St. Johns River Water Management District
Encyclopedia
The St. Johns River Water Management District ("SJRWMD") is one of five Florida
water management districts that is responsible for managing groundwater
and surface water
resources in Florida. SJRWMD covers an 18-county region in northeast and east-central Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
has general supervisory authority over the water management districts.
It employs approximately 700 people at offices in Palatka
, Jacksonville, Altamonte Springs and Palm Bay
. The district's headquarters is located in Palatka
.
The budget for 2009-10 was $279.2 million.
es to fund the management of the state’s water resources, and related land resources, to benefit people and the environment. Each water management district is administered by a Governing Board composed of residents appointed by the Governor and approved by the Florida Senate
. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
has general supervisory authority over the water management districts.
It also controls burns within that area.
, Clay
, Duval
, Flagler
, Indian River
, Lake
, Marion
, Nassau
, Orange
, St. Johns
, Seminole
, Putnam
, and Volusia
. Partial counties include: Alachua
, Baker
, Bradford
, Okeechobee
, and Osceola
, SJRWMD covers 12,283 square miles (31,813 km²), or 23 percent of Florida. As of 2005, 4.4 million people (about 21 percent of the state’s population) made their home in SJRWMD.
The major river of the district is the St. Johns River
. The two major tributaries are Econlockhatchee River
and the Ocklawaha River
. Minor tributaries include the Wekiva River
, Doctors Lake
, Black Creek
, Trout River (Florida)
and a dozen smaller water bodies.
In its draft 2008 Water Supply Assessment, the St. Johns River Water Management District identifies most of the counties in its jurisdiction as priority water resource caution areas or potential priority water resource caution areas. The District is working with local governments and utilities to ensure sustainable water supplies.
In 2010, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
(Orange and Seminole Counties) ruled that Deseret Ranches owned and had control over the Taylor Creek Reservoir. The district wanted to increase the draw from 10000000 gallons (37,854,120 l) to upwards of 25000000 gallons (94,635,300 l) daily. In 2011, this decision was reversed on appeal to the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal
.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
water management districts that is responsible for managing groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
and surface water
Surface water
Surface water is water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean; it is related to water collecting as groundwater or atmospheric water....
resources in Florida. SJRWMD covers an 18-county region in northeast and east-central Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the Florida government agency charged with environmental protection.-History:...
has general supervisory authority over the water management districts.
It employs approximately 700 people at offices in Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
, Jacksonville, Altamonte Springs and Palm Bay
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,786 on 1 July 2008; it is the most populous city in the county...
. The district's headquarters is located in Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
.
The budget for 2009-10 was $279.2 million.
History
The five water management districts were established in 1972 by Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, as independent special districts and were empowered by the electorate in 1976 to assess ad valorem taxAd valorem tax
An ad valorem tax is a tax based on the value of real estate or personal property. It is more common than a specific duty, a tax based on the quantity of an item, such as cents per kilogram, regardless of price....
es to fund the management of the state’s water resources, and related land resources, to benefit people and the environment. Each water management district is administered by a Governing Board composed of residents appointed by the Governor and approved by the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the Florida government agency charged with environmental protection.-History:...
has general supervisory authority over the water management districts.
Function
SJRWMD’s duties include:- Regulating the consumptive use of surface water and groundwater
- Regulating the construction and maintenance of stormwaterStormwaterStormwater is water that originates during precipitation events. It may also be used to apply to water that originates with snowmelt that enters the stormwater system...
management systems that serve developed properties in order to protect water qualityWater qualityWater quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
and prevent flooding - Regulating the construction of water wells and the licensure of water well contractors
- Conducting water supply planning
- Conducting research on water resource issues
- Buying and managing land for water management purposes
- Operation of flood controlFlood controlIn communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
structures for federal projects
It also controls burns within that area.
Scope
The counties which are entirely within SJRWMD are: BrevardBrevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
, Clay
Clay County, Florida
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 190,895. Its county seat is Green Cove Springs, Florida. Clay County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area.- History :...
, Duval
Duval County, Florida
Duval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 864,263. Its county seat is Jacksonville, with which the Duval County government has been consolidated since 1968...
, Flagler
Flagler County, Florida
Flagler County was created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia counties. It was named for Henry Morrison Flagler, a famous railroad builder who built the Florida East Coast Railway. Bunnell is the county seat of Flagler County....
, Indian River
Indian River County, Florida
Indian River County is a county located in the Treasure Coast region in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 112,947. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 128,594...
, Lake
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
, Marion
Marion County, Florida
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 316,183. Its county seat is Ocala....
, Nassau
Nassau County, Florida
Nassau County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 57,663. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 69,835. Its county seat is Fernandina Beach, Florida....
, Orange
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
, St. Johns
St. Johns County, Florida
St. Johns County is a county located in northeastern Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,039. The county seat is St. Augustine. Due to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach, it is one of the highest-income counties in the United States....
, Seminole
Seminole County, Florida
Seminole County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. Located between Orlando to the south and Deland and Daytona Beach to the north, it is part of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. Its county seat and largest city is Sanford...
, Putnam
Putnam County, Florida
Putnam County is a county located in the state of Florida. The entire county makes up the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 70,423. The U.S. Census Bureau 2009 estimate for the county was 72,893 . Its county seat is Palatka, Florida. The county is centrally...
, and Volusia
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
. Partial counties include: Alachua
Alachua County, Florida
Alachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida. Alachua County is the home of the University of Florida and is also known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans...
, Baker
Baker County, Florida
Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,259. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 26,164 . Its county seat is Macclenny, Florida. While primarily rural, the county is included in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area.-...
, Bradford
Bradford County, Florida
Bradford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,088. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate for the county was 28,118 . Its county seat is Starke, Florida. Bradford County is the home of the Florida State Prison as well as several other state...
, Okeechobee
Okeechobee County, Florida
Okeechobee County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 35,910. According to 2005 U.S. Census estimates, its population had grown to 39,836. The county seat is Okeechobee, Florida. The county comprises the Okeechobee, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area.-...
, and Osceola
Osceola County, Florida
Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was...
, SJRWMD covers 12,283 square miles (31,813 km²), or 23 percent of Florida. As of 2005, 4.4 million people (about 21 percent of the state’s population) made their home in SJRWMD.
The major river of the district is the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. The two major tributaries are Econlockhatchee River
Econlockhatchee River
The Econlockhatchee River is a north-flowing blackwater tributary of the St. Johns River that flows through Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties in Florida. Its name means "River of mounds"...
and the Ocklawaha River
Ocklawaha River
The Ocklawaha River flows north from central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
. Minor tributaries include the Wekiva River
Wekiva River
The Wekiva River is a river starting in two separate fresh water springs in central Florida and ending in the St. Johns River. One of the springs is at Kelly Park, otherwise known as Rock Springs, and the other is in Wekiwa Springs State Park. Both springs border the Lower Wekiva River Preserve...
, Doctors Lake
Doctors Lake
Doctors Lake is a body of water located off the St. Johns River in Clay County, Florida. Despite its name, it is not a true lake, as it is actually an inlet, openly connected to the St. Johns. Because of the estuarine nature of the St. Johns, Doctor's Lake is itself somewhat brackish.Many docks...
, Black Creek
Black Creek
-In Canada:* Black Creek, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island* A neighborhood in Fort Erie, Ontario* Black Creek, Toronto* Black Creek Pioneer Village, a historic site in Toronto-In the United States:* Black Creek, New York, a hamlet in Allegany County...
, Trout River (Florida)
Trout River
Trout River may refer to:Canada* Trout River , a tributary of the Liard River* Trout River, Newfoundland and Labrador, a village* Trout River , a tributary of the Mackenzie RiverUnited States...
and a dozen smaller water bodies.
Issues
Potable water has been a problem in the western US since the mid-1950s, but was not an obvious issue in Florida, where lakes, springs and rivers seem to be everywhere. Population and economic growth in the state has created demand for more water than can be sustained by groundwater sources alone and alternative water sources must be developed. While the St. Johns River Water Management District must ensure that there is water for all reasonable-beneficial water uses, it is also charged with protecting water supplies and the related natural systems.In its draft 2008 Water Supply Assessment, the St. Johns River Water Management District identifies most of the counties in its jurisdiction as priority water resource caution areas or potential priority water resource caution areas. The District is working with local governments and utilities to ensure sustainable water supplies.
In 2010, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida is a Circuit Court comprising Orange and Osceola Counties in Central Florida.-External links:*...
(Orange and Seminole Counties) ruled that Deseret Ranches owned and had control over the Taylor Creek Reservoir. The district wanted to increase the draw from 10000000 gallons (37,854,120 l) to upwards of 25000000 gallons (94,635,300 l) daily. In 2011, this decision was reversed on appeal to the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal
The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.-History:The Fifth District Court of Appeal was created by the 1979 session of the Florida Legislature.-Chief Judges:...
.
See also
- Northwest Florida Water Management DistrictNorthwest Florida Water Management DistrictThe Northwest Florida Water Management District stretches from the St. Marks River Basin in Jefferson County to the Perdido River in Escambia County. The District is one of five water management districts in Florida created by the Water Resources Act of 1972...
- South Florida Water Management DistrictSouth Florida Water Management DistrictThe South Florida Water Management District is a regional governmental agency supervised by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection , and is responsible for water quality, flood control, water supply and restoration of the environment in 16 counties in Central and Southern Florida...
- Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictSouthwest Florida Water Management DistrictThe Southwest Florida Water Management District , unofficially nicknamed “Swiftmud” or SWFWMD, is one of five regional agencies directed by Florida state law to protect and preserve water resources. Established in 1961 the agency operates and maintains several large properties and flood protection...
- Suwannee River Water Management DistrictSuwannee River Water Management DistrictThe Suwannee River Water Management District is the smallest of five Florida water management districts that is responsible for managing groundwater and surface water resources in a 15-county region in north-central Florida...