Inventing Tomorrow: Decisions for your Region’s Water
Workshop Series for Decision-Makers in the Suwanee River Basin
The program aimed to provide information and tools that community leaders can use to make informed decisions about their communities’ water resources.
The workshops were specifically designed to provide an opportunity to discuss water policies and local priorities with regional and state agencies and to allow decision makers to network and exchange ideas.
Key topics covered:
- Key water quality policies impacting north Florida;
- Traditional and alternative water supply sources in the regions;
- Strategies that local communities can take to address water resource challenges; and
- Links between local economy, water quality, and water quantity.
Summary of Workshop Resources
- List of agency contacts
- Funding opportunities
- Resources for: Workshop 1; Workshop 2; Workshop 3
Workshop 1: Water quality: what does Basin Management Action Plan mean for your community?
February 10, 2021
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- Presentation: Springs, Rivers, and Aquifer: Overview of Water Resources in North Florida (David Kaplan, University of Florida)
- Presentation: Regional case study: Suwannee River Water Management District Water Quality Improvement Projects (Kris Eskelin, SRWMD)
- View Resources
Discussion Themes
- Basin Management Action Plan: area covered, goals, requirements, and implications for local communities
- Sources of nitrogen loading to the springs and rivers and strategies each sector can use to address the pollution issues
- The role of agriculture in addressing water quality issues
- Pollution loading from septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, and urban landscaping: addressing these issues in your communities
Technical Resource People
- Andrea Albertin, University of Florida
- Kevin Coyne, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Julie Espy, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Stacie Greco, Alachua County Environmental Protection Department
- Kathryn Holland, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Mary Lusk, University of Florida
Workshop 2: Water for people and water for natural systems: How can we meet both goals?
February 17, 2021
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- Presentation: Water Use in the Santa Fe Basin (Stacie Greco, Alachua County Environmental Protection Department)
- Presentation: Solutions for Water Availability in North Florida (Michael D. Dukes, University of Florida)
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Discussion Themes
- Water use permits
- Water use and regional water supply planning
- Agricultural water use
- Recovery and prevention strategies
Technical Resource People
- Amy Brown, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Maddy Hart, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Sean King, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Tom Mirti, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Sky Notestein, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Warren Zwanka, Suwannee River Water Management District
Workshop 3: The future of the Suwannee River Basin: Linking water quality, availability, and economy
February 24, 2021
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- Presentation: Overview of the issues addressing local communities: economy, land, and water (Rod Clouser, University of Florida)
- Presentation: Concluding remarks (Wendy Graham, University of Florida)
- View Resources
Discussion theme: Blue World, Yellow World, and Green World scenario planning exercise
Technical resource people:
- Rod Clouser, University of Florida
- Michael Dukes, University of Florida
- Ben Glass, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Beth Lewis, The Nature Conservancy
- Christopher Pettit, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
