Category Archives: Aquifer

The Floridan Aquifer is our main drinking water source under our entire WWALS watershed, east to south Carolina, west through Alabama to Mississippi, and under all of Florida.

Speak about WFNF, Taxes, etc. at SJRWMD Board 2026-06-09

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You can speak about WFNF, taxes, etc. at the SJRWMD Governing Board Meeting,

10 AM, Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Board Room, SJRWMD District Headquarters, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka, FL 32177

Don’t be late: 5. Public Comment is very early on the agenda.

So far, the Suwannee River Water Management Districdt (SRWMD) has no comment on the alleged cancellation of WFNF. We’ve heard nothing at all from the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), which has dedicated $125 million to WFNF. Maybe you’d like to ask them what they are doing with WFNF.

How much of SJRWMD’s own tax revenue comes from property tax, and how much of that will be affected if the voters in November approve the Florida Homestead Property Tax Exemption?

Speak about WFNF, Taxes, etc., at SJRWMD Board 2026-06-09, Or GRU 15% increase groundwater withdrawal affecting Suwannee Basin

Public Comment is right after this item:

Consideration: Approve Consumptive Use Permit 11339-8, known as Murphree WTP – GRU. This application is a renewal of an existing public supply permit with an increase in the Upper Floridan aquifer groundwater allocation from 30.0 million gallons per day (mgd) to 34.592 mgd, through the year 2056.

That’s a 15% increase from 2056 for Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU). From the same Upper Floridan Aquifer everybody drinks from in the Suwannee Basin. With direct effects on the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Associated Priority Springs minimum flows and levels, as spelled out later in the board packet.

There is no mention of PFAS forever chemicals or pharmaceuticals being removed from the “reclaimed” wastewater that ends up in the aquifer. One of the reclaimed wastewater routes goes through Sweetwater Wetlands Park, which WFNF claims as a precedent.

Maybe you’d like to talk about that.

On packet page 9:

GRU operates two wastewater reclamation facilities (WRF). The Main Street Water Reclamation Facility (MSWRF) is located on the south side of the City of Gainesville. This facility discharges high-quality secondary treated water into Sweetwater Branch, which flows through the Sweetwater Wetlands park and then to Paynes Prairie before ultimately discharging to Alachua Sink, where recharge of the Floridan aquifer occurs. The MSWRF is undergoing a $170 million Capacity and Renewal Upgrade (CRU) project that will increase the facility’s treatment capacity by 2.5 mgd. As part of this effort, GRU will commit an additional 2.35 mgd of reclaimed water from the MSWRF to Sweetwater Wetlands Park by 2046. This increased flow will continue downstream to Alachua Sink, providing enhanced recharge to the Floridan aquifer. The CRU project is expected to be operational in 2030 and qualifies as a new water resource development project utilizing reclaimed water that meets advanced waste treatment standards for total nitrogen and total phosphorus for the requested 30-year permit duration in accordance with Section 373.250 Florida Statutes.

GRU’s other WRF, the Kanapaha Water Reclamation Facility (KWRF), is located on the southwest side of the City of Gainesville. The KWRF supplies public access reclaimed water to residences, commercial sites, and golf courses within the service area KWRF also supplies reclaimed water to water features and recharge wetlands that provide environmental enhancement and groundwater recharge. Reclaimed water is also used to recharge the Lower Floridan aquifer via four recharge wells. Finally, reclaimed water will be routed to the Southwest Nature Park (SWNP), once it is operational in 2029. The SWNP is a collaborative project involving Alachua County, SRWMD and FDEP and is expected to provide up to 3 mgd via treatment wetlands and, ultimately recharging the Upper Floridan aquifer.

GRU operates two wastewater reclamation facilities (WRF), 2026-06-09 –SJRWMD Board
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SJRWMD explicitly acknowledges the connection to the Suwannee Basin on pages 12 and 13:

Minimum Flows and Levels:

GRU will offset its share of impact to the Lower Sante Fe and Ichetucknee River and Associated Priority Springs (LSFI) Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) under both the current and forthcoming LSFI MFLs and criteria in rule 62-42.300, F.A.C. (as ratified in Chapter 2026-2, Laws of Florida).
GRU has committed to offsetting its share of impacts to existing MFLs with the following projects:

Kanapaha Recharge Wells
Sweetwater Wetland Park
GRU Recharge Wetlands and Ponds such as:

KWRF Wetlands
Chapmans Trails Pond
Kanapaha Middle School Wetland
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

MSWRF CRU Project

The applicant has agreed to purchase additional lift associated with the District’s Black Creek Water Resource Development Project to address its share of impact to the Keystone Heights MFLs (Lakes Brooklyn and Geneva).
GRU must continue to demonstrate that its share of all existing and future MFLs Prevention and Recovery Strategies are offset.
The proposed use has been determined not to potentially impact any OFS. Thus, Rules 62-41.400 – 62-41.402, F.A.C., and section 2.3(j), A.H., have been met. With the projects described above, the proposed use will not cause harm under section 2.3(h), A.H., and will meet rule 62-42.300, F.A.C., provided permit conditions are met.

Water Resources Impact Evaluation: and Minimum Flows and Levels:, 2026-06-09 –SJRWMD Board
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Water Reserved from Use:, 2026-06-09 –SJRWMD Board
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That effect of GRU groundwater withdrawals on the Suwannee Basin is quantified on pages 28-30:

Permittee’s total offset (or “flow”) to address its proportionate share of impact to the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee River and Associated Priority Springs (LSFI) MFLs, as established by rule 62-42.300(1), F.A.C., effective June 10, 2015, is:
Ft. White Gauge
12.18 cfs of flow at the Ft. White gauge which is comprised of 1.96 cfs resulting from Permittee’s average water use for the years 2014-2018 and 10.22 cfs for the Permittee’s water use over and above the years 2014-2018;
Ichetucknee River US Highway 27 Gauge
0.67 cfs of flow at the Ichetucknee River US Highway 27 gauge which is comprised of 0.10 cfs resulting from Permittee’s average water use for the years 2014-2018 and 0.57cfs for Permittee’s water use over and above the years 2014- 2018. The Permittee’s projects referenced below provide 0.71 cfs of flow at this gauge; however, only 0.67 cfs shall be credited toward the Permittee’s impact offset.
The following projects collectively provide 12.18 cfs of flow at the Lower Santa Fe River Fort White gauge and 0.71 cfs of flow at the Ichetucknee River US Highway 27 gauge. The determination of the amount of flow needed to offset the impact at the LSFI MFL gauges from Permittee’s water use is based on the Permittee’s allocation of 34.6 mgd and the GRU Subregional groundwater model (2022) simulations and calculations completed by the Permittee and received by the District on March 10, 2026. The files associated with the model simulations have been filed with District Item no. 1548240.
The Permittee has elected to construct and committed to operate the following offset projects at the associated projected flows as a means of addressing its proportional share of the required recovery at the Ft. White and Ichetucknee River US Highway 27 Gauge LSFI MFLs:

5.07 mgd associated with recharge wells located at Kanapaha Water Reclamation Facility (KWRF), receiving reclaimed water from KWRF;
6.27 mgd by the year 2046 associated with recharge to Sweetwater Wetlands Park, Paynes Prairie, and Alachua sink, receiving reclaimed water from Main Street Water Reclamation Facility (MSWRF);
0.93 mgd associated with the GRU Recharge Wetland and Ponds Project which includes:

Groundwater recharge wetlands at KWRF, receiving reclaimed water from KWRF;
Chapmans Trails Pond groundwater recharge water feature, receiving reclaimed water from KWRF;
Kanapaha Middle School recharge wetlands, receiving reclaimed water from KWRF; and
Water feature at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, receiving reclaimed water from KWRF.

Permittee has not committed to operating the above referenced offset projects at volumes greater than the above referenced projected flows. Thus, these offset projects do not make water available beyond the quantities stated above. If factors outside of the GRU’s control prevent GRU from meeting the flows, GRU may provide a revised plan for meeting the LSFI MFLs for District approval. If Permittee elects to modify its wellfield locations or its wellfield operation plan in a manner that materially deviates from the aforementioned model simulation, Permittee and the District will use the GRU Subregional groundwater model (2022) to determine if any additional deficit in the LSFI MFLs will be caused by
Permittee’ s revised wellfield locations or operation plan. In addition, if Permittee elects to modify this permit for any other reason, or if Permittee elects to renew this permit, the GRU Subregional groundwater model (2022) or alternative groundwater flow models may be utilized for the determination of deficits and benefits.

38.Permittee’s total offset (or “flow”) to address its proportionate share of impact to the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee River and Associated Priority Springs (LSFI) MFLs, as established by rule 62-42.300(1), F.A.C., effective June 10, 2015, is:, 2026-06-09 –SJRWMD Board
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Page 29, 2026-06-09 –SJRWMD Board
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Page 30, 2026-06-09 –SJRWMD Board
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There are more images below.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Citrus County Datacenter Moratorium, but application already in progress 2026-05-26

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Congratulations, Citrus County Commissioners, on passing a Datacenter Moratorium, May 26, 2026!

But the big horse was already out the barn: an application by Deltona Corporation to add to the 557.4-acres Holder Industrial Park another 798.6 acres for a total of 1,356 acres, so they can build a hyper-scale datacenter. That’s a bit wet of the Withlacoochee (South) River, the one that runs north from the Green Swamp, then west into the Gulf.

That is not in the Suwannee River Basin, but this is the first Florida datacenter moratorium we’ve heard of, and we’re concerned with Citrus County for other reasons, such as the borrow pit for the toll road extension that if its built could keep going up US 19 across the Suwannee River.

For more about datacenters, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters

Citrus County Datacenter Moratorium 2026-05-26, but application in progress, Deltona Corporation, Holder Industrial Park Expansion

That application will next be heard at 9 AM, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Room #166, Lecanto, Florida 34442.

Meanwhile, No Data Center Citrus has scheduled half a dozen rallies against.

https://nodatacentercitrus.org/ Continue reading →

SRWMD Governing Board Meeting 2026-06-09

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There’s nothing on the SRWMD agenda Tuesday about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

But you can speak in item “4. Public Comment” about most anything. Don’t be late: it’s very near the start of the meeting.

That’s 9 AM, Tuesday, June 9, 2026,
at SRWMD HQ, 9225 Co Rd 49, Live Oak, FL 32060.

You can watch remotely on SRWMD’s YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@SRWMD

SRWMD Governing Board Meeting, 4. Public Comment, 9 AM, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, SRWMD HQ, 9225 Co Rd 49, Live Oak, FL

Elsewhere on the agenda there are:

https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/Archive.aspx?ADID=1753

5. Consent Agenda Item No. 22 – Task Work Assignment with Water & Air Research, Inc (see below)
7.A. Hydrologic Conditions Report
21. Water Resources Division Updates
Workshop Following Board Meeting: Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Tentative Budget Presentation

Plus some details about surplus lands as well as work at various parks.

Last month twelve people spoke about WFNF, but the Minutes record them each only as Water First North Florida concerns. You can see them in SRWMD’s own video. They were: Continue reading →

Review, Project Arrowhead, DRI 4689, Irwin County, GA –SGRC 2026-05-14

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Only two state agencies commented on the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) for the Project Arrowhead datacenter near the Alapaha River in Irwin County, Georgia:

the Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council (SSRWPC) in one page, and
the DRI facilitator, the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC). Beyond a three-page summary at the beginning, the SGRC comments mostly consisted of the same 21 pages we already saw at the beginning of the comment period.

In the section of “Comments from Public Agencies” the other two letters are from the Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) and from WWALS, which you have already seen.

Fifteen citizens commented in the section labeled “Comments from the Public – Non-official.” All were opposed to the datacenter.

For much more about datacenters, including who you can contact, petitions, and upcoming meetings, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters

Review, Project Arrowhead, DRI 4689, Irwin County, GA –SGRC 2026-05-14, Comments from Public Agencies, Comments from the Public

I thank Irwin County Assistant County Manager Bonnie Kelly, Ed.D. and County Clerk Patricia Battle for each returning a copy of this document within minutes after I sent in an open records request this morning.

This is presumably the same document you can see the Irwin County Commissioners perusing in Videos: Datacenter Special Exception approved at Special Called Meeting of Irwin County BOCC 2026-05-20.

The document is on the WWALS website and images of each page are below. Continue reading →

Hydrologic Conditions Report –SRWMD 2026-04-30

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In case you thought recent rains had solved the drought, think again.

This is the April 30, 3026 Hydrologic Conditions Report that was presented at the May Governing Board meeting of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD).

Hydrologic Conditions Report –SRWMD 2026-04-30, Still in drought, Need much more rain

https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/DocumentCenter/View/19656/04-April-26-Hydro-Reportk

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MEMORANDUM
TO: Governing Board
FROM: Robbie McKinney, Hydrologic Program Manager, Office of Water Resources
THRU: Hugh Thomas, Executive Director
DATE: April 30, 2026
RE: April 2026 Hydrologic Conditions Report
RAINFALL

Districtwide average rainfall for the month was 0.88”, which was about 74 percent lower than the 1932-2025 average of 3.38” (Table 1, Figure 1). The 12-month period ending April 30 reflected a Districtwide rainfall deficit of 20.22”, which was an increase to the 19.98” deficit seen at the end of March. District counties ranged from just over 0.5” to 1.4” of rainfall on average, with parts of Taylor, Suwannee, Columbia, Hamilton, Union, Gilchrist, and Dixie counties receiving more than 2.5 inches of rainfall (Figure 2).
Overall, a 12-month rainfall deficit was present in all river basins, with the Aucilla and Coastal basins increasing in deficit by the end of April (Figure 3). A small area in the southern Waccasassa Basin showed a deficit of less than 8 inches. Portions with deficits greater than 29” were also observed in the Aucilla, Santa Fe, and Suwannee basins. Each river basin increased its 3-month rainfall deficit by the end of April (Figure 4). No surpluses were seen over the past 3 months, and each river basin had areas measuring anywhere from less than 6” to more than 9” of deficit. Sections with greater than 9” of rainfall deficit can be seen in all 5 of the basins.

SURFACE WATER
Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenter Special Exception approved at Special Called Meeting of Irwin County BOCC 2026-05-20

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Update 2026-06-01: Review, Project Arrowhead, DRI 4689, Irwin County, GA –SGRC 2026-05-14.

The Irwin County Commissioners approved almost everything unanimously, including the Special Exception for a datacenter.

Videos: Datacenter Special Exception Approved at Special Called Meeting of Irwin County BOCC 2026-05-20

The only exception was 6. ACCEPT PHASE II OF THE COURTHOUSE ROOF BID PROJECT, which they tabled.

On the datacenter special exception, several Commissioners did express specific concerns. But they seemed to be relying largely on hearsay, such as by the Commissioners who had visited some datacenters, which “wasn’t really rushed,” yet “We were rushing to see everything we could see. And we didn’t get all the questions like that answered.” Continue reading →

SRWMD has no comment on WFNF alleged cancellation 2026-05-15

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If it was really cancelled, you’d think SRWMD, SJRWMD, and JEA would say so, and announce they have cancelled any outstanding contracts, such as the one SJRWMD let on November 12, 2025, for $2.17 million for a consultant to study WFNF for three years.

Instead, we’ve heard nothing from JEA or SJRWMD, and the Executive Director of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) has no comment.

For much more about WFNF, including which Suwannee District counties oppose it (all 12 of them) and which have passed their own letters or resolutions of opposition (7 of them), as well as who you can contact, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

SRWMD has no comment on WFNF alleged cancellation; Nothing from JEA or SJRWMD or FDEP 2026-05-19

Stew Lilker, Columbia County Observer, May 15, 2026, Water First North Florida: The $1.1 Billion Project That No One Likes, Except Insiders, Is on the Ropes
Where is it now and how did it get there?

Continue reading →

Datacenters and wastewater pipeline speakers at WWALS River Revue 2026-09-12

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Hahira, Georgia, May 18, 2026 — Two experts from Georgia and Florida on current water topics will speak at WWALS River Revue, the sit-down fundraising dinner for WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., plus the music of a headliner and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and a silent auction.

https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2026

Speakers, WWALS River Revue, September 12, 2026, Amy Sharma on Datacenters, Rick Davis on WFNF

Continue reading →

Packet: WFNF opposition @ Union County BOCC 2026-05-18

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Update 2026-05-19: They passed it: https://www.facebook.com/SpringtownAuto/posts/pfbid02d4vZXw719avgP7DSRd4L7pzP3dKCwYLz158gjBKNCHh8SLQKPMiv1ByQc25wHmg9l

Assuming the Commissioners pass this at their 6 PM Monday meeting, Union County will become the seventh county (plus the Town of Branford) to pass a letter or resolution against Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin.

For which counties, the Task Force and NCFRPC resolutions that represent all 12 counties in the Suwannee District, and who you can contact, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

Packet: WFNF opposition to SRWMD @ Union County BOCC, 2026-05-18

See Agenda, Regular Meeting, May 18, 2026, 6:00 P.M.

https://union-clerk.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/14144906/5.18.26-Regular-Meeting-Packet-Web.pdf

Union County Board of County Commissioners
15 Northeast 1st Street, Lake Butler, FL 32054 * Phone: 386-496-4241 * Fax: 386-496-4240
Ms. Virginia Johns, Chair
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR 49 Live Oak, Florida 32060
Re: Opposition to the Water First North Florida Project
Dear Ms. Johns:
Union County joins with its fellow members of the Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochie River Task Force, as well as the numerous counties, municipalities, and citizen groups who who have all expressed concerns about, and opposition to, the proposed Water First North Florida Project. In the apparent rush to implement this project, local governments have gone uninformed and local voices in opposition have been largely ignored until just recently. We are grateful for legislative intervention that has, for the time being, stayed the execution of this project, but we remain alert to the potential for it to re-commence in the future and therefore wish to express our opposition.

It has long been understood by the scientific community that Continue reading →

Floridan Aquifer Groundwater Pumping –Dr. Bob Knight 2026-05-09

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Published with permission, here is what Dr. Bob Knight ferreted out from USGS and the WMDs about groundwater pumping.

You’d think they would publish this information, but since they didn’t, WWALS is.

These slides (PowerPoint or PDF) don’t say anything about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the WMD and JEA plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin, but this is the groundwater background to WFNF.

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

Floridan Aquifer Groundwater Pumping Is Getting Worse –Dr. Bob Knight 2026-05-09

He sent these slides to various environmentalists on May 9, 2026, with this note. I asked him later in person if he minded WWALS publishing. He said go ahead.

All

Attached is an updated summary of Florida groundwater wells, permits, and reported extraction quantities from the Floridan aquifer. All data were provided by the water management districts and the USGS. But the summaries of those reams of data are my work and may not be complete and accurate in all cases. Surprisingly, the WMDs have differing data bases and few detailed summaries of these data. For now, I believe these may be the best data summaries out there. Historically (up to 2015) Richard Marella formerly with USGS reported a lot of Floridan aquifer detailed/summary data every five years. That important contribution ended in 2015 and there is no sign that it will be picked back up by the state or the USGS.

The inconvenient truth is that all groundwater extractions reduce spring flows and that data analysis indicates that the ratio is almost one to one. Measured spring flow reductions closely mirror these reported pumping totals and differ widely from groundwater flow model estimates.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best wishes,

Bob

Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Category Archives: Aquifer

Speak about WFNF, Taxes, etc. at SJRWMD Board 2026-06-09

AG-2026-06-09

MWTP-GRU

PC

Citrus County Datacenter Moratorium, but application already in progress 2026-05-26

SRWMD Governing Board Meeting 2026-06-09

Review, Project Arrowhead, DRI 4689, Irwin County, GA –SGRC 2026-05-14

Hydrologic Conditions Report –SRWMD 2026-04-30

RAINFALL

SURFACE WATER

Videos: Datacenter Special Exception approved at Special Called Meeting of Irwin County BOCC 2026-05-20

SRWMD has no comment on WFNF alleged cancellation 2026-05-15

Datacenters and wastewater pipeline speakers at WWALS River Revue 2026-09-12

Packet: WFNF opposition @ Union County BOCC 2026-05-18

Floridan Aquifer Groundwater Pumping –Dr. Bob Knight 2026-05-09