http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ing-springs-20100411,0,7837975.storyFlorida's natural springs in crisis: Which ones are cleanest, most polluted?
By Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel
April 11, 2010
Fanning Springs had a lush garden of native underwater plants when the artesian jewel became a state park a little more than a decade ago.
Today, a witch's hairdo of algae dominates Fanning's waters. About 35 miles from Gainesville, the cluster of springs has earned recognition as among the state's most polluted and a prime example of what's killing ecosystems at many of Florida's best-known springs.
Sweeping water legislation aimed in large part at repairing and protecting springs across the state is pending in Tallahassee, marking at least the fifth year in a row of serious attempts to bolster safeguards for one of Florida's environmental treasures. But with just three weeks left in the current legislative session, it is unclear whether this year's bill finally will succeed.
"This is the biggest change in water law in at least 20 years," said state Sen. Lee Constantine, R- Altamonte Springs, the author of SB 550. "When you do something like that, it's always dicey."
Ecosystem disasters have been emerging at the biggest of nearly 700 known Florida springs, including Wakulla near Tallahassee; the most iconic, such as the mermaid playground at Weeki Wachee north of Tampa Bay; and even ones as highly protected as the Wekiwa near Orlando.
In essence, complex and rich arrangements of aquatic plants, fish and wildlife are being snuffed out by simple but overwhelming forms of algae.
The culprit is an extremely common type of water pollution, soaking deep into the ground from a variety of sources, including septic tanks, sewage plants, agriculture, lawn fertilizer and dirty stormwater. It's called nitrate, a form of nitrogen and an essential nutrient for plant growth.
By Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel
April 11, 2010
Fanning Springs had a lush garden of native underwater plants when the artesian jewel became a state park a little more than a decade ago.
Today, a witch's hairdo of algae dominates Fanning's waters. About 35 miles from Gainesville, the cluster of springs has earned recognition as among the state's most polluted and a prime example of what's killing ecosystems at many of Florida's best-known springs.
Sweeping water legislation aimed in large part at repairing and protecting springs across the state is pending in Tallahassee, marking at least the fifth year in a row of serious attempts to bolster safeguards for one of Florida's environmental treasures. But with just three weeks left in the current legislative session, it is unclear whether this year's bill finally will succeed.
"This is the biggest change in water law in at least 20 years," said state Sen. Lee Constantine, R- Altamonte Springs, the author of SB 550. "When you do something like that, it's always dicey."
Ecosystem disasters have been emerging at the biggest of nearly 700 known Florida springs, including Wakulla near Tallahassee; the most iconic, such as the mermaid playground at Weeki Wachee north of Tampa Bay; and even ones as highly protected as the Wekiwa near Orlando.
In essence, complex and rich arrangements of aquatic plants, fish and wildlife are being snuffed out by simple but overwhelming forms of algae.
The culprit is an extremely common type of water pollution, soaking deep into the ground from a variety of sources, including septic tanks, sewage plants, agriculture, lawn fertilizer and dirty stormwater. It's called nitrate, a form of nitrogen and an essential nutrient for plant growth.
