Excessive pumping permitted by SJWMD is the cause of lowered lake levels and water transfers is not the solution simply because the water in Black Creek is needed in Black Creek. Jacksonville must curb its growth within the confines of the water it can provide without causing ill-conceived water transfers elsewhere.
Here is what we had to say earlier about this bad idea:
CBS Channel 47 in Jacksonville has provided the following information about a controversial plan to pump water from one place to another. Omitted by the scientists from the St Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) is the obvious fact that if the district would not issue excessive pumping permits, this project would not be necessary.When nature’s balance is not upset by the interference of people, normally things take care of themselves. The Keystone lake system has been under stress for years due to excessive pumping by mines, agriculture and especially JEA. Because SJRWMD is giving away too much water, lake levels in the Keystone system have dropped, causing lake property values to do the same, raising the ire of lake dwellers. Water transference is seldom a good idea, and often brings problems along with the water. One of these is cost.The Florida taxpayer should not foot the bill for this experimental process which may or may not be successful. The water users who have lowered the water level in these lakes should have the cost added to their free water permits. Paying for water is inevitable in Florida and the sooner we start the better.
Read the original article here at WJCT News.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
Agreements Reached For Pipeline System To Replenish Keystone Heights Lakes
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Keystone Heights residents are a step closer to seeing their parched lakefront properties restored to healthier water levels.
The St. Johns River Water Management District’s Governing Board approved partnership agreements Tuesday with four North Florida water supply utilities to participate in the Black Creek Water Resource Development Project, which will ultimately pump millions of gallons of water back into Brooklyn and Geneva lakes via a pipeline system that will be built to pull water from Black Creek.
Related Reading: Recovering Strategy for the Implementation of Lakes Brooklyn and Geneva Minimum Levels – St. Johns River Water Management District
The agreements were reached with JEA, Clay County Utility Authority, St. Johns County Utilities and Gainesville Regional Utilities.
Dropping water levels have been an issue for decades in Keystone Heights, where docks that formerly stretched out over the water now are surrounded by dry lake beds.
Tuesday’s agreements envision the four utilities collectively paying about $19.2 million into the project, according to WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union, which also reported the agreements still have to be approved by each of the utilities’ boards.
Advocates of the project say it’s a key component to providing regional aquifer recharge benefits.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
When is this project set to begin and or be completed?
Seems like we are robbing Peter to Pay Paul. I am not an expert, but I don’t see a “re-charge”. I see shifting of precious water resources at the expense of tax payers so that someone can water ski again. Don’t get me wrong. I miss Keystone Beach and hate to see those dried up lakes in Keystone. But now we are going to strip Black Creek? Does not seem like a very good answer to me.
Wonder if the water bottlers going to tap into that pipeline and sell this dwindling resource too? They might as well get on board
Yet another misguided attempt to mask the detrimental effects of bad policy and execution by the water management districts. And, as always, at the expense of the taxpayers, rather than the industries and agricultural interests that caused the problems.