The death of North Florida’s springs

Post author:flspringsinst
Post published:February 2, 2023
Post category:Bob Knight Education Health Op-ed Springs Science
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By Robert Knight. Published in Orlando Sentinel, January 28, 2023. Once compared to the greatest hydrological wonders of North America, including Niagara Falls and the Mississippi River, North Florida’s springs in the 1850s were praised for their extreme water clarity and complex ecology. Like the Everglades in South Florida, artesian springs in North Florida continue to delight millions. Increasingly “discovered” by tourists and recreationalists from Florida and beyond, healthy springs provide waders and swimmers with the cool…

Meet Florida Springs Institute’s new Outreach Intern!

Post author:Haley Moody
Post published:June 19, 2020
Post category:Education
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Danielle Jordan is a Georgia native who grew up vacationing and traveling around Florida. She is excited for the opportunity to contribute to the work of the Florida Springs Institute this summer while learning more about the unique ecology of Florida’s springs. She is currently a PhD student and graduate assistant in the University of Florida Department of English where she studies the environmental humanities, critical theory, and speculative fiction and film. In her teaching and her…

Re-evaluation of Minimum Flows and Levels for the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee

Post author:Haley Moody
Post published:February 3, 2020
Post category:Bob Knight Drinking Water Education Publications Springs Science
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It is not in the public’s best interest to dry up or pollute any of Florida’s artesian springs. Healthy springs support a vast and abundant assemblage of charismatic and endangered wildlife, nourish our many rivers and lakes during droughts, and are the sought-after playground for tens of millions of visitors each year. Springs are essential for our local ecology and economy. Governmental agencies responsible for protecting Florida’s environmental prosperity would be reckless and irresponsible to allow priceless…

A New Year’s Resolution for Florida’s Springs

Post author:Haley Moody
Post published:January 2, 2020
Post category:Bob Knight Drinking Water Education Op-ed
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The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship and is tasked to protect the state’s air, water and land. Reading from FDEP’s website, its vision is “… to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources, and enhance its ecosystems.” (www.floridadep.gov) Headquartered in Tallahassee, but with staff state-wide, FDEP has approximately 3,000 employees and an annual budget of about $1.5 billion. Composed of 13 divisions, including the Division…

Photo by Anne Barca

Improve State Plans or Springs Are Doomed

Post author:Haley Moody
Post published:December 10, 2019
Post category:Bob Knight Bottled Water Drinking Water Education Op-ed Publications Springs Science
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The Florida legislature had ample warning that their 2016 Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act was inadequate to fix the nitrate pollution nightmare in Florida’s springs. The Florida Springs Council warned the legislature that this law as written did not have the teeth needed to solve a problem 50 years in the making. As required by the Act, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) determined that 24 of 30 Outstanding Florida Springs are currently impaired by…