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This article was written by Christopher Curry and originally appeared in the Gainesville Sun on Newspaper January 16, 2012
~Appeals filed against water withdrawal permits for dairy farms~A conservation board member is challenging the Suwannee River Water Management District's recent approval of permits that would allow the pumping of a combined average of 5.2 million gallons per day from the aquifer.
The environmental group Save Our Suwannee is also contemplating challenging the three permits, which were among four related to North Central Florida farm operations that the district's Governing Board approved last month.
The unanimously approved permits allowed withdrawals of:
3.8 million gallons per day combined for two dairy farms that the Alliance Grazing Group plans in Gilchrist County.
An additional 900,000 gallons per day for Piedmont Farms Dairy in Gilchrist County, which is owned by a sister company, Alliance Grazing.
An additional 500,000 gallons per day for an expansion of the William Douberly cattle and crop farm in Gilchrist and Levy counties.
A fourth permit, which allowed a Madison County farm to withdraw an average of 300,000 gallons per day, was not challenged.
Paul Still, a member of the Bradford Soil and Water Conservation District, has filed the requests for administrative hearings to appeal the permits.
In addition, Save Our Suwannee has requested and received a 45-day extension to appeal the permits approved for the Alliance Grazing Group and Piedmont Farms Dairy.
Annette Long, with Save Our Suwannee, said the organization has concerns with the impacts the groundwater pumping may have on Ginnie Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs.
“The springs are already so impacted that we wanted time to review the hydrology submitted by the applicants,” Long said. “We have to study it.”
In a phone interview Monday, Still said he did not feel there was adequate scientific data presented to show that the withdrawals would not have negative effects on area springs, lakes, wetlands and rivers, including the Lower Santa Fe.
His written request for appeal noted that minimum flows and levels for the Lower Santa Fe still need to be set.
The water withdrawals could impact water levels before the establishment of those levels, which are intended to determine the point from which further reduction would have an environmental impact.
“My real concern is the approval of consumptive use permits without adequate review when we have declining groundwater levels as it is,” Still said.
He said he would prefer not to have an administrative hearing on the appeal.
Instead, Still said he would like the water management district and the farms to agree to negotiations in order to have the permits modified.
A staff member at Alliance Grazing said no one was available for comment Monday.
Article courtesy of the Gainesville Sun Newspaper January 16, 2012
Starlite Film Productions: Press
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper December 22, 2011.
~Lack of funding, local interest kills springs meetings ~
Efforts to educate people about the plight of area springs have been hampered due to lack of funding from state and local agencies.
Carol Lippincott, coordinator for the Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group, announced recently that funding for the meetings, which have been taking place quarterly for the last four years, ran out in November.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper December 22, 2011
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on August 25, 2011.
~Farm Could Help Offset Untreated Pollutants ~
A Trenton farm could help alleviate pollution that could potentially make its way into Fanning Springs due to a new wastewater treatment plant proposed for the Town of Fanning Springs, area officials and representatives said at a meeting last week.
Hugh Thomas, a spokesperson for the Suwannee River Partnership, told a group of about 40 concerned citizens and representatives from various agencies at a Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group meeting that the owner of Simpson Farm, Douglas E. Simpson, was considering taking re-use water as an added measure to reduce nitrates not eliminated by the Town of Fanning Springs' proposed wastewater treatment plant.
Thomas said Simpson wasn't fully committed to the idea yet. "It's kind of in a holding pattern right now."But if the deal goes through, Simpson would use the water to irrigate and fertilize some of the crops grown on his 400-acre operation near Trenton. Thomas said Simpson's farm was chosen because of the amount of crops he grows, the farm's irrigation capabilities and, most importantly, because it is only about a mile away from the proposed site of the wastewater facility. Thomas said the Suwannee River Water Management District has already signed on to cover the $400,000 cost to pipe the water to the farm. A sprayfield is our only alternative at this point," Thomas said.
The wastewater treatment plant, to be built next year, is about two miles from the spring and proposes using a 13-acre sprayfield to help neutralize some of the nitrates coming out of the system, according to the working group's coordinator Carol Lippincott. Lippincott, though stating the proposed wastewater treatment plant would get a lot of city residents off of ground-leaching septic tanks, said there is concern that the facility's technology is outdated and will not do enough to curb the already-high levels of nitrates in Fanning Springs, especially given the sensitive nature of the areas topography. This was state-of-the-art in the 1970s," she said. The average nitrate effluent in water treated at a secondary wastewater facility, such as the one proposed for Fanning, is at 10 milligrams per liter, according to Lippincott. Advanced wastewater facilities show levels at about 3 milligrams per liter. The town was given the option by SRWMD to construct an advanced system, she said. But it chose the secondary system because state standards only require that groundwater have no more than 10 milligrams per liter, which is strange, she said, because the state also has a target level of .35 milligrams per liter for surface water, such as what's in area springs and rivers.
Fanning Springs, at 5 milligrams per liter, has the highest levels of nitrates of the 58 springs the Florida Department of Environmental Protection monitors. Lippincott said elevated nitrates have been shown to be responsible for Blue Baby Syndrome. The pollutants also encourage plant smothering algae growth and are toxic to certain species of fish, frogs and insects. She said scientists are even doing studies because of a concern that elevated nitrate levels could be linked to cancer.
All the more reason to pump some of the nitrate-laden water to a farm, according to Thomas. It will help reduce nitrates, he said, by allowing the roots of crops to use it as sustenance. Although, he added, it can only be used on crops that will be processed at some point or are contained in a shell, such as peanuts.
The plan will also decrease the amount of water Simpson draws from the water table, another issue affecting the health of the springs. Problems stemming from nitrates are amplified when water flow is reduced.
Scott Knight, an environmental scientist with Wetland Solutions Inc., said systems using sprayfields definitely have an impact on water quality. "The wastewater treatment plant, most likely, will be a big improvement. But will it be enough?" he said.
Knight, after presenting data on sprayfields from wells in the Santa Fe River basin, said, "Advanced wastewater treatment is definitely preferable."And though many stated the proposed wastewater facility would be a positive thing for Fanning Springs because of its elimination of septic tanks, FDEP Florida Geological Survey scientist Tom Greenhalgh said it's not certain how much septic tanks in the town contribute to nitrates in the springs. Greenhalgh, giving a presentation on the source of nitrates, said chemical analysis shows that nitrates in Fanning are both organic and inorganic, meaning that they come from manmade fertilizers and waste. The biggest contributor of nitrates in the Suwannee Basin's groundwater, at 44 percent, is row crops, he said. Improved crops account for about 28 percent. There's also an estimated 5,400 dairy cows in the basin, which dump about 621 tons of nitrogen into the springshed each year.
And then there's the sprayfield for Lancaster Correctional Facility, which, though untested, may also be affecting nitrate levels at Fanning. Last year, Greenhalgh led a field trip to the area that highlighted the sprayfield's proximity to several geological features that lead directly into groundwater. A dye trace for the area was proposed, but funding ran out.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper August 25, 2011.
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on May 19, 2011
~ Springs Protection Plan Delayed ~
A decision to create two springs protection zones in Gilchrist County was unanimously tabled Monday night by County Commissioners out of concern that the policy might not sit well with local farmers.
"I want their input," Gilchirst Commissioner Sharon Langford said, referring to the county's agricultural committee. "I don't want to do anything that will hurt the farmers."
The springs protection zones would help protect a portion of the 206-square-mile springshed that feeds water to Fanning Springs, as well as another portion of the springshed that feeds springs along the Santa Fe River.
County Planner Stacey Winfield said the plan is based on recommendations set forth by the Florida Department of Community Affairs and is designed to protect environmentally sensitive areas that include sinkholes, streams and other conduits that feed springs and groundwater. "Do we have to have a springs protection area?" asked Commissioner Tommy Langford. "No, it is not a mandate," responded Winfield. "It was recommended by the state." Winfield said the protection zone, which if enacted would be part of the county's new comprehensive plan, does little to affect farmers. It mostly regulates big developments and heavy industries, she said. "These will be the main people affected."
Commissioner Kenrick Thomas asked Winfield if agriculture could ever be considered "heavy industrial use." "It could be," Winfield said, "if a DEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) permit is required."
Local farmer Kelly Philman, in defense of area farmers, said agriculturists in the area have been doing their best to be good stewards of the land. "The vast majority of our farmers in our county and surrounding counties have adopted BMPs (Best Management Practices)," he told the commission. "As far as I'm concerned, for lack of a better word, we're gettin' an 'A'."
Georgia Shemitz, a water resources specialist from High Springs, said, "For me, agriculture is not the issue here. They(farmers) are doing a really great job of monitoring themselves." Development is the issue, she said. "And because farmers are doing such a great job, I don't think it will impact them so much. It's not just about keeping the springs pretty. It's about keeping the water, our water, clean for future generations."
Pete Butt, also a water resources specialist, said a springs protection zone in Gilchrist County is especially important because of the type of geology that exists beneath the ground. "Water moves very fast in this area," he said. In some places, water can move as fast as a mile a day, a fact demonstrated by Butt two years ago while doing a dye trace at a Chiefland sinkhole. In that study, the sinkhole, fed by runoff from Chiefland streets, was proven to have a direct connection to Manatee Springs.
The sinkhole is typical of the geology of the Suwannee Basin, which exists in three counties. Much of the basin in made up of karst topography, a porous subsurface that often allows water from the surface to quickly move unfiltered in to the water below.
The matter is complicated when these types of topographies sit on agricultural lands or areas with a high concentration of septic tanks, both of which contribute high levels of nitrates into the aquifer. Septic tanks are common in the tri-county area, which is also mostly agricultural.Both Fanning and Manatee springs have seen a steady increase in nitrate levels since the 1950s. Fanning Springs has one of the highest nitrate levels in the state, at somewhere between five and six milligrams per liter. The state has set a healthy target nitrate level at .35 milligrams per liter, which, considering the current levels on pollutants, is a problem for the springs that play such a crucial role in the ecology, not to mention their ability to draw hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.
In the last decade, most of the eelgrass, a favorite food of wintering manatees, and other aquatic plants in Fanning and Manatee have been choked out by nitrate-loving algae. And the flow, as well, has diminished thanks to bigger draws by industry and agriculture. About 60 million gallons of water per day in groundwater withdrawals are permitted in the Fanning Springs Springshed alone, according to figures from the Suwannee River Water Management District.
Still, agriculture is important in the Suwannee Basin, said Commissioner Chair Randy Durden at Monday night's meeting. Durden, who also sits on the board of the Nature Coast Regional Water Authority, said the commission has been working hard to make decisions that protect water. "We're trying to find a happy medium in this county," he said.
Annette Long, a representative from Save our Suwannee Inc., was also at Monday night's meeting. Afterward, she said she was disappointed that the decision to create a springs protection zone was stalled. "Why make the same mistakes they made down south," she said. "Crystal River didn't do this fast enough. The water is pea green. We have a chance to do it now. We need to do it." Long, who said she's hopeful the plan will eventually be passed, said the protection zone will not affect farmers. There's a law, The Right to Farm Act, that protects them, she said. Unfortunately, she said, many farmers become developers. And developers have a stake in this.
The matter is set to be reviewed again by Gilchrist County Commissioners on June 20. If approved by the commission, it will be sent to DCA for further review.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper August 20, 2011
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper January 3,2011.
~Levy water supply to meet demand~
A new water assessment by the Suwannee River Water Management District projects no water shortages for Levy County over the next 20 years.
“The supply is adequate to meet the demand,” said Carlos Herd, SRWMD’s water supply project manager.
According to the assessment, the counties that show the greatest reduction in water supply by the year 2030 are Gilchist, Alachua, Suwannee, Union, Columbia, Bradford and Baker. Herd said the counties lie in the northeastern portion of SRWMD’s 15-county jurisdiction.
“Increased pumpage has depleted those supplies in that part of the district,” Herd said.
Levy County, on the other hand, has a relatively low population and a lot of recharge to the aquifer from rainfall, he said. Rainfall seeps through the ground faster in Levy County than in some other areas of the state because of the porous nature of the rock underground.
Throughout the district, low-range water demands are expected to increase by 10.3 million gallons of water per day by 2030 for all categories of water use, according to the assessment. The high-range figure projects an increase of 62.8 million gallons of water per day.
Herd said a computer model using data from population counts, groundwater and rainfall levels and land uses, such as agriculture and commercial facilities, was used to make the water assessment, which took about two years.
Four regions within the district, Upper Suwannee River, Upper and Lower Santa Fe River and Alapaha River basins, were identified as areas set for a plan to offset high water demands in the future.
Herd said SRWMD plans to focus on water conservation and reuse to offset those demands. Other options, such as desalination plants and reservoirs, are too expensive
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper January 3, 2011.
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The North Florida Herald Newspaper
Posted: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 3:08 pm | Updated: 3:25 pm, Wed Dec 22, 2010.
Some area springs could dry up in 20 years, report says
Alachua, Columbia and Gilchrist counties will see their aquifers get lower over the next 20 years while demand for water increases - meaning there might not be enough water for the population, according to a recently issued regional report.
Springs and streams could even dry up, according to the report issued by the Suwannee River Water Management District.
The 2010 Water Supply Assessment evaluates existing and projected water uses over a 20-year period and the impact of those demands on water resources and natural systems.
The assessment also examines the availability of alternative water supplies and conservation measures to meet water needs.
The low-range water demand projections -- based on average population growth and water use trends -- indicate that by 2030, water demands will increase District-wide by 10.3 million gallons per day for all water use categories.
The high-range projection, which accounts for a peak growth scenario, indicates an increase of 62.8 million gallons per day.
The assessment shows a decline in groundwater levels in parts of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Suwannee and Union counties.
"The assessment indicates that the northeastern portion of the District may not have sufficient groundwater supplies to meet water demands and protect natural systems, such as stream and spring flows, over the next 20 years," said Carlos Herd, the District's water supply project manager.
The Alapaha River, Upper and Lower Santa Fe River and Upper Suwannee River basins were identified as water supply planning regions.
Water supply plans will identify strategies to offset projected water resource impacts.
The District is required by law to develop regional water supply plans for areas where groundwater sources are unable to meet demands over 20 years.
*******************************************************************************************This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on Sept 9, 2010~ FANNING CONSIDERS USING TREATED WASTEWATER ON AREA FARMS ~
A plan to deliver recycled water to nearby farms is being proposed as part of the town of Fanning Spring’s future wastewater treatment facility, according to a representative from the Suwannee River Water Management District.
John Dinges, director of Water Supply and Resource Management with SRWMD, said at the Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group meeting at Fanning Springs City Hall Aug. 26 that the town has already applied for a permit with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“We think reusing it is the best way to go,” Dinges said. Typically, wastewater is sent to a facility where it is made cleaner by beneficial bacteria that feast on the waste, a stage in the process Dinges laughingly referred to as “the chocolate milk factory.” The bacteria, and subsequent filtration and chlorinization help reduce the level of contaminants.
After that, options other than agricultural use of the water include use in residential areas for landscape irrigation, industrial and commercial use, spray fields or, after considerable expense, re-treatment for use as a potable water supply.
Sometimes, Dinges said, reuse water is allowed to percolate slowly back into the ground water. “That’s not necessarily the best way to use this water,” he said.
Agricultural use remains one of the more efficient and cost effective methods for dealing with reuse water, he said.
Dinges said nitrates left in the water sent to nearby farms would substitute for some of the fertilizer required to grow crops. The crops, extracting the nutrients for growth, would continue the process of making the water cleaner. And the water from the treatment plant could also help offset water withdrawals from area farms, he said.
Both high nitrate levels and water withdrawals are considered by experts to be the two most pressing issues affecting the health of area springs and waterways in the Suwannee Basin.
“I think in every case when we asked a member of the agricultural community to consider reuse water, the answer has been yes,” Dinges said.
Hugh Thomas, a representative from the Suwannee River Partnership at the meeting, said the farmers he’s talked to about reuse water have definitely been interested in the idea.
Thomas said one farm in particular, located northwest of the proposed wastewater treatment facility, is being considered for the project. A 10-to-12-acre farm can process about 40,000 to 50,000 gallons of reuse water a day, he said. At this point, the farm under consideration would, by itself, take care of all the reuse water from the proposed wastewater facility.
Thomas agreed with Dinges about the potential for benefits to farmers using reuse water, but he said most farmers take to the idea because they know it’s helping preserve the environment.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper Sept 9, 2010
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on July 9, 2010
~ Fate Of Sinkhole Still Unknown ~
After establishing almost a year ago that a Chiefland sinkhole has a direct underground connection to Manatee Springs, state agencies said they have no plan in place to address the stormwater that feeds directly into the cavernous mouth located just blocks from City Hall.
A document from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection does, however, state that state agencies are still awaiting the completion of a Basin Action Management Plan (BMAP), which could call for testing of the water. But the BMAP could be as far as 18 months from completion.
The document states FDEP, "accounts for the pollutant inputs from all sources, including discharges from industrial plants and sewage treatment facilities, runoff from farms, forests and urban areas, and natural sources."
The sink, owned and managed by the Florida Department of Transportation, has two stormwater drains that carry rainwater from both U.S. Highway 19 and U.S Highway 27.
An FDEP dye trace in August of last year established a connection between the Chiefland sink and Manatee Springs after the dye turned up in charcoal samplers placed in the spring’s cave system. During periods of heavy rain, according to the dye trace report, water from the sink can reach the springs in as little as four days.
In a phone interview, FDOT District 2 Public Information Director Gina Busscher said she was told FDOT was working with the Suwannee River Water Management District to come up with a plan for the sink.
But a phone call to SRWMD’s John Dinges, director of water supply and resource management, revealed otherwise. Dinges said, “We’re totally unaware of anything going on (with the sink).” No plans appear to be underway, he said.
William Henderson, a District 2 planning and environmental manager for FDOT, said recently he was also unaware of the matter. But he added, “This is not an isolated incident. We have these sinkholes all over the district. When it’s brought to our attention we usually take care of it.”
Henderson said the stormwater was probably diverted directly to the sinkhole, which is surrounded by homes, in the 1970s when work was being done by FDOT on the two highways.
Nowadays, he said, FDOT does a better job of dealing with stormwater.
“We’ve made great strides in the last 20 years,” he said. “But there are still the old places like this. When we retrofit places like this it’s a little more difficult.”
Jim Knight, an engineer for FDOT District 2, said in a recent phone interview, “We looked to see if there was some easy way to treat the water before it enters the sinkhole. We really didn’t see anything that could be done. We really did not see any type of simple fix.”
Knight said FDOT has looked at the drainage system and doesn’t believe it’s doing anything that could be sending contaminants into the sinkhole. He said the one thing FDOT does that could be an issue is its use of fertilizer on the sides of roads. But he said the sinkhole is an “area they are very careful with.”
“If someone is polluting the system…it wouldn’t have anything to do with us,” he said.
But no one seems to know if the system is in fact being polluted. Knight said FDOT has done no test on the water coming out of the stormwater drains into the sinkhole. He said that despite the sinkhole being owned and managed by the agency, they are not responsible for testing it. Knight said he was unsure of who the responsibility belongs to and added that testing the water could be difficult. “It’s not as easy as it may sound,” he said.
Calls to several Gainesville companies that test water revealed that the process could be as involved as collecting a sample of water in a vile, storing it on ice and then sending it to their lab.
A representative from Advanced Environmental Laboratories Inc., in Gainesville, said their lab could test a sample of water for nitrates—a major pollutant affecting the health of Manatee Springs— for about $23.
Carol Lippincott, a Gainesville-based environmental consultant and leader of the Fanning and Manatee Springs Workshops, said in a recent phone interview any contaminants found in the water draining into the sink would have to be addressed. The springs have state-mandated pollution reduction laws, she said.
Agencies will often claim there is no funding to address problems such as the Chiefland sinkhole, she said. But there are options. She said one source of funding could come from the Clean Water Act’s 319 fund, set up to help states deal with nonpoint source pollution.
Lippincott said even if agencies can’t come up with the money, having a plan in place often means they are the first to get money when it becomes available.
Adding to potential funding issues, the fact that much of Levy County has an extremely porous geology, sending water below ground faster than other areas of the state, presents special challenges, she said.
“Traditional methods of dealing with stormwater do not always work in basins like the Suwannee, with surface water close and a karst topography.”
The traditional retention pond, often used successfully to treat stormwater in other regions, would have to be lined with clay or planted with plants that absorb pollutants, acting as a type of constructed wetland, she said.
“This is not rocket science, but it requires a new way of thinking about water.”
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper July 9, 2010
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This article originally appeared in the "Agriculture" section of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on June 10, 2010
~SRWMD funding helps farmers buy tools to protect water quality ~
The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted May 13 to provide $210,000 to the Suwannee River Partnership (SRP) to fund crop tools that will assist farmers in protecting the environment.
The program will provide 75 percent cost share to farmers for purchasing the tools, up to $10,000 per farmer. Cost share funds will be offered to eligible farmers in Gilchrist, Levy, Dixie, Alachua, Columbia, Union, Bradford, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor counties.
SRP staff will select farmers based on location within spring sheds on a first-come, first- serve basis.
The funds will help cover costs for technology and equipment used to implement best management practices (BMPs). BMPs help improve nutrient and irrigation management through tools, such as soil moisture probes, precision fertilizer application equipment and GPS mapping equipment.
“This program will give farmers the tools they need to help protect our springs, rivers and ground water,” said Darrell Smith, SRP coordinator.
Smith said past experience has shown farms using a combination of these tools reduces nitrogen inputs by an average of 50 pounds per acre per year. By improving irrigation management, farmers save an average of 1.5 million gallons of water per crop season.
SRP staff will work with farmers to select crop tools that are most effective at conserving water and managing fertilizers and they will provide training to farmers as needed.
The SRP is a program made up of various partners, including public agencies, organizations and agricultural producers. It is funded by partners and other public entities, including the District.
For more information about the crop tool cost share program, contact Darrell Smith at 386-362-1001.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper June 10, 2010
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This article was written By Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on April 30, 2010
~ GOOD NEWS TOOK 20 YEARS FOR FANNING SPRINGS ~
It was about 40 years ago when the first Earth Day was celebrated. In a time when natural resources were often seen only in terms of how they could be exploited, Earth Day was initiated as part of a growing movement to place environmental protection at the forefront of American politics.
Since then, protecting the environment has found its way on the political agenda at every level of government. But it's often the case that local governments, when concentrating their efforts, are the most effective at introducing change, whether it be through policy or a change in a community's mindset.
On Thursday, the City of Fanning Springs knew it was destined for change as city, county, state and federal officials gathered at Fort Fanning Historical Park to celebrate Earth Day and to rejoice in the news that Fanning Springs would be receiving millions of dollars in grants and loans to help fund a new wastewater treatment facility.
It was officially revealed at the ceremony that about $5.8 million in grants and loans will be coming from the United States Department of Agriculture. The city will also receive another $600,000 from various state agencies like the Suwannee River Water Management District.
"It seems like a great weight has been lifting slowly," Fanning Springs Mayor Cheryl Nekola said after the ceremony. "The city has been trying for this for the last 20 years."
The treatment plant, and getting residents and businesses off septic tanks, is an important step toward improving water quality in the area, she said. And it will be an economic benefit, as well, she added.
After the ceremonial planting of a 10-foot red cedar tree at the Earth Day celebration, half a dozen representatives from different agencies and businesses spoke about the importance of Earth Day and the efforts of Fanning Springs to protect its natural resources.
Joe Mittauer, of Mittauer and Associates Inc., the engineering firm working on the new wastewater project, told the crowd of about 50 the project was a first step in improving the health of the Suwannee River and local springs.
"For the last decade, the water quality has been degrading."
Septic tanks are only partially to blame, he said. "But the city is actually moving forward now with a cure for at least part of the problem."
Cedar Key Mayor Sue Colson also spoke at the event, offering praise for the project. She said Cedar Key, being down river from Fanning Springs, will also benefit from the project.
"The river knows no party, no county . . . It is a natural resource, and it's always going to run cleaner because of today," she told the crowd. "We're very, very proud that you attained this good fix."
Colson said Fanning Springs could also serve as a model for other parts of the state facing similar challenges.
Al Barrett, a Fanning Springs resident also attending the event, said he was happy the city secured funding for the project. He's spent a lot of time trying to convince other residents about the importance of a city sewer system, he said.
"I just think it's something that has to be done. This is our greatest natural resource."
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper April 30, 2010
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper on April 24, 2010
~ USDA GIVES FANNING SPRINGS EARTH DAY GIFT ~
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is due to announce today the award of about $5.8 million to the City of Fanning Springs for construction of its first wastewater treatment system.
The announcement will come at the city's Earth Day celebration at Fort Fanning Historical Park.
Ellen Boukari, a representative from the USDA Rural Development Department, said $2,946,000 will be in the form of a loan, while the remaining $2,855, 000 would come from USDA grants.
Boukari said the city was chosen because, "It's an environmentally sensitive area."
The city, which relies entirely on septic tanks, is considered an area of concern because of its close proximity to Fanning Springs and the Suwannee River. Septic tanks are thought to be one of the biggest contributors to high levels of nutrients in the water.
Another $600,000 in funding will come in the form of Community Development Block Grants from the state, Boukari said.
Fanning Springs Mayor Cheryl Nekola, in a Monday interview, said the city has also secured a site for the wastewater treatment plant and spray field needed for the new system.
The Suwannee River Water Management District will be paying for $263,000 of the 23-acre site, she said. "We're hoping to break ground at the beginning of next year," she said.
Joe Mittauer, an engineering consultant working on the wastewater project, said the construction would come in several phases.
The first phase will mostly focus on getting commercial areas off septic tanks.
"The main thrust in the beginning was to make the project affordable," he said. And that could only be done in phases.
"The approach in the past was to sewer the entire city at once," he said. And that's probably why, according to Mittauer, the city has been trying, unsuccessfully, to get a wastewater treatment system going for the last 15 to 20 years.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper April 24,2010
****************************************************************************Orlando Sentinel Special Report ~ April 11, 2010Springs in crisis: Nitrates kill native plants, hurt water quality (Orlando Sentinel - Volusia County News)Fanning Springs had a lush garden of native underwater plants when the artesian jewel became a state park a little more than a decade ago.
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen on March 9, 2010
~ SPRINGS MEETING OFFERS SOLUTIONS ~
A University of Florida professor says the creation of artificial wetlands could be the answer to the plight of area springs.
Dr. Robert Knight told about 32 scientists and concerned citizens attending the Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group Thursday at Fanning Springs City Hall that artificial wetlands are great at removing pollutants from water.
“When you have lots of plants in wetlands,” he said, “you get very good removal of nitrogen, especially nitrates.”
And it’s nitrates that have become a big problem for Florida’s springs, including Manatee and Fanning. Fanning has the second highest rate in the state at about 5,000 parts per billion, according to Knight. That’s about 14 times higher than the 350 parts per billion considered safe.
Knight said artificial wetlands, consisting of a series of large cells loaded with nitrate reducing plants like cattails, could be constructed to deal with pollution from livestock and dairy farms, municipal wastewater and even private homes using septic tanks.
According to Knight, a 1,000-cow dairy farm would need a wetland that covered about 12 acres. A 1,000-person municipality wastewater treatment wetland would cover about 5 to 8 acres, and a single family home, using a septic tank, would need a small wetland taking up about 1,400 square feet.
Single family homes are not currently allowed to have their septics drain into small, privately owned wetlands, he added. But perhaps a number of homes could link up to a shared wetland.
Knight said the cost of creating a 5 to 8 acre wetland, the size a city like Fanning Springs would need, would cost about $300,000—about $300 per person.
One of the participants in the group asked Knight if any such designs had been taken on by any of the local dairies.
Knight said he talked to Alliance Dairies, the largest milk producer in the state, but said they don’t think it makes economic sense.
Alliance is meeting the standards set by the state, he said. But the state standards are not set high enough, he added.
Fanning Springs City Councilman Robert Kerr was at the meeting and told participants he was in favor of the city constructing an artificial wetland, a topic that has even more significance considering the city is now in the design phase of a new wastewater treatment facility.
Kerr said he would like to see the state contribute funds toward an artificial wetland to be used in conjunction with a wastewater facility.
“Why cant’ the state use Fanning as a pilot project?” he asked.
Knight said artificial wetlands are “less expensive to construct than traditional wastewater treatment facilities.” And they require little maintenance, often costing less than half of traditional facilities.
Existing retention ponds, which are often not very effective in Levy County due to the porous nature of the ground, could also be converted into wetlands, he said.
But Knight said nitrates aren’t the only problem. People need to find ways to reduce water consumption and minimize the use of nitrogen fertilizers, which are notorious for finding their way into the water table.
He said he has not been able to develop a wetland that can remove fertilizer.
“But it’s easy to reduce it,” he said. People can stop using it as much.
In other matters:
Manatee and Fanning Springs State Park Manager Sally Lieb was at the meeting and said the water levels at the parks are still high.
“I haven’t seen water like this in my career at these parks.”
Manatees are in the main swimming area, but the water’s dark, and it’s hard to see them, she said.
Fortunately, she added, it keeps people away from them.
Manatee Springs has also had a manatee show up around the beginning of January dragging a satellite beacon affixed to its tail, she said.
The animal was originally tagged at Wakulla Springs and has been tracked up to 30 miles off shore in the Gulf of Mexico, she said. Lieb said she spotted a second manatee, also wearing a tracking device, a few miles down river.
The park is also having a problem with Asian grass carp, according to Lieb.
“Some of these things are monsters,” she said holding her hand at about chin level to show the length of the fish.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came to the park on Feb. 3 and removed 28 of the fish, which compete with manatees for food in an environment already hit hard by the disappearance of native plants necessary for manatee survival, she said.
Some of the manatees in the park have also been seen floating on the surface, looking a bit bloated, she said.
She thought they may have been injured at first but later found out they were full of gas. Lieb said the gas is attributed to them eating too much algae, which, in recent years, has proliferated because of the water’s high nitrate levels.
Article courtesy of The Chiefland Citizen Newspaper March 9, 2010
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen on November 27, 2009
~ OFFICIALS MEET, DISCUSS FUTURE OF AREA SPRINGS ~
Officials and representatives from at least a dozen businesses and state and local government organizations gathered Thursday at Fanning Springs City Hall to discuss the fate and preservation of Manatee and Fanning Springs.
Carol Lippincott, an environmental consultant, coordinated the meeting and started it off with an update on what is currently known about the health of the springs. She said their health, which has gotten progressively worse over the years, is facing two main issues: the reduced quantity of water feeding the aquifer—the source of the springs—and the diminished quality of the water. She said that although drought is recognized as part of the problem contributing to less water, agriculture is having a big impact. “It’s influencing the long-term flow patterns of the springs,” she said. Farmers in the area are permitted to collectively draw 14 million gallons of water per day, she said, though a couple of representatives at the meeting suggested most users don’t find it necessary to draw the maximum allowed. Diminished quality, the other issue, comes from high levels of nitrate pollution, which is most commonly attributed to fertilizer use and causes a destructive proliferation of algae growth. “What you see is, since 1956, Manatee Springs has been gradually increasing in nitrate pollution; Fanning Springs is way up,” Lippincott said. She said Fanning Springs has some of the highest nitrate levels in the state. She later suggested that areas like the Chiefland sink hole, which is partially fed by storm water drains and was recently determined to have a direct connection to Manatee Springs, might need to be mitigated for in one way or another.
Pete Butt, project manager for Karst Environmental Services Inc., was involved with the dye test that showed the connection between the sinkhole and springs. He showed up at the meeting to present some of his findings, which reveal that water entering the mouth of the sinkhole can travel to the springs in as little time as a week—about a mile a day—he said.
Lippincott said the water being channeled to the Chiefland sinkhole needs to be tested and that the area is a prime candidate for debris-collecting box traps and an appropriately designed retention pond, which would help to filter and convert pollutants.
Margaret Ross Tolbert, a Gainesville artist who’s been painting the springs for more than two decades, showed up to lend a visual image and record of the springs’ declining health throughout the years. Clicking through a slide show of her blue, shimmering and light-dappled paintings, Tolbert explained that her paintings used to depict vast swaths of lush eelgrass and clear blue water. But now, she said, her brush records the growth of carpets of algae and water that’s become green and diffused by particles in the water. “Manatee looks like turquoise Jell-O,” she said. “We gotta’ pull this spring back. It’s been a masterpiece. We gotta’ get back to that.”
Other attendees to the meeting included representatives from the Nature Coast Water Authority and representatives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Randy Durden, on behalf of the authority, and Steve Minnis, from the Suwannee River Water Management District, came to explain how the authority could potentially benefit the springs. Minnis said the authority, which is a water partnership of two counties and several municipalities located within Levy County, would help streamline water management in the region and have more influence on legislators through a unified voice. He said the authority, which is currently involved with a feasibility study to determine what could and should be done by the organization, will make it easier to protect the environment, sustain resources, avoid competition from outside water seekers, protect existing users and secure funding—all of which, according to Minnis, will benefit the springs.
Terry Hansen, a representative from FDEP, said the state would be trying to control the high levels of nitrate pollution in the area by continuing to enforce guidelines and ordinances, such as the fertilizer ordinance and the springs’ protection ordinance—both a part of the Clean Water Act of 1987.
The Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 18 at Fanning Springs City Hall. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper November 27, 2009
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This article was written by Mark Scohier and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen on September 3, 2009
~ UNDERGROUND LINK TO SPRINGS DISCOVERED ~
Scientists working with the state have determined that a Chiefland sinkhole that collects runoff water does in fact connect to Manatee Springs State Park and two other locations. “As of today, we know that there is an absolutely unambiguous connection between the sink on (Northeast) Fourth Street and Manatee Springs,” Pete Butt, project manager for Karst Environmental Services, said.
On August 3, Butt and other scientists contracting with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection poured a pink tracer dye into the sink to try to figure out where the sinkhole water goes. Butt said traces of the dye were found in the springs and two observational wells in cave tunnels close to the springs as early as day eight of their monitoring. “It was easily moving at a mile a day,” he said. And by the second round of monitoring—days 12 to 19—the dye levels got even stronger, Butt said. He said the dye’s rate of travel was relatively fast. “It’s really paralleling what would be happening in a river. That’s what this is, an underground river.” He said people need to be aware of the harm fertilizers, pesticides and fuels can cause to water quality. “People need to be vigilant about what they’re putting in their drains.” Butt also said none of the public or private wells being monitored showed any signs of dye.
Sally Lieb, park manager for Manatee Springs, said, “We were not really surprised the dye came through. And this test proves to the people that the water travels that far.” Lieb said the public is often skeptical or completely unaware about how water travels or why that’s important. “Everything that happens plays a part in water quality,” she said. She said it’s possible that the sinkhole, which has several storm water drains routed to it, has played a part in the park’s ongoing problem of pollution in the spring water. But she also said there are many other factors contributing to the problem, and that it would take more studies like this to complete the picture. But for now, she said she’s glad the process has begun. “The Springs Initiative, since it formed in 2000, has enabled us to learn a great deal about the springs.”
Doug Jones of Citrus County, was visiting the springs with his wife, Glee, one afternoon last week. He said the couple has been coming to the springs since the 1960s. “We used to spend our whole vacation on the Suwannee,” he said. He said the area has changed a lot over the years, and he’s concerned that the state’s growing population and continuous construction are becoming a big problem for the area’s natural resources. “It’s still a pretty place,” he said. “But the state can invest a lot more in conservation, as far as I’m concerned.”
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper September 3, 2009
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This article was written by Jenna McKenna and originally appeared in the Chiefland Citizen on May 21, 2009
~ THE FUTURE OF OUR SPRINGS ~
Levy County's two major springs, Fanning and Manatee, are considered important gems in the crown of Florida's fresh water system. However, experts warn that without cooperation among planners, residents and agricultural and industrial systems, the springs could be damaged beyond repair.
At last week's meeting of the Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group, organizer Carol Lippincott offered two scenarios which she described as equally likely, starting from today. One showed the springs as the central focus of an economically, politically and socially healthy community which enjoyed the benefits of plentiful clean fresh water. The other showed the springs as a neglected afterthought in an impoverished, politically contentious and socially downtrodden community that was suffering due to an inadequate supply of clean fresh water.
Meeting attendees, which included university scientists, local political and civic leaders and state and area regulatory workers, were given an assignment to brainstorm strategies that would make the first outcome a more likely reality.
Two weeks ago, the working group also hosted a workshop on Low Impact Development (LID), which focused on strategies to keep inevitable residential, commercial and agricultural growth from adversely impacting the springsheds. In combination, the two events exposed the current and coming dangers menacing the springs, and promoted an array of solutions for residents and leaders to pursue.
At both meetings, speakers emphasized that the Fanning and Manatee basins are the primary source of drinking water in this part of Florida, and noted that in this region there is very little clay above the limestone to slow runoff from entering groundwater. That means that toxins and pollutants on the ground, such as fertilizers, pesticides, motor vehicle fluids and domestic animal and septic waste all have the potential to end up in our drinking water.
Tom Greenhalgh, of the Florida Geological Survey, noted in his presentation that Fanning Springs has the highest rate of nitrate discharge of any of the first magnitude springs in Florida. This is a problem not only because high levels of nitrates can be dangerous to young children, but also because high nitrate loads indicate the likely presence of other pollutants. High levels of nutrient pollutants can cause algae blooms that lead to an array of problems, including health problems for swimmers, a lack of available oxygen in the water for native plants and animals, and disastrous fish kills. Starting next year, the state of Florida will start enforcing top maximum daily loads (TMDLs) of nutrient pollutants, one of the major dangers to the springs. The Fanning and Manatee springs basins are one of the first areas to fall under TMDL enforcement, due to the speed with which runoff is absorbed into the springsheds.
Don Graetz, Professor Emeritus of Soil and Water Science from the University of Florida, said the initial period of enforcement will be exceptionally difficult on some small farms in the area, particularly dairy farms, because the physical systems and regulatory requirements are expensive on startup. Concerning nutrient pollution from fertilizer, other speakers noted that perhaps the largest source of pollutants is homeowners, incautiously applying too much fertilizer to their turfgrass lawns. In the LID session, speaker Pierce Jones, the UF/IFAS Program Director for Resource Efficient Communities, described a number of planned communities in Florida that have taken steps to engage homeowners in an understanding of resource (particularly water) protection. These communities, some still in planning stages, others already built out and fully occupied, discourage the planting of turfgrass lawns while encouraging the use of native plants in hospitable locations. These strategies mean that, once landscape plants are established, homeowners and maintenance people can largely forgo supplemental irrigation and fertilizer. In places where irrigation is still necessary, planners are able to set up systems to use reclaimed water. Jones and others encouraged communities to promote master gardener programs so that residents could familiarize themselves with the native plants of the area, and the best ways to use them successfully. Other speakers described means of reducing runoff and designing runoff controls to behave more like the original topography of the land they occupy.
Jon Dinges, Resource Management Director of Suwannee River Water Management District, described strategies to reduce the size of land-hogging retention ponds by using pervious surfaces where formerly impervious surfaces would be used, such as in parking lots. This strategy is helpful, he said, because land not tied up in a retention pond can be used for more parking, or to plant trees, or other solutions. Also, smaller, better-distributed retention areas will have smaller runoff loads individually, which may make them less susceptible to the solution sinkholes that seem to open up in so many of this area's larger retention ponds.
Along with the above problems and solutions, Lippincott's best case-worst case scenario exercise will be discussed again in the next meeting of the Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group, along with other issues exposed in the meetings. The next meeting will be August 12 at Fanning Springs City Hall at 9:30 a.m. To view a meeting agenda, visit http://share2.myfwc.com/spring/default.aspx and select “Fanning and Manatee Springs Working Group Meeting.”
Article courtesy of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper May 21, 2009
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This article was written by Gloria Hilliard Clay and originally appeared in the Reader's Forum of the Chiefland Citizen Newspaper October 2006
* THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT * PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
How safe is your water? The water you are drinking could be making you and your family sick!
If you live OR have lived in the NW Levy County vicinity of US19, SR26, CR339 and Hwy27 your body may be storing dangerous levels of the metal IRON. Problems resulting from consuming too much iron range from Neurological to Psychological. I, myself have experienced symptoms of iron overload.
Don’t be at risk for HEMOCHROMATOSIS. Visit your local library to learn more about this disease or visit the website at: www.ironoverload.org and research the diagnosis page. If you are experiencing OR have in the past experienced any symptoms of iron overload, you will need the test called Tranferrin Saturation (TS). Hemochromatosis is completely treatable. This treatment will reverse all symptoms. PLEASE DO NOT ignore your symptoms! Iron in excess is TOXIC!
I have placed PETITIONS in the following locations to gather signatures so that the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY might test the groundwater in the areas of US19, SR26, CR339 and HWY27 ONLY. I need your help. This will be my second attempt to request that this area be tested for EXCESS IRON and the possibility of a MAGNETIC FIELD.
Please stop by the following locations and sign this very important petition. Be sure to list the area in which you live OR have lived next to your name.
PETITION LOCATIONS: TRI COUNTY INSURANCE (Chiefland) FAMILY MOOSE LODGE (Fanning Springs) CITGO (Fanning Springs) AMERICAN LEGION (Old Town) ROUND BP STATION (Wilcox) THREE RIVERS LIBRARY (Trenton)
Thank you for your concern and support.
Sincerely Gloria Hilliard Clay Area resident 46 years
*Update* On August 7, 2008 the EPA tested five water wells in this area. Two wells tested positive for excess iron. I was advised by the Levy County Environmental Health Department that this was not enough of a concern to issue a health notice of any kind.