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The St. Johns River (SJR) extends 500 km from its headwaters in the marshes of Indian River County to its exit into the Atlantic Ocean east of Jacksonville. The river drains an area of over 22,000 km2. Annual average rainfall across the region averages 117 to 145 cm of which approximately 24% is realized as discharge at the mouth.
The SJR Basin’s water supply needs are primarily met by groundwater withdrawal along with water conservation and reuse. The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), through its water supply planning function, has determined that future water supply demands will require alternative water supply sources as groundwater supplies reach sustainable limits. Alternative water sources considered are seawater, brackish (slightly salty) groundwater, reclaimed water and surface water as well as increased conservation.
In 2012, SJRWMD completed a comprehensive study of the potential environmental effects of surface water withdrawals from the St. Johns River on the plants, animals and water resources of the system. Following review of this study, the National Review Council (NRC) recommended that the District (i) periodically update the models as part of an adaptive management strategy and (ii) add water quality components to assess the effects of urbanization on water quality.
In October 2017, the District developed a three-year project plan to meet the NRC recommendations. Our poster presentation provides details on the scope of this work, identifies recent literature used for model improvement, and suggests the benefits of this work as a starting point for further in-depth analyses and scientific studies by academic research groups. |
