Some Excellent Projects Here

December 11, 2022 Aquifer Recharge, State Government Solutions, Miscellaneous by Suwannee River Water Management District Leave a Comment

Our SRWMD has come out with some excellent ways to spend our money. The cost-share program is ill-conceived because this amounts to a license to pollute given out and then a bribe to pollute less. The only logical way to do this is to not allow the pollution when permits are given out.

The Piedmont Dairy sorely needed this containment of nutrients from being released into the groundwater. Once again, this dairy should not have been allowed to pollute in the first place. This is a reward for being naughty. But we are glad it is being fixed.

The rock mine assistance and the expansion of the excellent wetlands project for Lake City are good choices for ways to use taxpayer money. OSFR”s advisor Dr. Robert Knight’s old business Wetlands Solutions was the designer of this successful project, even though not recognized during the opening press conference.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Communications Office | Suwannee River Water Management District |
386.362.1001 or 800.226.1066 (FL) | SRWMDCommunications@SRWMD.org | www.MySuwanneeRiver.com

More than $19 million in springs restoration funding projects announced for North Florida

LIVE OAK, FLA, DECEMBER 9, 2022 – On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that seven springs restoration projects within the Suwannee River Water Management District (District) will receive approximately $19 million to aid in the recovery protection of Florida’s springs.

This funding is part of the $75 million announced for statewide projects identified by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Florida’s water management districts. The full list can be found here.

“As a great place to live and do business, Florida continues to see tremendous growth,” said Hugh Thomas, Suwannee River Water Management District Executive Director. “With that growth comes the need to identify innovative ways to allow for growth while also protecting our natural resources. Funding for projects like these is beneficial to ensuring the preservation of our local springs for generations to come.”

Local projects included for funding include:

$6 million for Agricultural Springs Protection – This multi-year project will provide cost share to agricultural producers to implement practices that reduce nutrient impacts and groundwater pumping.
$2.5 million to Alliance Grazing Group – This project will partner with Alliance Grazing Group to convert the Piedmont dairy operation from a grazing dairy to a free stall operation. This will capture 100 percent of the manure for processing in the existing waste management system. Cow cooling will be managed more effectively to reduce ground water pumping.
$800,000 to Alachua County for the High Springs Rock Mine Acquisition – This project will benefit the Hornsby Spring springshed. The 316.97-acre property lies just over two miles east of the Hornsby Spring pool. Approximately 142 acres of open water lakes have been created by the mining operation which began in the 1950s. These lakes are between 30 to 50 feet deep and intersect the Floridan Aquifer. Acquisition of this property will eliminate ongoing impacts from mining and prevent the potential impacts from development.
$6.1 million to the City of Lake City for the Lake City Recharge Wetland Expansion – This project proposes to expand on the city’s existing recharge wetland through conversion of a second sprayfield to a groundwater recharge wetland with the addition of approximately 53 acres of treatment and recharge area. This conversion is being designed to reduce nitrogen in treated water and to increase recharge on the parcel.
$250,000 to the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department for Nutrient Reduction Retrofits of Existing Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS) – This project will offer rebates to Alachua County property owners who upgrade their septic systems to offset the increased costs of nutrient reducing systems and to increase awareness regarding the role of septic systems.
$1.5 million to the Town of Greenville for Sewer Improvements – This multi-year project was initially funded during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. This funding is in addition to the $4.2 million project budget.
$2 million to the Town of Fanning Springs for Wastewater System Expansion – This multi-year project was initially funded during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. This funding is in addition to the $9.35 project budget.

The mission of the Suwannee River Water Management District is to protect and manage water resources using science-based solutions to support natural systems and the needs of the public. The District holds true to the belief of water for nature, water for people. Headquartered in Live Oak, Florida, the District serves 15 surrounding north-central Florida counties.

For more information about the District, visit www.MySuwanneeRiver.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter, search @SRWMD.

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Tags: water improvement projects, SRWMD

Suwannee River Water Management District

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Suwannee River Water Management District - http://www.srwmd.state.fl.us/ - The Suwannee River Water Management District is one of five regional water management districts in Florida, created by the Florida Legislature through passage of the Water Resources Act of 1972. Suwannee is the smallest of the state's water management districts in terms of geographic area, population served, tax base, and agency staff. 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.

Some Excellent Projects Here

More than $19 million in springs restoration funding projects announced for North Florida

Suwannee River Water Management District

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