Public invited to participate in rulemaking process for lakes Brooklyn and Geneva recovery strategies

PALATKA, Fla., Dec. 4, 2020 — The St. Johns River Water Management District will hold a rule development workshop on Dec. 10 to discuss recovery strategies for the minimum levels in lakes Brooklyn and Geneva, located in Clay and Bradford counties.

The District is currently completing a reevaluation of its adopted minimum levels for the lakes. Reevaluated MFLs for lakes Brooklyn and Geneva indicate that they are currently not being met, so lakes Brooklyn and Geneva are in recovery. A recovery strategy must be adopted concurrently with the revised MFLs.

The Dec. 10 workshop will discuss rulemaking related to the lakes’ recovery strategies, which will likely include projects, conservation measures and changes to consumptive use permitting rules. The District encourages active stakeholder participation in the development of the recovery strategy, and public comment will be taken at the workshop.

WHAT:      Rule development workshop on lakes Brooklyn and Geneva recovery strategies

WHEN:      5 p.m., Dec. 10, 2020

WHERE:    Three ways to attend:

1) In person:
St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board Room

4049 Reid St. Palatka, FL 32177

Attendance in-person at the District may be limited to maintain COVID-19 social distancing CDC guidelines. In-person attendees are asked to self-monitor for signs of illness or exposure to COVID-19 prior to the meeting and wear a mask.

2) Electronically:
By webinar

3) By telephone:
1-386-256-1151 / Conference ID: 321 090 665#

Establishing MFLs is an important part of the District’s work of planning for adequate water supplies for today and for future generations while also protecting water resources. Minimum water levels set limits on withdrawals of groundwater and surface water in the consumptive use permitting process and for reviewing proposed surface water management systems in the environmental resource permitting process

MFLs reevaluation is an ongoing process. Most MFLs are reevaluated at some point to apply new data and techniques that have been developed since the original MFL was set. Current models are more sophisticated, and analytical tools and data continue to improve.

Visit www.sjrwmd.com/permitting/rule-development/#nrd-mfls to see the draft Brooklyn and Geneva recovery strategy rules.

To learn more about MFLs, visit the district’s StreamLines blog at www.sjrwmd.com/streamlines/finding-a-balance-in-floridas-waters/.