LIVE OAK, FLA, Mar. 03, 2017 – The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is recognizing the importance of groundwater to our area in partnership with the National Groundwater Association (NGWA) for National Groundwater Awareness Week held March 5-11, 2017. For the past 18 years, the District, NGWA and partners nationwide have used the first week in March to increase public awareness on the importance of groundwater protection and conservation.
Florida uses almost four billion gallons of groundwater per day, which accounts for 5.3 percent of the total usage throughout the United States - equaling more than 76 billion gallons per day. In Florida, 90 percent of water is supplied through groundwater, compared to 95 percent groundwater usage throughout the United States.
“Groundwater is an essential resource to the health and sustainability of our District and North Florida,” said Noah Valenstein, executive director for the District. “Safeguarding a water supply that meets the needs of water for nature and water for people is fundamental to the District and we are actively engaging in innovative, science-based water management to ensure adequate groundwater for the environment and for generations to come.”
Sustainable water supply is part of the District’s core mission and strategic focus. Implementing multi-district/regional water supply planning, increasing water conservation efforts with partners, and collecting timely, accurate environmental data are strategic goals of the District to ensure an adequate supply.
Within the District, cross-boundary impacts, public supply, individual household consumption and agricultural irrigation are the primary uses of groundwater. The District offers numerous programs to partners to offset uses. These programs include: water-use monitoring, establishment of sensitive water bodies, landscape and agricultural best management practices, model forecasting for permits, water efficiency retrofit grants, water reclamation, runoff and recharge projects and consumer conservation awareness. Together with permitting guidelines, these programs decrease the impact and usage of groundwater in the District.
“Water conservation is everyone’s responsibility,” said Valenstein. “As a District, we are urging you to protect our precious groundwater resources by decreasing your water use. Small changes can have a large impact over time and we all have to do our part.”
For more information on groundwater and ways you can help conserve water resources, visit www.mysuwanneeriver.com and www.ngwa.org.
The mission of the Suwannee River Water Management District is to protect and manage water resources using science-based solutions to support natural systems and the needs of the public. The District holds true to the belief of water for nature, water for people. Headquartered in Live Oak, Florida, the District serves 15 surrounding north-central Florida counties.
For more information about the District, visit www.mysuwanneeriver.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter, search @SRWMD.
###