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

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

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

Direct link to their paper:
https://doi.org/10.1088/3033-4942/ae2653

The 1995 paper:
https://toddrasmussen.droppages.net/pubs/GWRC1995a.pdf

The professors also mentioned that the isotope method is easy and inexpensive to apply to everything from stream water to tap water.

But what on earth are water stable isotopes? 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

And that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has extensive water level data going back to 1941.

Maps and Prof. Todd Rasmussen 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Many more papers could come out of those data sources.

Kerry Waldron asked if they had any Concerns or issues with the quality of the water leaking from Okefenokee Swamp to aquifer?

The professors mentioned while it can take a long time for surface water to actually reach the lower aquifer, as in years. Given that water going through subsurface soil and limestone does not necessarily clean it, that could mean a problem deferred into the future.

Precipitation Delay into Aquifer 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

I wondered if Chemours closing mines will affect the aquifer, given that a paper mill on the Georgia coast closing caused a sudden and massive spike upwards in aquifer levels.

Usgs Wells, Sudden increase in levels around 2002, 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Dr. Rasmussen said he hasn’t checked the water levels recently, but there were many sources of such levels.

Marisa Mecke, a reporter from WABE, had a question for Dr. Evaristo for the radio: Could you speak to the methods of this study, and how it compares to previous research (like that relied on by the EPD and Twin Pines) that asserts the swamp is not connected to the aquifer? For the layperson, how does this study differ from previous studies?

The basic answer is that this study used actual physical evidence of interconnection between the Okefenokee Swamp and the Floridan Aquifer, while previous studies were based on models without such evidence.

Prof. Evaristo’s slide about models noted that, “Model building must go hand in hand with experiments (data gathering), otherwise the models will just end up being sophisticated looking ‘Disney’ animations rather than scientifically rigorous and tested models. –Roose et al. (2016)”

Model Building and Experiments 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Myra Jones asked: Should we now no longer allow any new water permits (FL and/or GA) from any new development pull water from the aquifer and/or from adjacent rivers?

That’s a policy question, which the professors couldn’t really answer, but one would hope those who make policy will pay attention to this research.

Leakage to Floridan 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Christopher Allen asked: Is the Trail Ridge just a surface watershed feature for the swamp, or is it also critcal for Flow Path 3 to recharge the Floridan Auquifer?

Prof. Evaristo said his map shows Flowpath 3 going through the Okefenokee Swamp and Trail Ridge on to the Atlantic Ocean.

How could the UFA have two sets of isotopic fingerprints? 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Diane Shearer noted: Thank you. This was an excellent presentation. Even this English major could understand it.

Mary Thaler wanted to know: Will the presentation be sent out after this?

Yes, here is the video of the presentation.

The presenters provided their contact information:

Todd Rasmussen: trasmuss@uga.edu

Prof. Todd Rasmussen 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Jaivime Evaristo: evaristo@uga.edu

Prof. Jaivime Evaristo 2026-01-15 –jsq for WWALS

Prof. Rasmussen also provided a copy of his presentation slides: PDF, PowerPoint.

Jaivime Evaristo is an Assistant Professor, Hydrology and Water Resources, Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia.

My research focuses on understanding how natural and anthropogenic processes influence the exchange of matter and energy across the hydrosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere. My research lies at the confluence of hydrology, geology, and ecology in understanding the spatial and temporal patterns in water partitioning and nutrient (or pollutant) fate and transport.

Todd C. Rasmussen is a Professor emeritus at the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia.

He specializes in “Fluid flow and contaminant transport through surface and subsurface environments, focusing on the physical, chemical, mathematical, and statistical description and quantification of hydrologic processes.”

For other WWALS Webinars, see:
https://wwals.net/about/wwals-webinars/

They are usually on the second or third Thursday of the month, from noon to 1PM. After a brief introduction, the speaker has about 45 minutes, with the remaining time for questions and answers and discussion.

They are recorded, so if you miss one, you can see it later on YouTube. Here’s a WWALS video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QxWRGrV9iExlyXQIVnzOtPX&si=0Atnjwrm_ikyV-sh

WWALS Webinars are organized by the WWALS Events Committee; maybe you’d like to join that committee and help.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

About WWALS: Since June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working for a healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Mission: WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Our Watershed: The 10,000-square-mile WWALS territory includes the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, plus the Suwannee River Estuary, and tributaries such as the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers as far north as Cordele in Georgia, as well as parts of the Floridan Aquifer, which is the primary water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry for millions of Georgia and Florida residents.

Suwannee Riverkeeper: Since December 2016, WWALS is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary as Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, which is a project and a staff position of WWALS focusing on our advocacy.

Contact: John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
850-290-2350
wwalswatershed@gmail.com

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

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