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Florida’s Dying Natural Springs - Why Should You Care?

March 13, 2009

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Crystal Clear Natural Spring Water in Florida

I fell in love with the beauty, nature and tranquility of Weeki Wachee Springs, which I just posted about. Recently I read an article in the St. Petersburg Times about how many of the natural Florida springs are being destroyed by pollution. It was a great article written by Robert Knight, an aquatic and wetland scientist.

Florida has more artesian springs - 700 of them - than any other place in the world. Some are large and familiar, like Silver, Ichetucknee and Wakulla; others small and hidden away, like Fern Hammock and Shangri-La. But they all have a crucial role in Florida’s freshwater supply and environmental health, not to mention their recreational values … The concentration of nitrate nitrogen, a recognized pollutant in surface and groundwaters, is rising rapidly in most Florida springs in response to agricultural and urban development …

… Spring ecosystems are undergoing widespread and dramatic changes in natural flora and fauna, often evidenced by replacement of natural plant communities by filamentous algae and native fauna by exotic species …

… Relatively pristine springs with high flows help support local economies …

… Visitation numbers at springs are influenced by clear, cool water and attractive plants and wildlife …

A time for action

Springs are Florida’s canary in the coal mine: If we stand by while they continue to dry up and turn green, we’ll have missed one more opportunity to preserve ourselves.
You can read the article here.

Here is a breathtaking 4-minute video will inspire you to join us in protecting the Ichetucknee, the crown jewel of Florida’s natural springs.

Hernando County needs to keep fertilizer out of Weeki Wachee River

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