Three Sisters Springs, a portion of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, is managed by the Three Sisters Springs Foundation. Three Sisters Springs is a natural resource on the Crystal River in Citrus County, Florida. They are on the eastern edge of Kings Bay, in a narrow estuary. They have three spring zones, each with several sand boils and exits. There is no boat tie-up allowed in the areas bordering the springs since it is privately funded.
The Florida Legislature recognized 30 Florida Springs in 2016 that need further preservation to assure their management and conservation for subsequent generations. Basin Management Action Plans, which are used to restore the quality of the water, incorporate several safeguards. These initiatives are aimed at minimizing nitrogen contamination, which is affecting the springs’ aquatic environment. The law mandates that the origins of nitrogen contamination in the springshed should be identified.
Water is one of Florida’s most valuable natural wealth, necessary for preserving public health and sustaining economic growth. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the governmental authority responsible for overseeing the region’s air, ground, and water supplies. Lakes, rivers, waterways, springs, marshes, and groundwater supply water for consumer spending, agriculture, and tourism throughout the state’s freshwater environments. Water and sewage utility corporations are regulated by the Florida Public Service Commission. Economic control that influences water requirements is the Commission’s principal priority for water management. The authority encourages collaboration and policy synchronization with other statewide water resource agencies through consumer awareness.
Reduced spring streams and excess nutrients are two of the many concerns facing Florida’s springs. Due to the groundwater aquifer that supplies spring flows depleting, spring flows are dwindling. Nitrate pollution of freshwater has been observed in a variety of hydrogeologic environments across the world (Katz, 2019). Due to various solution characteristics that enable direct hydraulic linkages between the ground and the subsurface, karst aquifer networks are especially sensitive to pollution (Katz, 2019). Concerning freshwater resource issues, people might face water shortages if they do not have access to clean water, which is a vital factor for a healthy human existence.
The integrity of Florida Springs is being harmed by development, highways, farming, and other results of human activity in spring sheds. Local authorities can utilize their land use management power to mitigate development’s damaging consequences on springs, spring sheds, and spring flows, ensure long-term spring restoration, and increase the economic worth of these ecosystems in their communities. People have a variety of effects on the ecological environment, including overcrowding, pollution, fossil fuel combustion, and deforestation.
Protection is required by the Florida Watershed Restoration Act and the federal Clean Water Act to assess the quality of the water and detect surface waterways in Florida that do not satisfy water quality criteria. Defective waterways are those that do not satisfy requirements, which might include springs. Testing is carried out regularly to guarantee that sufficient evidence is accessible to examine the health of Florida’s waterways. Regarding costs, over the decades, the budget proposes a significant investment in spring recovery and water protection.
For instance, people can save water and protect springs by growing native vegetation on their land, since flora native to Florida demand less moisture and nutrients. Nutrient run-off is a significant contributor to abnormal functioning in springs, and it can frequently result in hazardous algal development. In terms of additional measures, individuals can also contact their local and federal legislators to express their support for Florida Springs.
References
Katz, B. G. (2019). Nitrate contamination in karst groundwater. Academic Press.