This week we have several opportunities to speak out for the health of our springs, river, and aquifer.
Monday, January 6 at 9 a.m. in Tallahassee, there is a public hearing concerning the ‘Springs Harm Rule.’ For more information, read Florida Springs Council’s Springs Harm Rule.
Wednesday Jan. 8, at 9 a.m. meet Senator Jennifer Bradley and Rep. Chuck Brannan at Florida Gateway College, 149 SE College Pl, Lake City, FL 32025 . Let them know why the health of our water matters to you and as they head into this year’s legislative session.
Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 1:00 p.m, the Alachua County Legislative Delegation Meeting is being held at the Joseph W. Fordyce Building (R-01) on the campus of Santa Fe State College at 3000 NW 83 Street in Gainesville. To be added to the agenda, email your request and any backup information, to jason.carter@myfloridahouse.gov or Alisa.Bergmann@myfloridahouse.gov. For additional information please contact Representative Brannans office at 386-758-0405.
Our Concerns
Fertilizer: Nitrates and the Basin Management Action Plan.
Recent analysis by the FL-DEP attributes the greatest source of nitrates in our waterways comes from beef, dairy, hay and sod production. We need our legislators to fund programs directed at reducing the use of nitrates and irrigation in our high recharge areas.
Key Point: Florida Legislature mandated the agency reduce nitrates in 2016. Nine years have passed since the law was enacted and nitrate levels have increased.
Reference: SANTA FE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN (BMAP) NITROGEN SOURCE INVENTORY LOADING TOOL (NSILT), Oct., 2024
Mining Threats: Mining processes destroy wetlands and produce toxic waste-streams.
- Titanium and rare earth mine in Bradford County; Chemours.
- Wastewater containing radium and barium are released into the headwaters of the Santa Fe River. The release of radium upstream of many communities in the upper Santa Fe River Basin endangers residents health downstream.
- Key Point: Need greater accountability from an industry mismanaging retention ponds that breach downstream communities of Starke and into Lake Alto and the Santa Fe River.
- Reference: Spill from Chemours Trail Ridge South TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL 2024-01-30
Water bottling
- Seven Springs Water Company pumps nearly 1 million gallons of water per day from the wells at Ginnie Springs Outdoors, LLC., to sell to Nestle/BlueTriton for bottling.
- Key Point: Water bottling permitting is pumping from a river system “in recovery” from over pumping and high nitrates.
- Reference: SANTA FE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN (BMAP)
Landscape Irrigation
- 40-60% of household water use goes to irrigating landscapes dominated by turf grass and exotic or non-native plants.
- Soils in our area are typically sandy and have no water retention.
- Encourage landscaping with native plants adapted to our heat and are drought tolerant, eliminating lawns.
- Adopt soil building practices such as mulching.
- Key Point: Require all new developments adopt low water use landscapes in order to meet the demands of a growing population.
- Reference: Regional Water Supply Plan
Loss of Recharge areas to development
Protecting surface waters, wetlands and groundwater requires us to avoid developing in high recharge areas.
- Preserve open space
- Retain tree canopy and native landscapes
- Minimize building footprint
- Minimize total impervious area
- Key Point: Reject developments in vulnerable recharge areas such as along the Ichetucknee Trace and around Mill Creek Sink.
- Reference: Regional Water Supply Plan
For more information, read 1000 Friends of Florida Safeguarding Florida’s Waters.
OSFR President Joanne Tremblay
joanne.tremblay@oursantaferiver.org
“Giving Our River A Voice”
