Suwannee River Water Management District | RiverFronts e-Newsletter

RiverFronts text with an image of three people kayaking

High School agriculture students posing in front of a garden with a new irrigation system.

Funding Opportunity for Schools and Community Groups

The District invites schools and community groups within its 15-county boundary to apply for the Educational Water Resource Funding Program. Join our effort in protecting water resources by completing water quality, water quantity, flood protection and/or natural systems protection projects. Applicants may apply for a maximum of $20,000 in funding per project per year. Projects may include drip irrigation systems, lab equipment, Florida Friendly Landscaping and more!

Apply online by submitting the Educational Water Resource Funding Program Application. Deadline to apply is Dec. 6, 2019.

People kayaking down the Santa Fe River on a sunny day

Re-Evaluation of the Lower Santa Fe Ichetucknee Minimum Flow and Minimum Water Levels

The District is scheduled to present a workshop at the Governing Board meeting on Dec. 10 regarding the re-evaluation of the Lower Santa Fe Ichetucknee (LSFI) minimum flow and minimum water levels (MFL).

A MFL is required by Florida law to ensure adequate protection is provided to our water bodies, including rivers, springs and lakes. These levels set minimum requirements for water levels on specific water bodies that sustain the resources and habitat, including recreation, wildlife, fish passage, vegetation, wetland health and more.

The MFL technical document is set to be released for peer review and available to the public in early December. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will notice the public of meetings or workshops associated with the MFL.

Landscape Irrigation - Know Your Days: 2 times per week - spring forward; 1 time per week - fall back

Fall Back Irrigation Schedule

Cooler temperatures and shorter days call for less watering in the winter due to slower growth and less evaporation.

Citizens within the District boundaries are encouraged to shift landscape irrigation to once per week until March 8, 2020.

More information about watering schedules and how to reduce water use can be found on the District's Year-Round Lawn & Landscape Irrigation Measures page online.

Low water levels at Alligator Lake in Columbia County

Alligator Lake Water Levels Low

Water levels at Alligator Lake in Lake City are low because of a large sinkhole in the lake. Relatively dry conditions over the past several months in Columbia County also contribute to the low levels.

This is not the first time Alligator Lake has experienced low levels. The irregular levels are typical for the lake. The water is expected to rise again once the area receives large amounts of rainfall.

Find out more information about Alligator Lake on the District's Facebook page.

District staff Emily Ryan selected as the employee spotlight.

Meet Our Team - Emily Ryan

A core mission area of the Suwannee River Water Management District is ensuring an adequate water supply for the future. The District has numerous staff who focus on this core mission area everyday.

Emily Ryan is the Water Supply Planner at the District. In a typical day, Emily researches, gathers, reviews and analyzes water use data and projections. Overall, she ensures there is an adequate supply of water to meet existing and projected demands while sustaining our springs and rivers.

Emily is originally from Goodhue, Minnesota. She has worked at the District for one and a half years. She loves working with data and applying her knowledge to support other program areas within the District.