Zephyr Hills, Fla. (AP) – Florida freshwater springs seen from the sky are a bit of a liquid heaven, enticing humans and wildlife, and enjoying the aquamarine court. Of these, at least 1,000 people, more than any other state, Springs serves as a large strip of beach in central and northwest Florida, far from the ocean, peering into the depths of confined teenagers from docks and snorkelers.
However, these treasures are under threat from agricultural pollution, rapid development and climate change.
Several locations, such as Zephyr Hill, which grows rapidly in western Florida, have paused some construction as they struggle to stay within the limits of drinking water that can be pulled out of the vast underground aquifer. Zephyrhills has Crystal Springs, a bottled water source named after the town and several other brands.
“We really had to do something,” said Stephen Spina, a member of town council. “A lot of residents thought it was a good thing. People were happy to see us breathing.”
The vast Florida aquifer is the source of springs
Covering an estimated 100,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometers), the Underground Florida Aquifer is the source of 90% of Florida’s drinking water. Due to the porous nature of the state’s bedrock, millions of gallons of water find their way to the surface in the form of clear, clean springs and feed the river.
The highest concentrations of springs are in central and northern Florida. This includes most of the 30 “first magnitude” springs. All but four of them are considered contaminated.
“We have too much pollution in the ground and too much water coming out of the ground,” said Ryan Smart, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Springs Council. “And when you get that combination, you’re no longer blue, lively, and full of life.”
Agriculture and development are the main threats
In rural Florida, the spills of fertilizers and pesticides used on farms are a major part of the problem. Fertilizers containing phosphate and nitrogen promote the blooming of algae, which can choke spring. Livestock waste also contributes.
“When that algae covers everything, all the sea grass is lost. Sea grass is a water forest,” Smart said. “Then you start to lose biodiversity, and that puts our drinking water at risk.”
Elsewhere in Florida, ramp-stretched development is a threat. With over 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, there are more residential subdivisions, including roads, strip malls, restaurants and golf courses.
This means more paved surfaces that prevent rainwater from penetrating the aquifer and more spills containing contaminants from lawn fertilizer, parking lots, expanded roads and sometimes septic tanks. It also means more and more people, many of whom enjoy swimming in tubes, paddle boards, kayaks and springs.
Some springs in the state and local parks can be very busy in the summer, and if you enter until late in the morning you will be stopped. At Iketucknee Springs State Park, north of Gainesville, the daily limit of 750 tubers of the River Upstream is often reached within an hour of the park opening.
Kaelin Gibbs was swimming in a blue hole spring along the Iketuckney River while on vacation with his family from Georgia in June.
“This is incredible. The water is cool and clear,” Gibbs said. “We’ve been to the beaches of Florida and Orlando, and there’s no comparison with the beautiful things this spring.”
But it’s at risk, said Dennis Jones, a former Republican lawmaker who is deeply involved in Springs’ issues. He said the amount of permits issued for water use is not sustainable.
“We can’t keep getting water out of the aquifer, because it’s not an infinite supply,” Jones said.
Phosphate mining was also sacrificed by Spring. Their operation requires a large amount of water, which reduces the water pressure available to the spring. Some died almost entirely from mining and other factors, including White Sulphur Springs in North Florida, a sacred place for Native Americans, and tourist resorts that attracted famous visitors such as Henry Ford and Theodore Roosevelt.
Climate change changes rainfall patterns and causes ocean rise
More subtle threats to spring health include the changing climate of the planet. It changes rainfall patterns around the world, threatening the balance that feeds Florida springs.
Additionally, some springs along the coast face salt water invasion, according to the Water Management District in southwestern Florida. Due to sea level rise and reduced rainfall, four major springs are becoming increasingly brackish.
“As a result, freshwater vegetation struggles to survive in this salty environment, and unwanted vegetation moves,” the district said in a post on its website.
State laws to protect springs remain stalled
Florida spends billions of dollars on water quality projects each year. This includes around $800 million in this year’s Everglades restoration work. Springs’ state funds run around $50 million a year, according to state documents.
The two states’ efforts to improve Springs quality are both about a decade old and remain bottled in court and administrative challenges. It will strengthen rules for permits that will pull water from major springs. The other involves strengthening rules for reducing the amount of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphates, entering springs that are considered obstacles.
Former MP Jones said lobbying under strong agricultural interests and related political pressures is hampering progress in the nitrogen reduction plan, which was expected to take about 20 years.
“We’ve been burning out for nearly a decade, but they haven’t been in stage 1. We got more nitrates than we started,” Jones said.
In Congress, U.S. Rep. Randy Fine recently introduced a bill to establish Florida Springs National Park in several counties, mainly the Ocala National Forest. In a statement, Fine said the designation would protect Spring and increase funds. “Our Florida Springs is unique not only for Florida but for the country,” Fine said.
Bottling companies get a cheap water permit
Bottling companies can pull out millions of gallons of water forever for just $115 for the permit. But they pay local taxes.
Blue Triton, a company that bottles Zephyr Hills water, pays about $600,000 in taxes per year for schools and public safety, city council spine said.
“They are one of our biggest taxpayers,” he said.
Time will be shorter to ensure that the springs survive
They have their challenges, but they also have energetic friends in Freshwater Springs, Florida.
Michelle Jameson loves Springs. She grew up swimming in one and is determined to help protect them for future generations. She is a volunteer with the Springs Watch Citizen Science Program, coordinating and collaborating with other volunteers for monthly testing on the Wekiba River in northern Orlando.
They want to test water quality, take photos of underwater vegetation, count birds, and find major changes that may require action. Wekiba is pretty stable, she said, but it has a lot of extra nutrients.
“Wildlife and ecology and all of that — it’s full of life,” Jameson said.
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