and incentives for builders, developers, and homeowners to install micro-irrigation systems and soil moisture sensors.
Provide incentives for builders, developers, and homeowners to utilize Florida Friendly landscape design practices and install native or low-maintenance plant material that requires less irrigation.
REGULATIONS AND ORDINANCES:
The Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council should follow the lead of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and require that all DRIs be certified Water Star.
Landscaping and Irrigation Codes should be rewritten to encourage and require the implementation of more aggressive water conservation measures and landscaping practices.
All landscaping projects on publicly-owned property should be required to use native or low-maintenance plants and follow Florida Yards and Neighborhoods recommendations.
All counties should pass ordinances mandating compliance with the SJRWMD irrigation rule that only allows homeowners to water their lawns up to 2 times a week before 10 am and after 4pm.
Increased enforcement is essential to ensure compliance with the irrigation rule and to ensure that irrigation systems installed after 1990 have a working rain sensor installed.
Aggressive water conservation and reuse requirements must be incorporated into all Comprehensive Plans as they are updated.
Counties should require reuse pipes to be installed in all new developments, along all new road projects, and during all infrastructure replacement and improvement projects.
If necessary, rewrite codes to allow LID building practices. Consider, ordinances that require LID practices or Water Star for certain types of development projects.
Quote from: lindab on November 05, 2007, 05:49:08 PM
You have made an excellent point about water thirsty landscaping. If it became fashionable again to have flowering shrubs, trees and mulch in place of mowed turf, we would be better off. I have heard that St. Augustine grass is considered a wetland species of grass.
St. Augustine grass loves water and needs it. Bahia Grass, however, is extremely drought tolerant and when properly taken care of requires little fertilizer and weed control. It also looks and feels great. The only downfall is that it requires a lot of mowing. More trees, shrubs, and tall border grasses would be a welcomed addition and require little maintenance and water.
Jacksonville Business Journal
Water management district to explain St. Johns proposal
The St. Johns River Water Management District will explain to government boards its proposal to remove millions of gallons of water per day from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers.
The district says the removal of up to 262 million gallons of water per day is needed to sate water needs in growing central Florida. Alternative water projects are needed so not to cause environmental damage by overtaxing the state's aquifer.
Opponents counter the water removal will hurt the rivers' ecosystems.
The district's executive director, Kirby Green, will speak at the following board meetings.
5 p.m., Nov. 13, City of Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board
2 p.m., Nov. 16, St. Johns River Alliance at the University of North Florida
2 p.m., Nov. 20, Clay County Board of County Commissioners
8:30 a.m., Nov. 27, Putnam County Board of County Commissioners
1:30 p.m., Nov. 27, St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners
Last night, the Jacksonville City Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the proposals to withdraw water from the St. Johns River. The resolution was introduced by CM Jabour and CM Jones. They both deserve a lot of credit for demonstrating some much needed leadership on this issue.
Here is the resolution that they introduced:
RESOLUTION 2007-1282
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING ANY PROPOSAL TO DEPLETE THE ST. JOHNS RIVER AND ITS ORIGINS BY SIPHONING OVER 260 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER DAILY FROM THE RIVER AND FUNNELING SAME TO CENTRAL FLORIDA; ENCOURAGING THE ST. JOHNS RIVER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO THIS DEPLETION OF THE RIVER AND SUCH POTENTIAL CRITICAL ECOLOGICAL IMPACT TO ALL COMMUNITIES ON THE 310 MILES OF BANKS OF THE ST. JOHNS; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL OF COPIES OF THE RESOLUTION; PROVIDING FOR EMERGENCY PASSAGE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the St. Johns River is our community’s greatest natural resource; and
WHEREAS, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), has determined that an excess of 150 million gallons of water daily could be removed from the St. Johns River between the headwaters and Deland to provide drinking water for Orlando and Central Florida; and
WHEREAS, according to the SJRWMD, the total proposed withdrawals from the St. Johns and the Ocklawaha Rivers could exceed 260 million gallons daily; and
WHEREAS, of the counties receiving the withdrawn water, none, except Volusia County, has mandatory water conservation programs; and
WHEREAS, SJWMD has not required any mandatory conservation program for the requesting counties prior to those counties removing water resources from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers; and
WHEREAS, the withdrawal of the water will cause the St. Johns River salinity line to shift upstream, especially during drought and low flow conditions; and
WHEREAS, no one, including the SJRWMD, fully understands all of the potential impacts to the River’s health and fisheries from the proposed withdrawals; and
WHEREAS, once the removal of the water has begun and the impacts, whatever they may be, propounded, the reversal of such water withdrawal will be difficult if not impossible; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Jacksonville:
Section 1. The City of Jacksonville does hereby express its opposition to the withdrawal of millions of gallons of water daily from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers, without first requiring mandatory conservation programs of “self help†by the receiving counties prior to tapping a natural resource. The City Council further opposes any withdrawal of millions of gallons of water daily without fully understanding the ecological, silting and other impacts that such removal could have on the Rivers on a whole and the people, property, health and welfare of the other impacted lands on the River. Finally the City of Jacksonville fully supports the SJWMD in any and all efforts to study and establish desalinization and water conservation programs as means to providing water needs for today and well into the future.
Section 2. The Council Secretary is authorized and directed to send copies of this Resolution to members of the St. Johns Water Management District and Governor Charlie Crist.
Section 3. Requesting Emergency Passage, Pursuant to Council Rules 4.901 Emergency. The sponsor is requesting emergency passage of this legislation due to the proposal being considered and debated at this time.
Section 4. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective upon signature by the Mayor or upon becoming effective without the Mayor’s signature.
Form Approved:
____/s/ Margaret M. Sidman__________
Office of General Counsel
Legislation Prepared By: Margaret M. Sidman
Wow, that is a very commendable move by the council. But what can Duval County do to stop the withdrawl? Isn't the river "state" property?
This is basically the opinion of the City of Jacksonville, but has nothing to do with what will actually happen. As far as Central Florida is concerned, the St John's River is their river, not Jacksonville's.
Actually, the river is considered waters of the state and a navigable highway which carries federal protections and responsibilities.
And that is exactly why the Jacksonville ordinance is meaningless. I guess it's a nice gesture and a good way to show some sort of opposition.
You are right that this is just a resolution and does not constitute any authority to stop the proposals. However, it does send a powerful message that the local political leadership in NE FL is seriously concerned about these proposals that could adversely impact a river that belongs to us, as well. In fact, we have more at stake than anyone else because we are downstream of these proposed projects. We have everything to lose and nothing to gain.
By the way, Neptune Beach CC and Jax Beach CC have also already passed resolutions in opposition. St. Johns County BOCC is looking at passing a similar resolution at their next meeting. Adam Hollingsworth told the Council last night that the Mayor is going to submit a letter of opposition, soon. These statements of opposition can have an influence on the Governing Board of the St. Johns River Water Management District, who will ultimately decide upon the permits that would allow any withdrawals from the river, and on Governor Crist, who has the power to put an end to this nonsense altogether if he chooses to do so.
It's great to hear the Jax, Neptune Beach and Jax Beach CCs have passed these resolutions, but what's the next step? Who gives the final yes/no to the project?
First, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) must determine that the withdrawals will not harm the river and determine the amount of water that can be "safely" withdrawn from the river on an annual basis. The SJRWMD is now saying tht this is not a done deal, and that they are going to continue to study the possibilities of withdrawing water. Despite the recent backtracking, we believe that the decision has been made to proceed based on the actions of some of the Central Florida utilities and communities and some of the contradictory statements and actions of the SJRWMD.
Once the District staff officially gives the thumbs up to move forward, then utilities would have to submit permit applications to the SJRWMD for approval. The Governing Board of the SJRWMD will ultimately make those decisions regarding the permits. The Governing Board members are appointed by the Governor.
At this point, the Governor could step in and direct the SJRWMD to abandon plans for surface water withdrawal from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha and to pursue more sustainable options. The Florida Legislature also appropriates $$ to the water management districts - 43% of their budget. So, state legislators can be influential as well since they control a large portion of the purse strings. If the Governor and state legislators will weigh in on this issue, we can successfully redirect the SJRWMD and Central Florida communities toward agressive water conservations measures, more sustainable building and planning practices, and increased wastewater reuse. Finally, the Governor and legislature also need to support and provide cover for the SJRWMD, so that they can say "no" when necessary.
Read today's front page article in the Orlando Sentinel about the "Water Wars" between Central and Northeast Florida. It's starting to heat up. I just hope that this doesn't get bogged down into a debate only about who has the right to extract water from the river and what the impacts will be to the river.
We must use this as an opportunity to address the reasons that we are in this debate in the first place - unsustainable development, extremely inefficient use of water, and poor planning.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-water0907dec09,0,4281811.story?coll=orl_tab01_layout (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-water0907dec09,0,4281811.story?coll=orl_tab01_layout)
Yesterday, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners joined Jacksonville City Council, Neptune Beach CC, Jacksonville Beach CC, the Jacksonville Planning Commission and numerous citizen groups in passing a resolution in opposition to the water withdrawal proposals in Central Florida.
Next up, the Duval Delegation will address the issue at their next meeting this month and the NE FL Regional Council is hosting a regional summit for elected officials and the public. I guess you could say that this issue is really starting to garner some interest and pick up momentum. Now, we have to use this opportunity to pass some effective legislation that will encourage and mandate more water conservation.
Quoteorlandosentinel.com/news/local/seminole/orl-water0508jan05,0,7961124.story
OrlandoSentinel.com
Orlando area to explain plans to pull water from St. Johns River
Kevin Spear
Sentinel Staff Writer
January 5, 2008
Alarmed that Central Florida is planning to drain the life out of the St. Johns River, leaders of 33 downstream cities and counties will hear later this month from Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and then decide whether to escalate a water war.
The Northeast Florida Regional Council plans a summit in Jacksonville on Jan. 25 about the future of the St. Johns River. The 310-mile waterway flows north from Central Florida and then carves through Jacksonville to the Atlantic Ocean.
In recent months, Jacksonville-area communities have rallied to oppose plans by Central Florida to pump as much as 250 million gallons daily from the river and its tributaries. For now, some North Florida leaders want to head off hostilities by holding the summit and meeting with Crotty.
"Arguing, bickering and fighting will not get us anywhere," said Harold Rutledge, chairman of the Clay County Board of Commissioners and president of the council. "I'd hate to see us dig our heels in and not be able to compromise."
At stake in the growing conflict over St. Johns River water are the billions of dollars Central Florida plans to spend to build treatment plants along the river's edge. The St. Johns River Water Management District contends that Central Florida has virtually no other option during the next several years but to pump from the river to supply fast-growing communities with drinking water.
The region's primary supply, the underground Floridan Aquifer, now provides more than 500 million gallons daily. Aquifer water is relatively cheap to pump, but taking any more could harm springs, rivers and wetlands.
Only recently has the water-management district begun to tell Jacksonville-area communities that the St. Johns River has plenty of water to spare for Central Florida. Many leaders from downstream communities also have never heard from Orlando-area elected officials their rationale for taking that water.
That's a role Crotty expects to fill at the summit. His Orange County Utilities department is working with other local utilities to build a St. Johns River treatment plant in the southeast corner of the county.
"My role would be to highlight the many environmental successes in Orange County," Crotty said. "And I'll convey to those assembled there a spirit of cooperation."
Among messages Crotty and his staff will bring to the summit is that Orange County already has been serious about conserving water by recycling treated sewage and limiting lawn irrigation to twice weekly.
"We are light years ahead of the state, including Northeast Florida," said County Attorney Tom Drage.
Neil Armingeon, of the Jacksonville-based St. Johns Riverkeeper group, said Crotty and the water-management district are overdue in shedding light on what he and others think has been a stealth quest for St. Johns water.
"My suspicion is that they started with an answer and then have spent a lot of effort back-figuring the equation," Armingeon said.
"This has not been an open process."
Other environmentalists think they know enough about the issue already.
Among them, five Florida chapters of the Sierra Club are urging Gov. Charlie Crist to scrutinize and delay Central Florida's plans for the St. Johns.
"The cost in terms of lost fishing industry, tourism and recreational dollars and prolonged health of our river has yet to be acknowledged by the St. Johns River Water Management District," the groups stated in letter to the governor.
That's a criticism the water-management district will attempt to address.
Executive Director Kirby Green said his staff will assemble a panel of outside scientists to review the district's conclusion that taking water out of the slow-moving river will not invite a damaging invasion of saltwater from the sea that could kill wildlife and aquatic plants.
However, Green said his staff needs help to determine if water withdrawals will raise or lower concentrations of pollutants already in the river.
"We don't know the answer to that," he said.
If you want to attend, the Summit will be held at the St. Johns County Convention Center at World Golf Village from 1-5pm on January 25th. You can get more information on the Northeast Florida Regional Council website at www.nefrpc.org.
Glad to see things are moving along. This subject bothers me so bad. The way I see it is, poor planning on their (Central FL) part does not constitute obligation on ours. Isn't it part of development planning, finding out if the amount of land your intending to develop can support your utility and water-supply output? I guess that doesn't matter anymore.
Growth is an incredibly hard thing to process. We intrinsically do thing evil when we change nature. What should matter to us I believe is that we work together and educate the public on the impact of this output. Some very positive outcomes can come of this.
You see Phoenix one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Who manages water and people get by with so much less. Growth in this state is doable without destroying our river.
The NE FL Regional Council hosted the Water Supply Summit yesterday, and multiple representatives from the Jax Beach City Council, St. Johns County Board of CC, Green Cove Springs, Clay County, and other communities attended and participated in the dialogue. Conspicously absent were the entire Jacksonville City Council and representatives from the Mayor's administration, according to the Times-Union. The water supply issue may be one of the biggest challenges facing this entire state, and no one from the City Council or Mayor's office felt like this was an important gathering to attend? I think most Jax residents, including myself, appreciate the Mayor and the Council for expressing opposition to the plans in Central FL to withdraw millions of gallons of water a day from the river, but they also have to step up to the plate and participate in a regional water supply dialogue. They also have to take dramatic steps to curb our excessive appetite for water. We must demonstrate that we are not just going to criticize Central FL but that we are going to lead by example. One thing that I agree with the St. Johns River Water Management District on is that there is no Water War. We are all using water extremely inefficiently and must change the way we build, plan our communities, and use our natural resources.
A brown yard means you care about the environment. On Challen Avenue, I would stop mowing my yard during times of no rain. The grass would go and look horrible; however, what was happing was bueatiful. The grass blades being flacide would not stand straight up rather fall over. The extra coverage would increase water retention in the root system like mulch. At the end of the summer, the rain started again I mowed for the 1st time in like 2 months. I was so amazed, and greatful, that I had the nicest looking yard on the street and that I didn't water once.
Tommy, my next door neighbor, watered all the time and constantly had mold and verious other problems.
I think after that year, when we got drunk and talked about it, Tommy stopped watering his yard all the time.
The last time I went by his place I noticed the sprinkler not on and the yard looking good.
Over watering causes a lot of problems. The one most likely is that watering all the time prevents the roots system from going deeper to find water which means you have to water more. A visious cycle no? My solution is simple eligent. Don't mow when it doesn't rains and pray for rain.
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned a ruling by the district court that would have allowed the Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia to enter into an agreement for water rights to the Lake Lanier reservoir. The decision was viewed as a victory for Florida and Alabama.
Governor Crist applauded the court for "recognizing the importance of maintaining Florida's water flow."
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary, Michael Sole, also supported the ruling, saying that reducing the river's flow would harm Apalachiacola Bay.
Why don't they apply that same logic to the St. Johns?
Similar to the Apalachiacola situation, the St. Johns is also threatened by plans to reduce its flow by using its waters to supplement the needs of communities that have reached their water supply limits.
The St. Johns River water withdrawal proposals could be just as harmful to an important and fragile aquatic ecosystem. In fact, the rate of flow of the St. Johns is less than the Apalachiacola and the tidal influences are much greater. This results in the St. Johns not being able to flush pollutants efficiently to begin with.
The bottom line is this: Less freshwater and less flow are bad for BOTH rivers.
Governor, when are you going to stand up and defend the St. Johns River, too?
I hope Governor Crist will recognize the importance of maintaining the flow of the St. Johns, as well.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 2:43 PM EST
Water district to consider Seminole County request
Jacksonville Business Journal
The St. Johns River Water Management District will vote on Seminole County's request to withdraw millions of gallons of water from the river at its board meeting March 11.
Seminole County is applying for a permit to draw up to 5.5 million gallons of water a day, on an average annual basis, from the river.
The county plans to use the water to augment its reclaimed water system to make it more reliable during peak usage. The county is also proposing to tap the river after 2013 for drinking water to supplement groundwater supplies that are expected to approach sustainability limits recently adopted by the district.
The district staff has recommended approval of the application, subject to several limiting conditions. Under state law, the board must approve or deny an application within a certain time frame, which in the case of Seminole County's application ends March 11.
From the Jaxdailyrecord.com site: http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=49446
02/14/2008
by David Chapman
Staff Writer
One-third of one percent.
It might not sound like much, but to Riverkeeper Neil Armingeon and attorney Michael Howle, it’s cause for concern.
That percentage equates to 5.5 million gallons of St. Johns River water, the amount that Seminole County has proposed to withdraw daily from the river at a to-be-constructed Yankee Lake facility in Central Florida. The withdrawn surface water would help meet the projected water needs of the customers of Seminole County by supplementing groundwater supplies.
To the river advocates, though, it’s just the beginning.
“This looks like it is the first stop,†said Howle. “We thought the permit, at earliest, wouldn’t come up until the last quarter of 2008.â€
Instead, the consumptive use permit is scheduled for consideration at the meeting of the St. Johns River Water Management District’s governing board on March 11. According to Hal Wilkening, director of resource management for the District, the permit application has been pending for almost three years and under Florida law, must be acted upon by the District by that date.
The project was predicated upon the District’s assertion that up to 255 million gallons of water a day could be safely removed from the St. Johns River and its tributaries to supplement the water needs of expanding Central Florida, which will soon tap out the limits of the traditional water source of the Floridan Aquifer.
Many local political bodies, including the Jacksonville City Council and the Duval Delegation have passed legislation opposing the withdrawal proposals.
As for the Yankee Lake project, information in published Seminole County reports and from John Cirello, director of environmental services in Seminole County, state the minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for that area of the river is 155 million gallons of water a day (mgd), well above the planned 5.5 mgd. The report quotes a state statute saying that MFLs “shall be the limit at which further withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area.â€
The report goes on to say that any withdrawal, such as the proposed 5.5 mgd, will not harm the environment.
“It’s a very small amount of water being withdrawn,†said Cirello. “We understand and recognize it’s our job to project and preserve the river and we’re working very hard to do it.â€
Information in the report supplied by Environmental Public Relations Group, which is working with Seminole County on the project, also noted that surface water is currently permitted and safely being withdrawn in five other projects, and phase one of the Yankee Lake project would be one of the smallest of the already permitted projects.
Wilkening said that the District has published a notice of intent and will recommend approval of the permit to the governing board with some limiting conditions next month. The 16 limiting conditions, he said, are technical in nature but include such measures as monitoring and reporting water use, reporting the total amount of withdrawn water a year, filing periodic reports and taking corrective actions if any harm were to occur during withdrawals.
Even before word was sent that action would be taken on the permit, Howle and Armingeon were skeptical about the actions of the District and Seminole County and the notion that this plant would only siphon the proposed 5.5 mgd.
“This is a tactic,†said Howle. “It’s not just going to be 5.5 million. I think it’s a sneaky way of getting in there and building the infrastructure and a foundation for it.â€
Both Cirello and Wilkening contend that the facility will only allow for the withdrawal of 5.5 mgd, but Wilkening did note that the facility could withdraw 11 mgd on certain days. The 5.5 mgd number is a yearly average, said Wilkening.
Howle said he believes the “small†number will lead to less resistance from the public, but future permits with similar “small†withdrawal totals would eventually add up.
“They can’t go and say they want one permit for 100 million gallons a day,†he said. “But what about 20 permits for 5 million gallons a day? Who is going to fight that? It will all add up.â€
Phase two of the Yankee Lake project, according to the project’s Web site at www.seminoleregionalwater.com, would increase the drinking water supply and increase the available irrigation water supply to serve Seminole County and the Central Florida region.
But according to Wilkening, the permit for phase one is the only one being considered before the District takes part in a planned in-depth two-year, $2 million study that would give the District another detailed maximum river withdrawal figure.
The river advocates said the proposed study should include the Yankee Lake project and that the original study, said Howle, “is not a detailed analysis and full of hot air.â€
Howle wouldn’t comment on specifics, but he said Riverkeeper had some creative ideas on how to handle the situation, while Armingeon said it could be a first for them in the realm of St. Johns River water extraction.
“This will be the first chance we have to legally challenge the whole idea,†said Armingeon, who later on Tuesday had a chance to respond to the District’s notice of the permit hearing.
“And so it begins…†started a mass e-mail by Armingeon. “Why spend $2 million, and 24 Months, when the (District) has made up their minds?...Waste and deceit.â€
A timeline of the Yankee Lake project. In phase one of the project, Seminole County officials plan to extract 5.5 million gallons of surface water a day from the St. Johns River to help with the projected needs of customers in Seminole County. Upon potential permit approval in March, construction of the facility is scheduled to begin this year.
Well, here is the good news. More and more organizations and government bodies keep lining up in opposition to the water withdrawal proposals in Central Florida. The bad news is that municipalities and utilities in Central Florida are still desperate for water and are not ready to back down any time soon.
Here is a current list of all of the groups, organizations, and government entities that have passed resolutions opposing the drawdown.
Governments/Agencies
City of Neptune Beach
Jacksonville Beach
Jacksonville
Keystone Heights
Atlantic Beach
Jacksonville Planning Commission
St. Johns County
Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board
Jacksonville Water and Sewer Expansion Authority
Jacksonville Waterways Commission
Town of Hastings
Town of Callahan
Nassau County
Clay County
Duval Soil and Water Conservation District
Citizen Organizations
St. Johns Riverkeeper
Putnam County Environmental Council
Northeast Chapter of the Sierra Club
Clay Action Network
Turtle Coast Sierra Club
Jacksonville Civic Council, Inc.
Shrimp Producers Association
Central Florida Sierra Club
Polk Sierra Club
Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club
Florida Chapter Sierra Club
William Bartram Scenic & Historic Highway Corridor Management Council
NW St. Johns County Community Coalition
Beaches Watch
St. Johns County Roundtable
Greater Arlington & Beaches CPAC
South Anastasia Community Association
Environmental Youth Council
Save Our Lakes
Greater Arlington Civic Council
Mandarin Community Club
Duval County Democratic Executive Committee
Santa Fe Lake Dwellers
North East Florida Association of Realtors
Clay County Chamber of Commerce
Florida Lure Anglers
Southside Business Men’s Club
Democratic Women’s Information Network
Tune in to WJCT's First Coast Forum: Tapping the St. Johns tomorrow night (Thursday, April 10) at 8pm to learn more about this issue. The panel will include St. Johns Riverkeeper Neil Armingeon, Hal Wilkening of the St. Johns River Water Management District, Clay County Commissioner Harold Rutledge, and Coastal Biologist Dr. Courtney Hackney from UNF. Apparently, no one from Central Florida has accepted the invitation to join the panel. I guess they are not interested in discussing this issue any longer and are just preparing for the legal fights ahead.