The Springs and Aquifer System of Florida

The Springs and
Aquifer System of
Florida
Debra Segal, M.S.
Volunteer for the Howard T. Odum
Florida Springs Institute
Rock Springs, Orange County
Who Has Visited a Spring in Florida?
Photos by John Moran
Ichetucknee Springs - Tubing
Kayaking at Ichetucknee Springs
Photo by John Moran
Scuba Divers at Rainbow Springs
Photo by John Moran
Three Sisters Springs - Manatees
John Moran Photo
Silver Glen Spring – Striped Bass
John Moran Photo
North Florida: “Land of a Thousand Springs”
Wakulla
Ichetucknee
The Floridan Aquifer
supplies fresh water to
Florida’s 1,000+ artesian
springs – the largest
springs concentration in
the world
Silver
Wekiwa
Weeki
Wachee
Clean and Abundant Water is Essential for
Healthy Springs
Florida’s
springs
provide
habitat for a
diverse and
unique
assemblage
of plants and
wildlife
Steve Walsh, USGS
Springs Provide Economic Benefits
The direct
economic value
of Florida’s
largest springs
is estimated to
be over $300
million per
year, an
endowment
value of about
$10 billion
Where Do Springs Get Their
Water From?
The Floridan Aquifer - the Life Blood
of the Springs
Chasshowitzka Springs
Photo by John Moran
Where Does Our Drinking Water
Come From?
Cave Divers in the Floridan Aquifer
Where Is The Floridan Aquifer?
Regional Extent of the Floridan Aquifer System (100,000 sq. mi.)
http://fl.water.usgs.gov/FASWAM/
The Floridan Aquifer System
Water Budget
Average Annual
Rainfall:
50 – 60” per year
Average Annual
Recharge of Water into
the Floridan Aquifer:
2 – 4” per year
Average Annual
Evapotranspiration (ET):
35-45” per year
Groundwater is Our Most Valuable
Natural Resource
 Groundwater is the sole water supply for springs
 Springs flow into rivers, so groundwater is an
important water supply for rivers
 Groundwater is the primary source of drinking
water
What Makes a Healthy Spring?
Devil’s Eye Spring in 1985 and 2011; Photo by John Moran
Characteristics of a Healthy Spring
1. Abundant water (i.e., spring flow)
2. Clean water
1. Springs Need Abundant Fresh Water to
Maintain Spring Flow
Photo by Bruce Mozert
Springs Flow From the Top of the Aquifer
A drop of less than 10
feet in the aquifer level
can dry up a major
spring!
Abundant Fresh Water = Healthy Springs
White
Sulfur
Springs on
the
Suwannee
River
1920s
White Springs on the Suwannee River 2011
A Non-Flowing Spring is a
Sinkhole
Declining
flows
since
1960s
(John Moran
photo)
High Groundwater Pumping = Declining Spring Flows
Residential
Agriculture
Golf Course
Floridan Aquifer Levels are Falling
Decline in the water
levels of the Floridan
Aquifer:
Silver Springs
Groundwater
Basin
•Northeast FL: 20 - 60 ft
•Marion County: 4 - 20 ft
Rainbow Springs
Groundwater Basin
•Orlando area: 10 - 34 ft
•Southwest FL: 20 - >60 ft
Florida Geological Survey
Excessive Groundwater Pumping
Accelerates Sinkhole Formation
1. An underground
cavity is full of
water during
normal water
conditions
2. Excess GW
pumping drains the
underground cavity
3. Cavity collapses
when water can’t
sustain it
Plant City, FL; Winter, 2010
To protect strawberries from freezing, farmers
pumped enough water (~180 mgd) to drop the
Floridan Aquifer by > 60 ft. The results:
•>140 sinkholes opened up
causing extensive damage
•>750 wells were damaged
•Property values dropped
•Property insurance rates
increased
Groundwater
• Background on Hydrogeology
2. Springs Need Clean Water that is Not
Contaminated with Nitrate-Nitrogen
Springs Problem – Nitrate Pollution
– Springs are sensitive to elevated
nitrate
Protecting Florida’s Springs
Rising Nitrate
S ilv e r S p r i n g s
NO3 >2000% increase
from 0.05 mg/L in
1907
1 .2 0
1 .0 0
Nitrate-N (mg/L)
0 .8 0
0 .6 0
0 .4 0
0 .2 0
0 .0 0
1 /1 /1 9 5 0
9 /1 0 /1 9 6 3
5 /1 9 /1 9 7 7
1 /2 6 /1 9 9 1
1 0 /4 /2 0 0 4
Wetland Solutions, Inc.
Sources of Nitrate-Nitrogen
Wastewater Sprayfield
Fertilizer
Animal Waste
Ichetucknee Springs Springshed
(Springshed
extends 35
miles NE of
the spring and
encompasses
300 square
miles)
Our Springs are in Trouble
1. Excessive groundwater pumping is
lowering the Floridan Aquifer
2. Excessive nitrate-nitrogen is polluting the
springs
Our Springs Are In Trouble
• Purpose
Our Groundwater is no Longer Clean
nor Abundant
• GW pumping has
depleted the Floridan
Aquifer, causing spring
flow to decline by
about 30%
• Groundwater nitrate
has increased by about
3,000%
Photo by Bruce Mozert
How Do We Protect the Springs?
1. Ensure that the Floridan Aquifer
produces abundant water
2. Ensure that the Floridan Aquifer
produces clean water
So…What Can Be Done?
L.V. Korhnak
Adopt A Water Ethic
 Be conscientious of all
the water you use
 Use water sparingly
 *Do not water your
lawn !
 Grow Florida Friendly
plants that require no
irrigation
 Encourage your family
and friends to use less
water
Karst Productions, Inc.
Where To Start?
Reduce outdoor water use
Residential use was the single biggest water user in 2010
(3 BGD) and projected to rise by 700 MGD by 2025.
Reduce Your Water Footprint
Florida residents use an average of 140 gallons
of water per person per day. By learning to
value and conserve water, and consequently
developing a water ethic, we can significantly
reduce our water use down to as low as 40
gallons per person per day. Reducing our
water consumption will save money, protect
the Floridan Aquifer, and protect the springs,
rivers, and lakes that rely on the Floridan
Aquifer.
What Can I do to Protect
Water Quality?
– Use fertilizers sparingly and
choose
– slow-release products
– Clean up any spills
– Don’t fertilize before
predicted rains
– Do not fertilize near water
bodies.
For more, see
The Florida Yards and
Neighborhoods
Handbook.
Source: Washington State Puget Sound Action Team
Clean and Abundant Water Will Likely be the Most Important
Environmental Issue Affecting Your Future
Saving Springs for Future Generations
Cones of Depression
Unconfined Aquifer
Confined Aquifer
Source SRWMD 2011
Home Water Use Survey Data Sheet
• Bath – Tub ½ Full:
• Bath – 1/3 Full:
• Bath – ¼ Full:
18 gallons
12 gallons
9 gallons
• Shower (Low flow shower head): 2.5 gallons/min.
• Shower (Standard flow shower head): 8 gallons/min.
• Wash 1 Load of Clothes (Low flow washing machine):
18 gallons per load
• Wash 1 Load of Clothes (Standard washing machine):
48 gallons per load