The most populous county participating in many Suwannee Basin forums, and the first county partly in the St. Johns Basin, Alachua County has passed a resolution opposing Water First North Florida (WFNF) and proposing alternatives.

Before their unanimous vote, the Alachua County Commissioners discussed whether this resolution adequately supported the resolution by the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (NCFRPC), which represents all twelve counties in the Suwannee River Water Management District.

Well, the Alachua County resolution doesn’t say anything about desalination, nor anything else for Jacksonville to reduce its groundwater withdrawals. It recommends limiting irrigation to only one day a week, apparently only for Alachua County.

Still, the 800-pound gorilla has spoken, and its last recommendation is:

7) evaluate alternatives to the Water First North Florida Project along with filtration and siting strategies for beneficial re-use of reclaimed water from Jacksonville.

Alachua County resolution against WFNF 2026-06-09, Stacie Greco, landscape irrigation

For much more about WFNF, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

11:30 AM, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, Alachua County BOCC Meeting Agenda:

5. Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers Implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project Resolution – 26-00395

Agenda Item Name: Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers Implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project Resolution, 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC
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This item is in Alachua County’s own video at 2:57:02.

Stacie Greco, 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC

Stacie Greco, EPD Water Resources Program Manager, presented slides about Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project, concluding with a staff request for the Commissioners to approve the resolution.

The Resolution

Here is the resolution.

Draft Resolution –RESOLUTION 26-XX: A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA, 2026-06-09, TO RECOMMEND SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES TO RESTORE FLOW TO THE LOWER SANTA FE AND ICHETUCKNEE RIVERS AND SPRINGS –Alachua County BOCC
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED TY THE ALACHUA COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA:… 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC
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DULY PROCLAIMED…. 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC
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Thank you, Alachua County Commissioners, for passing this resolution unanimously.

WFNF Resolution 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC

The Slides

Here are Stacie Greco’s slides.

Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco, EPD, Water Resources Program Manager to Alachua County BOCC
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Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Springs MFL, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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MFL Implementation Strategy, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Senate Bill 64 (2021), 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Water First North Florida, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Pilot project for contaminant removal and siting study, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Alternative Strategies, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Reducing Current and Future Groundwater Demand, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Future growth is currently projected at 135 MGD by 2045, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Extreme Water Shortage Update, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Current water conservation education, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Staff Recommendation to Approve Resolution, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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See also WFNF not done yet –Florida Alligator 2026-06-14.

https://wwals.net/?p=70522

 -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/

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