THE FLORIDA SPRINGS INITIATIVE - GEOLOGY'S ROLE IN PUBLIC POLICY

Florida has over 700 known springs, more than any other state in the country. This priceless resource provides recreation and enjoyment for Floridians. Springs are windows into the aquifer and allow information to be obtained indicating the overall health of the aquifer, which supplies most of the domestically used water in Florida. Visible changes in springs and spring runs recognized by scientists and the public caused springs water quality to become an increasingly visible issue. At the urging of the Florida Springs Task Force, a panel of government and private sector scientists and citizens, the governor and legislature funded the Florida Springs Initiative. This initiative has brought together numerous groups of people including scientists, planners, legislators and the public in an attempt to identify critical issues related to springs and spring protection. The goal is to create effective management plans that can be implemented to ensure future protection of Florida’s springs.

The Florida Geological Survey (FGS) published the first comprehensive report on Florida springs and spring water quality in 1947 (FGS Bulletin 31). That report was updated in 1977 (Bulletin 31, Revised). The FGS role in the Springs Initiative is to gather data related to water quality, geology, and geography, identify previously unrecorded springs and publish the information. The FGS will publish an updated version in 2004. This data is an invaluable resource for scientists, planners, government officials and persons interested in spring water quality and how it has changed since 1947. By documenting changes in the water quality of Florida’s springs over the past fifty years, the FGS has been able to provide the data needed to allow the state’s policy makers to make sound, scientifically based management decisions. The water-quality data gathered is being utilized in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for maximizing the quality of the water recharging the Floridan aquifer system and therefore aiding in the restoration and protection of Florida’s springs.