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St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study

St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study

Current study

As part of its commitment to ensure protective standards for the area’s water resources as surface water proposals are discussed, the St. Johns River Water Management District is undertaking an evaluation of potential environmental effects of proposed river water withdrawals on the biological and water resources of the St. Johns River Basin. Potential effects will be screened to determine those that have the potential to cause significant negative impacts on critical biological communities, species and water resources. This Web page is provided to keep interested parties informed of the progress and results of the study.

While established minimum flows and levels (MFLs) and related environmental studies demonstrate that limited amounts of water can be developed from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers, the investigation will specifically address withdrawals from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers, proposals to discharge water treatment byproduct materials back into the rivers, and the removal of treated wastewater discharges from the river in Jacksonville. The effects of proposed projects to deepen the navigation channel in Jacksonville and effects from sea level rise also are being investigated in relation to river water withdrawals.

District scientists and outside experts of national scientific stature are looking at a broad range of potential environmental effects. These outside experts will help ensure that the District conducts the highest level of analysis. Furthermore, results of the study are being peer reviewed by other independent scientific experts with the National Research Council, the operating arm of the prestigious National Academies.

The study was launched in December 2007. The first steps included setting a budget, and identifying and contracting with national experts. Research, data collection, modeling and analysis began in early 2008. Two technical symposiums have been held to provide opportunities for the seven technical working groups that are conducting the study to address interrelated aspects of the study, present technical information and discuss scientific issues. These meetings, held in September 2008 and 2009, have been open to the public and broadcast via the Internet.

The St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study is scheduled for completion in July 2011.

Findings, conclusions and recommendations for future actions will be summarized in a final report.

Resources

• St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study fact sheet
• Methods for the Second Phase of the Water Supply Plan Study, Final Draft
• Work plan
• The National Academies’ review of the study
• 2009 Technical Symposium
• 2008 Technical Symposium
•  
• News releases
  • Study on St. Johns River as potential water supply extended (Posted on 12/08/2009)
  • Council completes review of river study’s Phase I report (Posted on 08/06/2009)
  • Registration starts for technical symposium on river study (Posted on 08/03/2009)
  • Second technical symposium on river study planned (Posted on 07/24/2009)
  • First phase river study report is available (Posted on 01/16/2009)
  • National Academies will review District’s river study (Posted on 10/06/2008)
  • Registration starts for technical symposium on river study (Posted on 08/01/2008)
  • Technical symposium on river withdrawals planned (Posted on 07/15/2008)

Personnel

Key District personnel leading the work on the assessment and outside experts contracted to provide peer review are:

• Dr. Edgar F. Lowe, Division Director, Division of Environmental Sciences, St. Johns River Water Management District
• Dr. Peter V. Sucsy, Supervising Engineer Scientist, Division of Engineering, St. Johns River Water Management District
• Dr. Greeneville B. “Sonny” Hall, Technical Program Manager, Division of Water Supply Management, St. Johns River Water Management District
• Tom Bartol, Division Director, Division of Resource Management Support and Environmental Management, St. Johns River Water Management District
• Dr. Lawrence Battoe, Assistant Division Director, Division of Environmental Sciences, St. Johns River Water Management District
• Dr. Kenneth W. Cummins, Senior Advisory Scientist, California Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Adjunct Professor, Humbolt State University Fisheries Biology Department (benthos)
• Dr. Hans Paerl, Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences (plankton)
• Dr. Jonathon M. Shenker, Professor, Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences, Sportfish Research Institute (fish)
• Dr. Kenneth A. Moore, Professor of Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary (littoral zone)
• Dr. Paul Montagna, Professor and Endowed Chair for Ecosystems Studies and Modeling, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (benthos)
• Dr. K.R. Reddy, Professor and Chair, University of Florida Department of Soil and Water Science (biogeochemistry)
• Dr. Richard Merritt, Professor and Chair, Michigan State University Department of Entomology (benthos)
• Dr. Ed Phlips, Professor, University of Florida Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (plankton)
• Dr. James Martin, Endowed Chair, Mississippi State University Civil Engineering (surface water modeling)
• Dr. Shahrokh Rouhani, Adjunct Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech; president of Newfields (geostatistics)
• Dr. Louis H. Motz, Associate Professor, University of Florida Civil and Coastal Engineering (groundwater modeling)
• Dr. Steven J. Peene, Government Services Market Sector Leader, Applied Technology and Management (hydrodynamic modeling)
• Matt Goodrich, Senior Engineer Modeler, Applied Technology and Management (hydrodynamic modeling)
• Patrick Tara, P.E., Senior Engineer, INTERA Geosciences and Engineering (hydrologic modeling)
• Dr. William Wise, P.E., Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Florida (eco-hydrology of wetlands)