Another great activity by the Florida Springs Institute which will help us understand better understand and thus better protect our springs and rivers in North Central Florida.
Since our water management districts are either unwilling or unable to adequately protect our springs and rivers, it is of extreme importance that private institutes such as the Florida Springs Institute flourish in their stead.
SpringsWatch Trains Citizen Scientists to Gather Data on the Health of Springs
Six years ago, I stumbled across a newsletter blurb about a program called SpringsWatch. It called for volunteers to help gather water quality data on the Ichetucknee River each month. As a long-time Gainesville resident and kayaking enthusiast, I was familiar with “the Ich” and jumped at the chance to give back to a river that had given me so much joy over the years.
And so began my SpringsWatch journey. In addition to submerging various meter probes along the lower Ichetucknee, we took underwater photos, we documented apple snail eggs on cypress knees and we even snorkeled a stretch of the river to count fish. I was in heaven! The only thing more fun than getting to know this river so intimately was hanging out with other springs enthusiasts equally committed to the task.
The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute launched SpringsWatch in 2011 on the Silver River. Through monthly hands-on monitoring sessions, the program trains citizen scientists to gather springs health data for the institute and environmental agencies across the state.
There are currently 10 active SpringsWatch groups on the Silver, Ichetucknee, Rainbow, Santa Fe, Wakulla, Weeki Wachee, Wekiwa, Homosassa, Jackson Blue and (Panhandle) Ponce de Leon springs systems. An 11th group will be added at Kings Bay in 2022.
Participants gain a rich understanding of how each of these factors impacts the health of these waters. Just their presence at the springs each month gives volunteers an important front-row seat to ongoing developments such as algae blooms and the condition of eelgrasses. That data collected by SpringsWatch volunteers enables the Florida Springs Institute to produce springs report cards and restoration plans for state environmental agencies and the public.
Why do we do this work?
Cally House, team leader for the Ichetucknee SpringsWatch group, answers this question: “I volunteer for so many reasons — the love of water, the will to protect it and being part of a community that shares these values.”
Joan Landis, a volunteer for the Weeki Wachee team, explains her reasons for participating: “As an outdoor enthusiast and environmental educator, I find this work enjoyable and fulfilling. It’s a hands-on way for me to give back to the beautiful Florida springs I recreate on and to contribute to the science that drives our understanding of their health.”
In a state where our water problems often seem insurmountable, SpringsWatch offers people an educational, enjoyable and tangible role to play in their solution. For more information on how you can turn a fun day at the springs into meaningful research that supports them, visit https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/springswatch.
Jill Lingard is the coordinator of SpringsWatch (SpringsWatch@floridaspringsinstitute.org).
