Where did all the water go?

[02roadking]

T/U letter today:   

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

[lindab]

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.

[raheem942]

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

[riverkeepered]

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. 

[Jason]

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.

[02roadking]

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

[riverkeepered]

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

[Jason]

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?

[Lunican]

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.

[lindab]

Actually, the river is considered waters of the state and a navigable highway which carries federal protections and responsibilities.

[Lunican]

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.

[riverkeepered]

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.   

[9a is my backyard]

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?

[riverkeepered]

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.   

[riverkeepered]

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