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.

Video: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer peer-reviewed evidence, WWALS Webinar, 2026-01-15

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Thanks to UGA Professors Jaivime Evaristo (isotope data) and Todd Rasmussen (water levels) for reviewing their two lines of evidence that the Okefenokee Swamp leaks through the underlying limestone into the Upper Floridan Aquifer.

This webinar explains their recent scientific paper on this subject.

Note that this means that nearby water withdrawals draw more water down from the Swamp into the Aquifer.

This paper is more incentive to pass Georgia House Bill 561 to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from mining, at least on its east side. Georgians, please ask your statehouse delegation to pass HB 561. Floridians, please ask your Georgia friends and relatives to do the same. Here’s how to contact Georgia Statehouse members:

https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

[Video: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, peer-reviewed evidence, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15]
Video: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, peer-reviewed evidence, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15

Here is the zoom video of this webinar:

https://youtu.be/NPe0D3YUA6M

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman gave a brief introduction, with questions and answers at the end.

About their 2025 paper: Continue reading →

Six hours and no decision @ Alachua Planning Commission 2026-01-13

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Update 2026-01-20: In the next meeting, Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the vote was 4:0 to deny, by the City of Alachua Planning and Zoning Commission. So it’s dead for now, but watch for it to come back later.

The City of Alachua Planning Commissioners seemed inclined to approve the Special Exception Permit for the Tara April detention ponds and trails next to I-75.

But after the applicant’s case was countered by the National Speleological Society (NSS) and others, the Commissioners seemed ready to deny.

However, at midnight the court recorder had to leave, so they had to adjourn until Tuesday, April January 20, 2026, at 6 PM, also at Alachua City Hall, 15100 NW 142 Terrace, Alachua, FL 32615.

Get there early. It was standing room only this Tuesday, with some people outside the doors.

[Six hours and no decision, @ Alachua Planning Commission 2026-01-13, They meet again about Tara April, and Mill Creek Sink, 6 PM 2026-01-20]
Six hours and no decision, @ Alachua Planning Commission 2026-01-13, They meet again about Tara April, and Mill Creek Sink, 6 PM 2026-01-20

You can see the relevant parts of the meeting (minus the other two items on the agenda) in this video by Richie Denmark for NSS:

https://youtu.be/g2yNv9MtRBY?si=dtbvAtyaEnXwmvVw

That video does not include the images projected by the various speakers. But I took stills of many of them, which you can see below.

The video starts with me photographing the Tara April Master Plan. You can see my photographs below. Continue reading →

Power, water, and datacenters –Suwannee Riverkeeper 2025-11-17

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Update 2026-01-17: the next such Workshop is being rescheduled; we don’t yet know until when.

Reliable power and water are needed for economic development. Let’s not jeopardize those for AI datacenters which may not even be needed in a few years. Don’t assume just because the governor says we’re doing datacenters that they will expand everywhere. Remember the dotcom bust and how cheap PCs took over, then smartphones. Somebody will invent a much less expensive method of doing so-called artificial intelligence, a method that does not require huge datacenters.

I discussed that as Suwannee Riverkeeper with others at the second Workshop for the five-year Update of the Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan, on November 17, 2025.

Further, there are natural limits on water beyond economic limits of running water and sewer lines. Witness Barber Pool, which used to be a popular swimming venue on River Street in Valdosta. It was fed by a spring that now hardly ever trickles, because of argricultural water withdrawals for irrigation.

The next such Workshop is this Monday Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at about 6 PM, after the Work Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC), at 325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, GA.

Update 2026-01-17: the next such Workshop is being rescheduled; we don’t yet know until when.

These Workshops are organized by the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC). They are attended by representatives of a wide range of local governments, nonprofits, and businesses. The resulting Comprehensive Plan will be referenced in every rezoning or variance or special exception.

[Power, water, and datacenters, --Suwannee Riverkeeper 2025-11-17, Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan, Update Workshop 2]
Power, water, and datacenters, –Suwannee Riverkeeper 2025-11-17, Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan, Update Workshop 2

With much other discussion, the attendees agreed on rewording some passages to say: Continue reading →

Mill Creek Sink 2025-01-13

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Update 2026-01-17: Six hours and no decision @ Alachua Planning Commission 2026-01-13.

It took about 12 days for dye put into Mill Creek Sink to show up six miles northwest in Hornsby Spring. That spring is on the far side of High Springs. It runs into the Santa Fe River.

[Mill Creek Sink, Alachua, FL 2026-01-13, Cave complex connects to Hornsby Spring, Santa Fe River]
Mill Creek Sink, Alachua, FL 2026-01-13, Cave complex connects to Hornsby Spring, Santa Fe River

Anything that goes into Mill Creek Sink could affect drinking water for the city of High Springs, as well as Hornsby Spring and the Santa Fe River. And probably other things nearby over the Floridan Aquifer.

The dye trace is according to MILL CREEK and LEE SINKS DYE TRACE ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA JULY-DECEMBER, 2005,
Prepared for: Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, 201 SE 2nd Avenue, Suite 201, Gainesville, FL 32601;
Prepared by: Peter L. Butt, Stephen Boyes, P.G. and Thomas L. Morris, Karst Environmental Services, Inc., 5779 NE County Road 340, High Springs, FL 32643, June 7, 2006.

There are pictures below of Mill Creek Sink that I took on January 13, 2026. Continue reading →

WWALS Webinar: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, peer-reviewed evidence, 2026-01-15

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Update 2025-01-17: Video.

Hahira, Georgia, January 12, 2026 — For thirty years it was suspected that the Okefenokee Swamp leaks water into the groundwater from which we all drink. Now we have much stronger evidence, that the Swamp leaks not a little but a lot of water into the Floridan Aquifer.

At noon by zoom this Thursday, you can watch the UGA professors who published it explain that evidence.

They will also mention some consequences, such as nearby water withdrawals pull more water from the Swamp into the Aquifer.

Lead author Prof. Jaivime Evaristo will explain the isotope evidence. Prof. Todd Rasmussen will explain the water level evidence.

Register to join with Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1z-dW1OESdqPj1W3BhwENA

At noon, January 15, 2026, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman will give a brief introduction.

Prof. Evaristo and Rasmussen will speak for about 45 minutes.

Questions and answers will be at the end.

[Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15, Prof. Evaristo & Rasmussen]
Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15, Prof. Evaristo & Rasmussen

Here is more about their paper:

https://wwals.net/?p=69044

This paper is more incentive to pass Georgia House Bill 561 to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from mining, at least on its east side. Georgians, please ask your statehouse delegation to pass HB 561. Floridians, please ask your Georgia friends and relatives to do the same. Here’s how to contact Georgia Statehouse members:

https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

About the authors: Continue reading →

Ask Florida statehouse and Water Districts to explain JAX treated wastewater into the Suwannee Basin or to stop it, 2026-01-02

Do you think a billion dollars to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin is a bad idea?

If so, please ask your statehouse delegation and Water Management District Board to explain why limiting water withdrawals would not be a better idea, or to stop this project.

Everybody is downstream from somebody else. But we don’t need the Suwannee River Basin to be downstream from Jacksonville. Sure, we’re poorer than Jacksonville, but we’re not their sacrifice zone.

Two Water Management Districts say this Water First North Florida project would replenish levels and flows in the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers, including the Ichetucknee Headspring, by sending water into the Upper Floridan Aquifer through wetlands.

How can this expensive and risky project be the best way to conserve levels and flows in these Outstanding Florida Waters, which are supposed to be worthy of special protection because of their natural attributes?

How can risking the source of our drinking water be a good idea?

[Why is piping treated JAX wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin, better than limiting water withdrawals? Ask FL statehouse and WMD boards]
Why is piping treated JAX wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin, better than limiting water withdrawals? Ask FL statehouse and WMD boards

Here’s how to find your legislators:

https://pluralpolicy.com/find-your-legislator/

Also ask SRWMD to hold a Public Hearing explaining why this project is better and safer than limiting water withdrawals.

Let’s see the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Including evidence about how much JEA’s Buckman Wastewater Treatment Facility actually removes PFAS forever chemicals, drugs, and artificial sweeteners. Plus single points of failure such as sole-source contractors.

Suwannee River Management District
9225 CR 49
Live Oak, FL 32060
Phone: 386.362.1001
Toll Free: 1.800.226.1066
Hugh Thomas, Executive Director
Hugh.Thomas@SRWMD.org

Also ask your SRWMD Board members:
https://mysuwanneeriver.com/134/Current-Board-Members

The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) seems to know surprisingly little Continue reading →

Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer peer-reviewed evidence, WWALS Webinar, 2026-01-15

Update 2026-01-17: Video: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer peer-reviewed evidence, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15.

UGA Professors Jaivime Evaristo (isotope data) and Todd Rasmussen (water levels) review two lines of evidence that the Okefenokee Swamp leaks through the underlying limestone into the Upper Floridan Aquifer, and nearby water withdrawals draw more down.

This WWALS Webinar by zoom at noon will explain their recent scientific paper on this subject.

https://wwals.net/?p=69044

This paper is more incentive to pass Georgia House Bill 561 to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from mining, at least on its east side. Georgians, please ask your statehouse delegation to pass HB 561. Floridians, please ask your Georgia friends and relatives to do the same. Here’s how to contact Georgia Statehouse members:

https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

[Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15, Prof. Evaristo & Rasmussen]
Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15, Prof. Evaristo & Rasmussen

When: 12-1 PM, Thursday, January 15, 2026

Register to join with Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1z-dW1OESdqPj1W3BhwENA

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman will give a brief introduction.
Questions and answers will be at the end. Continue reading →

The Floridan Aquifer in North Carolina 1996-01-01

Is Columbia, South Carolina, in the Floridan Aquifer?

Doesn’t look like it. But thanks for the question.

[Does the Floridan Aquifer include Columbia, SC? Apparently not. Nor the Tertiary sand aquifer.]
Does the Floridan Aquifer include Columbia, SC? Apparently not. Nor the Tertiary sand aquifer.

A WWALS member shared a post from Congaree Riverkeeper, asking,

“the Floridan Aquifer source, or terminus? Anyway, in S.C….”

The Congaree Riverkeeper post said:

We got out and did river patrol on the Broad River the other day.

We were able to check on a few projects happening along the river, including the construction of the City of Columbia’s new drinking water intake….

The Broad River comes down south into Columbia, SC, where it joins the Congaree River. Lake Murray just to the west of Columbia is easy to recognize on many of the other maps below. Continue reading →

Valdosta groundbreaking on additional drinking water plant 2025-12-18

Valdosta has been talking about building a second drinking water plant for a long time, and this week they broke ground for it, just south of Valdosta Airport.

That’s a good thing, since it helps direct development close in to Valdosta, instead of sprawling into agricultural and forestry land.

Everyone please note: drinking water plant. Not wastewater plant.

[Valdosta groundbreaking on additional drinking water plant, on Race Track Road SE, South of Valdosta Airport]
Valdosta groundbreaking on additional drinking water plant, on Race Track Road SE, South of Valdosta Airport

Here’s hoping Valdosta’s contractors tested sufficiently to be sure the new wells will not draw in river water, like what happened at the old drinking water plant on Guest Road, where they had to sink the wells twice as deep.

Also, we shall see what effect withdrawing 2.5 million gallons a day of groundwater will have. This plant appears to be under the same permit number, GA1850002, as the old one.

Valdosta posted a YouTube video, with voiceover by Mayor Scott James Matheson:

https://youtu.be/8x-mtomtSX8?si=uGSwUsWMCJCj_Q5G

The Mayor said the plant may help direct growth to the south side of Valdosta. That is something that has been lacking for a long time.

The Mayor posted some pictures on facebook, including this one. Continue reading →

Water First North Florida wetland locations: unknown –SRWMD 2025-12-17

Update 2026-01-08: SJRWMD hired a consultant to plan piping treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin (Water First North Florida) 2025-11-12.

Update 2026-01-03: Ask Florida statehouse and Water Districts to explain JAX treated wastewater into the Suwannee Basin or to stop it 2026-01-02.

Here’s a bit more about the Water First North Florida (WFNF) billion dollar project to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) seems to know surprisingly little about this joint project with the St Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).

They don’t know where the water would go into wetlands to “clean” it up some more, and they don’t know where it would go to infiltrate into the Floridan Aquifer.

They don’t have a pilot study and they don’t have wetland site assessments.

Turns out there are a couple of reasons why SRWMD does not know or have those things. But I have found out a few things.

And I have leads to find out much more.

[Water First North Florida wetland locations: unknown, No Pilot Study or Wetland Assessments, But here is the RFQ --SRWMD]
Water First North Florida wetland locations: unknown, No Pilot Study or Wetland Assessments, But here is the RFQ –SRWMD

Back on July 8, 2025, SRWMD Deputy Executive Director of Water Resources Amy Brown gave her board a Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Project Update. It included a few slides on the WFNF, aka North Florida Regional Recharge Project. Continue reading →