Books
- AQUIFERious by Margaret Ross Tolbert Twelve north Florida springs—and the aquifer that feeds them—form the nucleus of this book through the art and writing of artist Margaret Ross Tolbert.
- Death By 1000 Cuts – An Anthology of Springs Opinions by Robert Knight A collection of opinion pieces, originally published in The Gainesville Sun, charts 12 years (2008 – 2020) of springs advocacy writing from Florida Springs Institute director, Dr. Robert L. Knight.
- Florida’s Water: A Fragile Resource in a Vulnerable State by Tom Swihart My book on Florida water management combines a description of the “watery foundation” of the state, a history of water management in Florida, separate chapters on each of the five water management districts, and a series of issue chapters. I also included
- Silent Springs: Moving From Tragedy to Hope by Robert L. Knight Silenced Springs is a timely assessment of the current plight of Florida’s over 1,000 artesian springs, including their former glory, how they came to be impaired, and the hopeful path to their eventual restoration and protection. Dr. Knight is Florida’s
Conservation
- Florida-friendly Landscaping You don’t have to be an expert gardener or landscaper to create a Florida-friendly yard. All it takes is a willingness to learn and a desire to build a beautiful yard that helps protect Florida’s environment.
- Ideas about Water Conservation This is centered around California but is pertinent to Florida as well
- Lawn Care Before, During and After a Drought Some good common sense ideas about sustainable lawn care
- Santa Fe River Springs Restoration Action Plan This Restoration Action Plan, written in 2016, is a compilation of the best available science documenting the condition of the Santa Fe River and outlines a recovery plan for this collection of springs.
- Ten Reasons We Should Not Waste Water Why do we even care?
- Water saving technology Some ideas about saving water
- You can combat climate change Here is a whole series of suggestions on how you can combat climate change at a personal level based on your own selected money, time and effort levels.
Data
- Blue Water Audit See how the Floridan Aquifer is affected by nitrates; calculate your Aquifer Footprint; use the interactive map to visualize impact on the aquifer
- Florida Springs Database Over 750 Florida Springs with maps weather and additional information for recreation and casual research.
- National Weather Service River Forecast Center If you want to get good details on flooding along with forecasts, try this web site and mouse-over or click on the place you want to know about.
- SpringsWatch – Lower Santa Fe River Monitoring Summary 2019 This report was prepared by the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) and is focused on ecological monitoring currently being conducted by SPRINGSWATCH volunteers along the Lower Santa Fe River and springs.
- USGS NWIS Daily Streamflow Conditions Find Daily Streamflow Conditions from the USGS
Education & Activism
- Aquifer Watch AquiferWatch is an organization dedicated improving the participation of citizens of Florida in the management of their water resources, with emphasis on groundwater. It is dedicated to assisting citizen volunteers in the monitoring of our groundwater r
- FL DEP Suwannee Basin Assessment Reports
- Florida Springs Protecting Nature’s Gems
- Florida Springs Council We are spring enthusiasts and we are determined to bring attention to springs and awareness to the threats surrounding them.
- Food & Water Watch We envision a world where all people have access to enough affordable, healthy, and wholesome food and clean water to meet their basic needs — a world in which governments are accountable to their citizens and manage essential resources sustainably.
- Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute The Florida Springs Institute was founded in May 2010 to accelerate the restoration and protection of Florida’s springs under the auspices of Florida’s Eden.
- Ichetucknee Alliance The goal of the Ichetucknee Alliance is to ensure the restoration, preservation, and protection for future generations of the ecosystems along the full 5.5 mile length of the Ichetucknee River, including all its associated springs.
- The Blue Path On the Blue Path, Floridians discover new ways to live with water and recognize that a healthy environment is essential for a prosperous economy.
- UF Water Institute The University of Florida Water Institute brings together talent from throughout the University and builds internal and external partnerships to address urgent water research challenges; implement innovative interdisciplinary academic programs to train ex
- What is a Spring? SWRMD – Springs occur when water pressure causes a natural flow of groundwater onto the earth’s surface. As rain filters down into the Floridan aquifer system, natural acids in the rainwater slowly dissolve the aquifer’s limestone. This can cause large cr
- WWALS Watershed Coalition WWALS is an advocacy organization working for watershed conservation of the Willacoochee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Little River Systems watershed in south Georgia and north Florida through awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen advocacy.
Education Through Art
- John Moran Photography Moran’s work celebrates the magic of a unique landscape born of water and blessed with beauty beyond measure.
- Margaret Ross Tolbert Margaret Ross Tolbert is an artist based in Gainesville, Florida.
- Rum 138 Rum 138 is more than a business, it’s a destination.
- Springs Eternal Project The Springs Eternal Project is a celebration of the springs we were given, a meditation on the springs we could lose, and an invitation to the people of Florida to fall in love with our springs all over again.
Governing Bodies
- Alachua County Groundwater & Springs Springs are a window into the aquifer, which supplies our drinking water. They are also a great reminder that our water resources are all connected. Many creeks go into the aquifer via sinkholes and later emerge as springs!
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects, conserves and manages Florida’s natural resources and enforces the State’s environmental laws.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came into existence on July 1, 1999 – the result of a constitutional amendment approved in the 1998 General Election as part of the package proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.
- St. John's River Water Management District Water is the common bond that brings together Florida’s diverse population. As our state grows, properly managing water resources continues to be critical to our overall quality of life.
- Suwannee River Water Management District The Suwannee River Water Management District manages water and related natural resources in north-central Florida by providing water quality and quantity monitoring, research, regulation, land acquisition and management, and flood protection. For details,
OSFR Supports These Organizations
- Current Problems CURRENT PROBLEMS, INC., a non-profit organization, was established in 1993 when a small group of friends began working together to clean up the trash and contaminants in and along the banks of north Florida’s Santa Fe River. Fifteen years later, this gra
- Florida Defenders of the Environment Florida Defenders of the Environment Working to protect freshwater resources, conserve public lands, and provide quality environmental education since 1969.
- Florida Springs Council We are spring enthusiasts and we are determined to bring attention to springs and awareness to the threats surrounding them.
- Friends of Itchetucknee Springs A dedicated group committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing the Ichetucknee Springs and River.
- Gulf Restoration Network The Gulf Restoration Network is committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region.
- Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute The Florida Springs Institute was founded in May 2010 to accelerate the restoration and protection of Florida’s springs under the auspices of Florida’s Eden.
- Ichetucknee Alliance The work of the Ichetucknee Alliance—to advocate for effective actions that will restore, protect, and preserve the Ichetucknee River System for future generations—is driven by the scientific findings of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI).
- Springs Eternal Project The Springs Eternal Project is a celebration of the springs we were given, a meditation on the springs we could lose, and an invitation to the people of Florida to fall in love with our springs all over again.
- WWALS Watershed Coalition WWALS Watershed Coalition advocates for conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Upper Suwannee River watersheds in south Georgia and north Florida through awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activ
Our Favorite Blogs
- Aquifer Watch AquiferWatch is an organization dedicated improving the participation of citizens of Florida in the management of their water resources, with emphasis on groundwater. It is dedicated to assisting citizen volunteers in the monitoring of our groundwater r
- Earthjustice – Florida Office For more than two decades, Earthjustice has been working to implement effective regulations to restore Florida’s waterways and halt destructive practices and projects.
- Food & Water Watch We envision a world where all people have access to enough affordable, healthy, and wholesome food and clean water to meet their basic needs — a world in which governments are accountable to their citizens and manage essential resources sustainably.
- Ichetucknee Alliance The goal of the Ichetucknee Alliance is to ensure the restoration, preservation, and protection for future generations of the ecosystems along the full 5.5 mile length of the Ichetucknee River, including all its associated springs.
- Santa Fe River Springs Protection Forums FKA Santa Fe River Springs Working Group, The springs forum was created by concerned citizens to create a forum where government officials, professionals, and the public can discuss the issues and solutions to protecting our local springs.
- Springs Eternal Project The Springs Eternal Project is a celebration of the springs we were given, a meditation on the springs we could lose, and an invitation to the people of Florida to fall in love with our springs all over again.
- Suwannee River Water Management District The Suwannee River Water Management District manages water and related natural resources in north-central Florida by providing water quality and quantity monitoring, research, regulation, land acquisition and management, and flood protection. For details,
- The Gainesville Sun Gainesville Florida
- WordWitch A Word Witch somewhere between High Springs and Fort White, Santa Fe River Region, Florida, United States A Word Witch has honed her writing skills in various fundraising and public relations jobs, primarily in higher education, and has had some i
- WWALS Watershed Coalition WWALS is an advocacy organization working for watershed conservation of the Willacoochee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Little River Systems watershed in south Georgia and north Florida through awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen advocacy.
Regulations & Standards
- Florida Statutes – Chapter 373 – Water Resources The holy grail for water resources in Florida – this is where permitting begins
- United States EPA Water Quality Standards Regulations: Florida
Science, Studies, & White Papers
- "Springs of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida" (PDF, 16.4MB) There is a lot of good information in this report from October 1998 Suwannee River Water Management District Department of Water Resources
- Benthic Macroalgal Blooms as Indicators of Nutrient Loading from Aquifer-Injected Sewage Effluent in Environmentally Sensitive Near-Shore Waters Associated with the South Florida Keys In theory, “aquifer storage and recovery” (ASR) is a form of artificial aquifer recharge consisting of three components: (1) aquifer injections of fluids; (2) withdrawals of the injected fluids; and (3) a period of time between the injections and withdraw
- FL DEP Total Maximum Daily Loads Program What is a TMDL? A scientific determination of the maximum amount of a given pollutant that a surface water can absorb and still meet the water quality standards that protect human health and aquatic life.
- Our Santa Fe River (OSFR) White Paper On 2016 Status of Santa Fe River, Springs and Aquifer The following white paper was written by OSFR and will be submitted to the Governing Boards of both the Suwannee River and the St Johns River districts.
- State of Florida Numeric Nutrient Criteria Development Plan The state of Florida intends to adopt quantitative nutrient water quality standards to facilitate the assessment of designated use attainment for its waters and to provide a better means to protect state waters from the adverse effects of nutrient over en
Books
- AQUIFERious by Margaret Ross Tolbert Twelve north Florida springs—and the aquifer that feeds them—form the nucleus of this book through the art and writing of artist Margaret Ross Tolbert.
- Death By 1000 Cuts – An Anthology of Springs Opinions by Robert Knight A collection of opinion pieces, originally published in The Gainesville Sun, charts 12 years (2008 – 2020) of springs advocacy writing from Florida Springs Institute director, Dr. Robert L. Knight.
- Florida’s Water: A Fragile Resource in a Vulnerable State by Tom Swihart My book on Florida water management combines a description of the “watery foundation” of the state, a history of water management in Florida, separate chapters on each of the five water management districts, and a series of issue chapters. I also included
- Silent Springs: Moving From Tragedy to Hope by Robert L. Knight Silenced Springs is a timely assessment of the current plight of Florida’s over 1,000 artesian springs, including their former glory, how they came to be impaired, and the hopeful path to their eventual restoration and protection. Dr. Knight is Florida’s
Conservation
- Florida-friendly Landscaping You don’t have to be an expert gardener or landscaper to create a Florida-friendly yard. All it takes is a willingness to learn and a desire to build a beautiful yard that helps protect Florida’s environment.
- Ideas about Water Conservation This is centered around California but is pertinent to Florida as well
- Lawn Care Before, During and After a Drought Some good common sense ideas about sustainable lawn care
- Santa Fe River Springs Restoration Action Plan This Restoration Action Plan, written in 2016, is a compilation of the best available science documenting the condition of the Santa Fe River and outlines a recovery plan for this collection of springs.
- Ten Reasons We Should Not Waste Water Why do we even care?
- Water saving technology Some ideas about saving water
- You can combat climate change Here is a whole series of suggestions on how you can combat climate change at a personal level based on your own selected money, time and effort levels.
Data
- Blue Water Audit See how the Floridan Aquifer is affected by nitrates; calculate your Aquifer Footprint; use the interactive map to visualize impact on the aquifer
- Florida Springs Database Over 750 Florida Springs with maps weather and additional information for recreation and casual research.
- National Weather Service River Forecast Center If you want to get good details on flooding along with forecasts, try this web site and mouse-over or click on the place you want to know about.
- SpringsWatch – Lower Santa Fe River Monitoring Summary 2019 This report was prepared by the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) and is focused on ecological monitoring currently being conducted by SPRINGSWATCH volunteers along the Lower Santa Fe River and springs.
- USGS NWIS Daily Streamflow Conditions Find Daily Streamflow Conditions from the USGS
Education & Activism
- Aquifer Watch AquiferWatch is an organization dedicated improving the participation of citizens of Florida in the management of their water resources, with emphasis on groundwater. It is dedicated to assisting citizen volunteers in the monitoring of our groundwater r
- FL DEP Suwannee Basin Assessment Reports
- Florida Springs Protecting Nature’s Gems
- Florida Springs Council We are spring enthusiasts and we are determined to bring attention to springs and awareness to the threats surrounding them.
- Food & Water Watch We envision a world where all people have access to enough affordable, healthy, and wholesome food and clean water to meet their basic needs — a world in which governments are accountable to their citizens and manage essential resources sustainably.
- Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute The Florida Springs Institute was founded in May 2010 to accelerate the restoration and protection of Florida’s springs under the auspices of Florida’s Eden.
- Ichetucknee Alliance The goal of the Ichetucknee Alliance is to ensure the restoration, preservation, and protection for future generations of the ecosystems along the full 5.5 mile length of the Ichetucknee River, including all its associated springs.
- The Blue Path On the Blue Path, Floridians discover new ways to live with water and recognize that a healthy environment is essential for a prosperous economy.
- UF Water Institute The University of Florida Water Institute brings together talent from throughout the University and builds internal and external partnerships to address urgent water research challenges; implement innovative interdisciplinary academic programs to train ex
- What is a Spring? SWRMD – Springs occur when water pressure causes a natural flow of groundwater onto the earth’s surface. As rain filters down into the Floridan aquifer system, natural acids in the rainwater slowly dissolve the aquifer’s limestone. This can cause large cr
- WWALS Watershed Coalition WWALS is an advocacy organization working for watershed conservation of the Willacoochee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Little River Systems watershed in south Georgia and north Florida through awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen advocacy.
Education Through Art
- John Moran Photography Moran’s work celebrates the magic of a unique landscape born of water and blessed with beauty beyond measure.
- Margaret Ross Tolbert Margaret Ross Tolbert is an artist based in Gainesville, Florida.
- Rum 138 Rum 138 is more than a business, it’s a destination.
- Springs Eternal Project The Springs Eternal Project is a celebration of the springs we were given, a meditation on the springs we could lose, and an invitation to the people of Florida to fall in love with our springs all over again.
Governing Bodies
- Alachua County Groundwater & Springs Springs are a window into the aquifer, which supplies our drinking water. They are also a great reminder that our water resources are all connected. Many creeks go into the aquifer via sinkholes and later emerge as springs!
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects, conserves and manages Florida’s natural resources and enforces the State’s environmental laws.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came into existence on July 1, 1999 – the result of a constitutional amendment approved in the 1998 General Election as part of the package proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.
- St. John's River Water Management District Water is the common bond that brings together Florida’s diverse population. As our state grows, properly managing water resources continues to be critical to our overall quality of life.
- Suwannee River Water Management District The Suwannee River Water Management District manages water and related natural resources in north-central Florida by providing water quality and quantity monitoring, research, regulation, land acquisition and management, and flood protection. For details,
OSFR Supports These Organizations
- Current Problems CURRENT PROBLEMS, INC., a non-profit organization, was established in 1993 when a small group of friends began working together to clean up the trash and contaminants in and along the banks of north Florida’s Santa Fe River. Fifteen years later, this gra
- Florida Defenders of the Environment Florida Defenders of the Environment Working to protect freshwater resources, conserve public lands, and provide quality environmental education since 1969.
- Florida Springs Council We are spring enthusiasts and we are determined to bring attention to springs and awareness to the threats surrounding them.
- Friends of Itchetucknee Springs A dedicated group committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing the Ichetucknee Springs and River.
- Gulf Restoration Network The Gulf Restoration Network is committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region.
- Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute The Florida Springs Institute was founded in May 2010 to accelerate the restoration and protection of Florida’s springs under the auspices of Florida’s Eden.
- Ichetucknee Alliance The work of the Ichetucknee Alliance—to advocate for effective actions that will restore, protect, and preserve the Ichetucknee River System for future generations—is driven by the scientific findings of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI).
- Springs Eternal Project The Springs Eternal Project is a celebration of the springs we were given, a meditation on the springs we could lose, and an invitation to the people of Florida to fall in love with our springs all over again.
- WWALS Watershed Coalition WWALS Watershed Coalition advocates for conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Upper Suwannee River watersheds in south Georgia and north Florida through awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activ
Our Favorite Blogs
- Aquifer Watch AquiferWatch is an organization dedicated improving the participation of citizens of Florida in the management of their water resources, with emphasis on groundwater. It is dedicated to assisting citizen volunteers in the monitoring of our groundwater r
- Earthjustice – Florida Office For more than two decades, Earthjustice has been working to implement effective regulations to restore Florida’s waterways and halt destructive practices and projects.
- Food & Water Watch We envision a world where all people have access to enough affordable, healthy, and wholesome food and clean water to meet their basic needs — a world in which governments are accountable to their citizens and manage essential resources sustainably.
- Ichetucknee Alliance The goal of the Ichetucknee Alliance is to ensure the restoration, preservation, and protection for future generations of the ecosystems along the full 5.5 mile length of the Ichetucknee River, including all its associated springs.
- Santa Fe River Springs Protection Forums FKA Santa Fe River Springs Working Group, The springs forum was created by concerned citizens to create a forum where government officials, professionals, and the public can discuss the issues and solutions to protecting our local springs.
- Springs Eternal Project The Springs Eternal Project is a celebration of the springs we were given, a meditation on the springs we could lose, and an invitation to the people of Florida to fall in love with our springs all over again.
- Suwannee River Water Management District The Suwannee River Water Management District manages water and related natural resources in north-central Florida by providing water quality and quantity monitoring, research, regulation, land acquisition and management, and flood protection. For details,
- The Gainesville Sun Gainesville Florida
- WordWitch A Word Witch somewhere between High Springs and Fort White, Santa Fe River Region, Florida, United States A Word Witch has honed her writing skills in various fundraising and public relations jobs, primarily in higher education, and has had some i
- WWALS Watershed Coalition WWALS is an advocacy organization working for watershed conservation of the Willacoochee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Little River Systems watershed in south Georgia and north Florida through awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen advocacy.
Regulations & Standards
- Florida Statutes – Chapter 373 – Water Resources The holy grail for water resources in Florida – this is where permitting begins
- United States EPA Water Quality Standards Regulations: Florida
Science, Studies, & White Papers
- "Springs of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida" (PDF, 16.4MB) There is a lot of good information in this report from October 1998 Suwannee River Water Management District Department of Water Resources
- Benthic Macroalgal Blooms as Indicators of Nutrient Loading from Aquifer-Injected Sewage Effluent in Environmentally Sensitive Near-Shore Waters Associated with the South Florida Keys In theory, “aquifer storage and recovery” (ASR) is a form of artificial aquifer recharge consisting of three components: (1) aquifer injections of fluids; (2) withdrawals of the injected fluids; and (3) a period of time between the injections and withdraw
- FL DEP Total Maximum Daily Loads Program What is a TMDL? A scientific determination of the maximum amount of a given pollutant that a surface water can absorb and still meet the water quality standards that protect human health and aquatic life.
- Our Santa Fe River (OSFR) White Paper On 2016 Status of Santa Fe River, Springs and Aquifer The following white paper was written by OSFR and will be submitted to the Governing Boards of both the Suwannee River and the St Johns River districts.
- State of Florida Numeric Nutrient Criteria Development Plan The state of Florida intends to adopt quantitative nutrient water quality standards to facilitate the assessment of designated use attainment for its waters and to provide a better means to protect state waters from the adverse effects of nutrient over en