Monitoring wells guide water supply planning to preserve Florida’s aquifers

Hydrologist Don Lee (left) and Hydrologic Technician Jordan Orton (right) record valuable field data at a well construction site.
Imagine waking up one morning, turning on the faucet to brush your teeth, and nothing comes out. While that scenario may seem unlikely, it underscores just how crucial it is to protect our water resources. Throughout most of Florida, underground aquifers, especially the Floridan Aquifer, supply the water we rely on for drinking, bathing, watering lawns and even growing the food we eat. However, this resource is not unlimited.
Using too much groundwater (water from the aquifer) can reduce spring flows, lower lake levels, dry out wetlands and lead to degradation in water quality from saltwater intrusion (when excessive pumping of freshwater allows saltwater to move into the aquifer). To ensure a reliable water supply now and for the future, the St. Johns River Water Management District continually monitors and plans 20 years ahead for the region’s water needs.
“Water is a shared resource that impacts all of us, and it’s essential we plan wisely to balance the needs of people and nature,” Don Lee, a hydrologist for the District’s Bureau of Water Resource Information, explains.
The Floridan Aquifer, the largest aquifer in the southeastern United States, spans much of Florida and parts of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. It absorbs and stores water like a sponge, recharged by rainfall and composed of limestone and dolostone. Balancing water needs across a growing population while protecting Florida’s water resources is a delicate task, and it’s a core mission of the District.

District contractors construct a monitoring well cluster at the Pittman Visitor Center in Lake County, Florida.
To better understand the aquifer’s health and guide responsible water management, the District maintains a network of monitoring wells throughout its 18-county region. These wells track groundwater levels and quality, providing data to inform predictive models to anticipate the impacts of water usage and development.
As part of this ongoing effort, the District is installing a new monitoring well cluster at the Pittman Visitor Center in Lake County, near the southeastern border of Marion County. This region is particularly significant due to its proximity to six outstanding springs, the Ocklawaha River and Lake Weir. Once completed, the new wells will provide critical data on water levels and water quality in the surficial, Upper Floridan and Lower Floridan aquifers in the area, providing information for years to come.
“Once the monitoring wells at the Pittman Visitor Center are complete, they will collect data to help predict future water supply conditions in the area and understand the potential impact of various actions,” Lee, who is the project manager for the well construction, says. “For example, if there’s a proposal to install a well near Lake Weir, we can run the model to predict its effect on the surrounding environment. Planning ahead of development allows us to assist utilities in sourcing their water responsibly while protecting natural resources.”
Each stage of construction provides a snapshot of the aquifer’s current conditions. As drilling progresses, the District collects data on water flow, conducts water quality tests and examines minerals and fossils to learn more about the aquifer’s history. This information, along with predictive models, supports responsible water management strategies that safeguard the aquifer’s future health.
“We never want to reach a point where we’ve squeezed all the water out of the sponge,” Lee says. “That’s why monitoring wells, like the one we are drilling here at the Pittman Visitor Center, are crucial for water supply planning.”
The District’s efforts are not only about securing water for today but also for future generations. By using water wisely—fixing leaks, watering lawns only when needed and installing smart irrigation systems—everyone can play a role in conserving this precious resource.
When you turn on the faucet, it’s easy to take for granted the journey that water has taken. But behind the scenes, ongoing monitoring and careful planning by the District ensure that clean, reliable water continues to flow for all who depend on it.