Wekiwa Springs in Apopka St. Johns River Water Management District
The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) continues to focus on the Wekiva River in Apopka and its surrounding area as part of the agency’s various science-based initiatives to help safeguard Central Florida’s water future.
According to an SJRWMD press release, the district continues to establish and update Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs), which are science-based thresholds created to protect serious harm to rivers, lakes and springs from water withdrawals.
Seven existing MFLs in Central Florida are being re-evaluated. A new one is proposed for the Little Wekiva River to boost protection of smaller springs like Palm, Sanlando and Starbuck.
With the Central Florida population now at 3.4 million and counting, the district is helping to create comprehensive water supply plans that would help maintain Central Florida resources’ sustainability decades into the future.
Such efforts are part of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), a collaborative partnership between the St. Johns River, South Florida and Southwest Florida water management districts, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, local governments, utilities and other stakeholders.
To date, the SJRWMD has put $35.7 million in CFWI-area projects that collectively total $204.5 million in value.
“Ensuring a sustainable water future requires foresight, innovation and strong partnerships,” SJRWMD assistant executive director Mary Ellen Winkler said in a statement. “By working together and planning ahead, we’re building a resilient water supply not just for today, but for the next generation.”
The Wekiva River – designated as both a National and Florida Scenic and Wild River – and its surrounding region is home to many Outstanding Florida Springs, which spring systems that are granted protection and special recognition under the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act.
The SJRWMD collaborates with local agricultural operations like Cherrylake in Lake County, which has completed six cost-share projects to increase irrigation efficiency, conserve water and improve water quality.
In addition, the district keeps investing in water conservation programs and groundwater recharge projects that expand existing supplies and protect natural systems including Florida’s springs.
For more information about the SJRWMD’s water supply program, visit SJRWMD.com/water-supply.
The Apopka Chiefand The Planterare weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively.
