District proclaims April 2021 as Springs Protection Awareness Month

Left to right: General Counsel Mary Ellen Winkler, Governing Board Chairman Gen. Douglas Burnett, District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle, and Board members Chris Peterson, Doug Bournique, Janet Price, Cole Oliver and Vice Chair Rob Bradley.

COCOA, Fla., April 13, 2021 ― For the eighth consecutive year, the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Governing Board has approved a proclamation designating April as Springs Protection Awareness Month. The annual designation helps increase awareness about the importance of Florida’s springs and encourages residents and stakeholders to participate in the protection of springs.

“This annual proclamation illustrates our Governing Board’s continued commitment to science-based springs protection,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle. “During the past seven years, the District has co-funded 139 projects to protect our Outstanding Florida Springs, contributing toward $238.8 million in springs protection cooperative funding projects.”

Through its cost-share programs, the District has contributed a total of $53 million since 2014 toward vital springs protection projects, resulting in more than 114 million gallons per day of groundwater withdrawal offsets and alternative water supply. These projects have also reduced total nitrogen loading in priority springsheds by more than 1.2 million pounds per year and total phosphorus loading by 163,000 pounds per year.

Sen. Jennifer Bradley of Orange Park and Rep. Rep. Charles “Chuck” Clemons of Newberry introduced resolutions (SR 2024 and HR 8025) in March recognizing April 2021 as Springs Protection Awareness Month in Florida. Since 2013, water management districts across the state and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have joined the Legislature in recognizing the importance of springs and encouraging behaviors that will enhance springs protection.

Visit www.sjrwmd.com/springs for more information about the District’s work to protect springs.