Reprinted from the Audubon of Florida Advocate newsletter
Defend Silver Springs; send a letter to Governor Scott right now!
Silver Springs, an iconic symbol of natural Florida and a nationally known tourist destination since the mid-1800s, could become the next Florida springs casualty.
The St. Johns River Water Management District is in the early stages of evaluating permit applications submitted by Adena Springs Ranch. Developers want to turn 30,000 acres of relatively undisturbed springshed land into a dense “cattle finishing” operation and slaughterhouse. The size of this project is approximately the same acreage as the City of Ocala. Further, the 13.2 million gallons of water this massive industrial cattle operation wants to draw from the aquifer near Silver Springs is just about the same as the water use for all of the existing development in Ocala.
With flow down by more than 50% over historic amounts and nutrients feeding the growth of algae, the system is already dangerously compromised. Take Action: urge Governor Rick Scott and the members of the Governing Board of the St. Johns River Management District to deny permits related to the Adena Springs Ranch project.
A steep decline in springflow began in the 1980s. By 2011, flow had fallen to only half the historic average. By April 1, 2012, the flow in Silver Springs was at the lowest volume ever recorded – only 282 Cubic Feet Per Second – only 37% of the average historic flow.
While water quantity – expressed by the rate of flow from the spring - has been decreasing, largely due to increased pumping from wells in the areas that have provided groundwater recharge for the spring, the quality of water flowing from the spring has been rapidly declining as well. Nitrates, produced by fertilizers applied to the surface of the land, waste percolating into the aquifer from septic tank drainfields and sewage treatment plant effluent – are the chief cause of the springs’ current flow of dirty water. Flow reduction exacerbates the problem by increasing the concentration. Nitrates cause the unnatural growth of algae – green slime – that forms layers on native aquatic plants such as eelgrass, and kills those plants by shading out sunlight.
While much of the springshed that supplies water through recharge of the aquifer to Silver Springs has been covered by urban development drawing out water and adding pollution, a large strip of land near the springs and adjacent to the Ocklawaha River has thus far remained undeveloped and contributes clean water.
The thousands of cattle that will be processed on this land will add to the nutrient load soaking into the ground. This proposal has the potential to double the damage already suffered by Silver Springs. While cattle ranching throughout Florida at the intensities normally practiced is for the most part an environmentally benign land use, the Adena Springs Ranch is a different proposition entirely.
Given the status of Silver Springs and the risk that this project will serve as its final death blow, common sense and sound scientific analysis would suggest that the Water Management District would move decisively to protect the public interest by firmly rejecting the permits. Unfortunately, in the regulatory environment now present in Florida, we cannot count on that.
If Floridians want to save what is left of our natural heritage at Silver Springs, it is time to say “NO” to this proposal. Please use our easy email function to urge Governor Rick Scott and the members of the Governing Board of the St. Johns River Management District to deny permits related to the Adena Springs Ranch project.
Thank you and please share.
No comments:
Post a Comment