Packet: Another increase in groundwater withdrawals during a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage –SJRWMD 2026-07-14

Nevermind the top of the SJRWMD web page says, “Phase III Extreme Water Shortage in Effect | View current watering restrictions.”

Nonetheless, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Board plans to permit increased groundwater withdrawals, at their 10 AM, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, meeting in Palatka,

You can also watch on SJRWMD’s YouTube channel:

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

Which could be useful if you have to be in Live Oak at 10 AM that same day for the Suwannee River WMD (SRWMD) board meeting.

Packet: Another increase in groundwater withdrawals in Phase III Extreme Water Shortage –SJRWMD 2026-07-14

You can talk in Public Comment about anything you like, including Water First North Florida (WFNF), the JEA, SJRWMD, and SRWMD plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin. https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

In the SJRWMD board packet are these agenda items:

For Information: The Hydrologic Conditions Report.

Consideration: Approve Consumptive Use Permit 1198-10, known as St. Johns Utility Department (SJCUD). This application is a consolidation and renewal of existing public supply permits with a proposed allocation of 21.58 mgd through 2046. If special permit conditions are met, the permitted allocation will increase from 21.58 to 27.11 mgd.

For Information: Public Comment.

Page 11 of the board packet spells out how this is related to the Suwannee Basin, “…an increase in Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA) groundwater allocation from 21.58 mgd to 27.11 mgd, if the permittee meets the offset requirements of Rule 62-42.300(7), F.A.C., relating to the Implementation Strategy for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers (LSFIR) Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) and offsets the permittee’s share of impacts to the Lakes Brooklyn and Geneva minimum flows and levels established by Rule 40C-8.031(5), F.A.C.”

According to page 13, “The proposed increase in allocation represents a 26% increase in allocation to meet a projected population increase of approximately 74% over the permit duration.”

But according to page 16, the actual increase is even greater, “SJCUD is required to identify offset project(s) within 5 years of permit issuance for the increase in impacts associated with the increase in allocation from its 2025 demonstrated demand of 15.41 mgd to its current permitted allocation of 21.58 mgd.”

21.58 mgd is already 40% more than “its 2025 demonstrated demand of 15.41 mgd”.

And 27.11 is 76% more than that 2025 number. Very similar to that 74% population increase projection.

So it’s not as if SJRWMD or St. Johns County has figured out how to use much less water per capita. They’re just planning to increase water withdrawals by about the same percentage as they predict population will increase.

But trust them, says page 15, “The proposed source has historically and will continue to be capable of producing adequate quantities of water to meet the requirements for public supply purposes under subsections 2.3(c) and (d), A.H.”

Oh, it’s also related to Black Creek, says page 17, “The applicant has proposed to purchase additional offsets associated with the District’s Black Creek Water Resource Development Project to address its impact to the Keystone Heights MFLs (Lakes Brooklyn and Geneva).”

Now SJRWMD can in drought throttle even this permit, says page 26, “2. Nothing in this permit should be construed to limit the authority of the St. Johns River Water Management District to declare a water shortage and issue orders pursuant to Chapter 373, F.S. In the event of a declared water shortage, the permittee must adhere to the water shortage restrictions, as specified by the District. The permittee is advised that during a water shortage, reports shall be submitted as required by District rule or order.”

Even better, SJRWMD can revoke the permit, says page 27, “9. The permittee’s consumptive use of water as authorized by this permit shall not adversely impact wetlands, lakes, rivers, or springs. If adverse impacts occur, the District shall revoke the permit, in whole or in part, to curtail or abate the adverse impacts, unless the impacts associated with the permittee’s consumptive use of water are mitigated by the permittee pursuant to a District-approved plan.”

Among other reasons for revocation, there’s also this one, on page 28, ”11. The permittee’s consumptive use of water as authorized by the permit shall not cause or contribute to significant saline water intrusion. If significant saline water intrusion occurs, the District shall revoke the permit, in whole or in part, to curtail or abate the saline water intrusion, unless the saline water intrusion associated with the permittee’s consumptive use of water is mitigated by the permittee pursuant to a District-approved plan.”

Would SJRWMD ever muster up the nerve to revoke such a permit?

As droughts like this and worse recur, we shall see.

Quite a bit of testing and various reports are required, including on page 41, “45. The permittee shall submit a completed Public Supply Annual Report, Form 62-42.300(6)(a) (PSAR) by April 1 of each year for the duration of the permit.”

Getting some of those reports for future and past years could be interesting.

Meanwhile, SJRWMD’s own budget and Treasurer’s Report shows that it is very dependent on ad valorem (property) taxes for everything. Yet I see nothing on the agenda about effects of the proposed homestead tax exemption.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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