The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is expanding its algae monitoring program to include four additional priority springs in North Florida. 

This program will assist the District in monitoring the occurrence of algae and aquatic vegetation to better understand ecological changes in local springs over time.  

The expansion of the program includes Allen Mill Pond, Hornsby, Gilchrist Blue, and Little Fanning springs. This is in addition to Madison Blue Spring, which the District began monitoring last year as the pilot project for the program.  

At these locations, staff collect data at multiple points along the spring run to assess the abundance of algae and aquatic vegetation. Data obtained from these efforts is expected to help establish spring-specific minimum flows and minimum water levels (MFLs). MFLs are a means to ensure water availability for the present and future, and to prevent significant harm to the area’s natural resources. 

“This monitoring program will allow the District to evaluate relationships between algae, aquatic vegetation, spring flows and other environmental variables to develop MFLs that protect our local springs,” said Sean King, Chief of the Office of MFLs.  

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

Posted in Algae, MFLs, Springs, SRWMD, Uncategorized, Water Quality