The Vanishing River
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No one will be surprised to hear that we are experiencing rapid growth and development throughout the St. Johns River Basin, and the lifeline of that growth is water. As a result of an increasing population and excessive use, we are withdrawing water out of the Floridan Aquifer at an unsustainable rate that is creating water shortages in some parts of the state and causing the St. Johns River Water Management District to look for Alternative Water Sources (AWS). In fact, the SJRWMD has said that they may not be able to renew or issue new permits after 2013 in Central Florida, because we will no longer be able to rely on groundwater for a sustainable source of water. One of those alternative sources is the St. Johns River. The SJRWMD estimates that up to 170 million gallons per day can be safely withdrawn from the St. Johns. That equates to over 62 billion gallons of water each and every year. The St. Johns is often referred to as a "lazy" river, because it only drops less than 30 feet from its headwaters to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean. As a result of the slow rate of flow and the tidal forces that push saltwater into the river, the river has a difficult time flushing pollutants. Waters in the river can actually slosh back and forth for months before eventually discharging into the ocean. What will be the impact on the river if billions of gallons of water are removed annually from its flow? Will the salinity demarcation line in the river move farther upstream? Will this impact the river's ability to handle the pollution entering its waters? How will it impact the river's plants, fish, and wildlife? These are questions that St. Johns Riverkeeper believes have not been adequately investigated, studied or answered. Another concern is that this may only be the beginning of things to come. As our population continues to grow, water will become even more scarce. Will we be tempted by necessity to continue to look to the river as the solution to our water needs? Water conservation efforts could potentially delay or even prevent the use of the river as an alternative water source. We all can voluntary take actions to reduce our water consumption and local governments can adopt conservation measures, as well. In Sarasota County, per capita water use has been reduced 40% to 90 gal/day by adopting a mandatory micro-irrigation law, placing limits on the amount of sod that can be used, establishing a water conservation ordinance for golf courses, and implementing conservation water rate structures. Information about the proposed Seminole County Regional Water Supply Plant that will take water from the St. Johns River. http://www.friendsofwekiva.org/ |
