St. Johns River Water Management District American Institute of Professional Geologists Workshop April 5, 2016 Casey Fitzgerald Director, Springs Protection Initiative SJRWMD Springs Protection and Management Strategies: Solving Scientific Mysteries and Developing Effective Solutions

St. Johns River Water Management District Presentation Outline I.Springs of Florida Primer II.Springs Challenges III.SJRWMD Springs Protection Initiative A. Applied Science – “CRISPS” B. Restoration Projects C. Regulation, Planning and Outreach IV. Volusia Blue Prevention and Recovery: An emerging success story V.Conclusions VI.Questions 2

St. Johns River Water Management District Florida Springs (Over 700 named in FGS database)

St. Johns River Water Management District Glossary “Spring” – a point of focused groundwater discharge from groundwater flow systems“Spring” – a point of focused groundwater discharge from groundwater flow systems “Springshed” – the land area which contributes groundwater recharge to a spring system (aka, recharge area; contributing area)“Springshed” – the land area which contributes groundwater recharge to a spring system (aka, recharge area; contributing area)

St. Johns River Water Management District Where does spring water/groundwater come from? 50 to 60 inches of rainfall per year on average.

St. Johns River Water Management District Only a small portion of rain water makes its way into the ground where it “recharges” our aquifer systems.

St. Johns River Water Management District Springs Hydrology (mean annual flow) First Magnitude ‒ >100 cfs (65 mgd)First Magnitude ‒ >100 cfs (65 mgd) Second Magnitude ‒ 10 cfsSecond Magnitude ‒ 10 cfs Third Magnitude ‒ 1 cfsThird Magnitude ‒ 1 cfs Fourth Magnitude ‒ 100 gal/minFourth Magnitude ‒ 100 gal/min Fifth Magnitude ‒ 10 gal/minFifth Magnitude ‒ 10 gal/min Sixth Magnitude ‒ 1 gal/minSixth Magnitude ‒ 1 gal/min Seventh Magnitude ‒ 1 pint/minSeventh Magnitude ‒ 1 pint/min Eighth Magnitude ‒ <1 pint/minEighth Magnitude ‒ <1 pint/min (Meinzer. O. E Large Springs in the United States. U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 557).

St. Johns River Water Management District Springs in SJRWMD Blue Spring Wekiva Springs System Silver Spring 8

St. Johns River Water Management District Springs in SJRWMD springs identified148 springs identified ‒ Four first magnitude (> 100 cfs) o Volusia Blue, Silver, Alexander, Silver Glen ‒ Sixteen second magnitude (>10 cfs)

St. Johns River Water Management District High nitrate concentrations High nitrate concentrations Less native aquatic vegetation Less native aquatic vegetation Blooms of attached algae Blooms of attached algae Lower fish abundance Lower fish abundance Impaired ecosystem metabolism Impaired ecosystem metabolism The Problems Ecological structure and function have changed in many springs. 10 The springs are indicators of the state of the aquifer.

Changes in Florida Springs Weeki Wachee Spring 1951 Weeki Wachee Spring 2006 St. Johns River Water Management District

Challenges Protect/Improve water qualityProtect/Improve water quality Protect/Recover flowsProtect/Recover flows 12

St. Johns River Water Management District Wekiva Basin Nitrogen Loads Source: MACTEC (Final Report – Wekiva River Basin Nitrate Sourcing Study – 2010) 13

St. Johns River Water Management District Silver Springs Basin N Loads

St. Johns River Water Management District Springs Protection Initiative Springs Protection Initiative AppliedScience Formulate cost-effective solutions and support regulatory programs Outreach Projects Identify and help fund cost-effective projects Regulation CUP ERP MFLs Water Supply Planning 15

St. Johns River Water Management District Applied Science Approach Pursuant to RFP solicitation, SJRWMD/UF* entered into a 3-year, $3 million contract in March 2014.Pursuant to RFP solicitation, SJRWMD/UF* entered into a 3-year, $3 million contract in March Assemble an integrated SJRWMD / University of Florida scientific team organized into work groups.Assemble an integrated SJRWMD / University of Florida scientific team organized into work groups. Conduct an interdisciplinary study involving multiple spring systems.Conduct an interdisciplinary study involving multiple spring systems. Identify key processes and data necessary to evaluate strategic management options.Identify key processes and data necessary to evaluate strategic management options. * Water Institute, IFAS, School of Natural Resources...

St. Johns River Water Management District Applied Science “ CRISPS” Collaborative Research Initiative on Sustainability and Protection of Springs 17

St. Johns River Water Management District Springs Protection Initiative Science Questions and Objectives Question 1: Where and when is it most feasible and cost- effective to reduce nitrate loading to the springs?Question 1: Where and when is it most feasible and cost- effective to reduce nitrate loading to the springs? –Objective: Improve the scientific foundation for management of nitrate loadings to spring ecosystems. Question 2: Will nitrate reduction alone be sufficient to reduce algal abundance in springs?Question 2: Will nitrate reduction alone be sufficient to reduce algal abundance in springs? –Objective: Determine the need for management of environmental factors other than nitrate loading in order to reduce algal abundance in springs. Question 3: What are the relative influences and manageabilities of nitrate and non-nitrate causes of excess algae in springs?Question 3: What are the relative influences and manageabilities of nitrate and non-nitrate causes of excess algae in springs? –Objective: Determine what other environmental factors might cost- effectively be managed to reduce algal abundance in springs. 18

St. Johns River Water Management District Cost-effective management of nitrate loads: Will focus on areas of the springshed with high N source rates, low N loss rates, and high N conveyance rates. Objective: Improve the scientific foundation for management of nitrate loadings to spring ecosystems. High Water Conveyance Rate Low N Loss Rate High N Source Rate Springshed 19

↑Attached Algae ↑Nitrate ↓Invert. Grazers ↓Dissolved Oxygen ↓Invert. Grazers ↓Current Speed ↓Sloughing ↓Connectivity ↓Vert. Grazers ↑Nitrate ↓Aquatic Plants ↑Recreation ↑Other nutrients Objective: Evaluate the need for management of drivers other than nitrate loading in order to control benthic algal abundance in spring ecosystems. 20 St. Johns River Water Management District

Objective: Determine what other environmental factors might cost- effectively be managed to reduce algal abundance in springs. Sub-objective: Management should focus on factors that are both influential and controllable. Feasibility of Control (Controllability) Feasibility of Control (Controllability)  Ecological Influence Ecological Influence  Water quality Climate Discharge/ Velocity Biological Interactions Note: The scalings shown here are illustrative only. They do not represent scientific conclusions. 21

BiologyPhysicochemistry Nitrogen Biogeochemistry Groundwater Hydrology Surface Water Hydrology Hydrodynamics and Hydrology Springshed SupergroupSpring Ecosystem Supergroup Springs Protection Initiative — Science (SPIS) Scientific Team Organized into Work Groups St. Johns River Water Management District

Work groups, workflow, outputs Work group Outputs Surface Water Hydrology Biology N Biogeochemistry Groundwater Hydrology H&H Physicochemistry Water Budget Nutrient Inputs GW Biogeochemistry Biological Structure and Function Nutrient Loading Spring flow Nutrient Outputs Nutrient budget Physicochem -ical Status St. Johns River Water Management District

Springs Restoration Projects SJRWMD DEP Local Governments and Utilities ( Data and Science) BMAP Process (Collaboration with (Collaboration with Stakeholders) Stakeholders) SpringsProtectionInitiative Capital Improvement Plans (Primary action agents) Funding and Projects 24

St. Johns River Water Management District Projects funded primarily for Wekiva River / Spring System, Volusia Blue Spring, Silver Springs and Lower Santa Fe River SpringsProjects funded primarily for Wekiva River / Spring System, Volusia Blue Spring, Silver Springs and Lower Santa Fe River Springs General project typesGeneral project types ‒ Water conservation ‒ Reclaimed water system enhancements ‒ Alternative water supply development ‒ Water quality improvements o Wastewater treatment plant upgrades, septic tank conversions and stormwater treatment ‒ Innovative technologies o Potable reuse, biologically active media in RIBs, etc. Springs Projects 25

St. Johns River Water Management District Springs Cost-Share By Contributor (Fiscal Years 2013/14  2015/16) Total investment ~$105 million ROI = 326% 26

St. Johns River Water Management District Project Metrics* to Date 55 projects55 projects 26 partners/cooperators26 partners/cooperators Total Nitrogen load reductionTotal Nitrogen load reduction –1.28 million lbs/yr (580 metric tons/yr) Total groundwater withdrawal offsetsTotal groundwater withdrawal offsets –59 million gallons per day (mgd) * Not including FY15/16 investments for second ag cost-share cycle or springs CFWI/NFWI water conservation ($4 million). 27

St. Johns River Water Management District Regulatory Support Scientific findings, models and other tools will be employed in future permitting efforts.Scientific findings, models and other tools will be employed in future permitting efforts. ‒ Environmental Resource Permits (ERPs) ‒ Consumptive Use Permits (CUPs) ‒ Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) ‒ Prevention and Recovery Strategies ‒ TMDLs and BMAPs 28

St. Johns River Water Management District Water Supply Planning Scientific findings, models and other tools will be made available for future water supply planning efforts. Scientific findings, models and other tools will be made available for future water supply planning efforts. Outreach Stakeholders are being kept apprised of the Springs Protection Initiative’s activities and scientific efforts. Information exchange is encouraged to enhance the science and formation of policies to protect and restore the region’s springs. 29

St. Johns River Water Management District Volusia Prevention and Recovery Strategy Blue Spring and Multiple Lakes

St. Johns River Water Management District 31 Volusia Blue Spring Minimum Flow and Level Driving force/goal: Restoration of sufficient spring flow to provide adequate warm water refuge for rapidly increasing St. Johns River manatee population.

St. Johns River Water Management District Volusia Blue Spring Manatee Use 32

St. Johns River Water Management District Volusia Prevention/ Recovery Strategy Projects

St. Johns River Water Management District 34 Volusia Blue Spring – Springs Protection Projects

St. Johns River Water Management District Volusia Blue Spring Flow Recovery Target recovery for Volusia Blue Spring: Increase flow by ~16 CFS by 2030Target recovery for Volusia Blue Spring: Increase flow by ~16 CFS by 2030 Total capital cost: ~$155 millionTotal capital cost: ~$155 million P&R plan implementation by West Volusia Water Suppliers and other stakeholders will achieve:P&R plan implementation by West Volusia Water Suppliers and other stakeholders will achieve: Aquifer levels sufficient to meet Volusia Blue Spring and lake MFLs Aquifer levels sufficient to meet Volusia Blue Spring and lake MFLs Projected future water demands Projected future water demands A healthy manatee population A healthy manatee population

St. Johns River Water Management District Conclusions 36 Restoring Florida’s springs to ecological health is an immense challenge.Restoring Florida’s springs to ecological health is an immense challenge. Existing programs in regulatory, planning and management programs have been beneficial and can aid in their recovery.Existing programs in regulatory, planning and management programs have been beneficial and can aid in their recovery. Enough is currently understood scientifically to warrant substantial funding for “conventional” restoration programs and projects.Enough is currently understood scientifically to warrant substantial funding for “conventional” restoration programs and projects. Deeper scientific understanding is vital to identify the most cost-effective, long-term springs restoration projects and to properly inform enlightened future management approaches.Deeper scientific understanding is vital to identify the most cost-effective, long-term springs restoration projects and to properly inform enlightened future management approaches.

Questions? 37 St. Johns River Water Management District