FACETS

Floridan Water

FACETS Water Workshops for North Florida

Inventing Tomorrow: Your Decisions for Region’s Water

A society grows great when elders plant trees in whose shade they will never sit.

  • By invitation only
  • Designed specifically for the counties in the Suwannee River Basin
  • Certificate of attendance provided for submission for CEU

Why attend?

  • Innovative format: minimum presentations, maximum interactions and group discussions;
  • Opportunity to discuss water policies and local priorities with regional and state agencies;
  • Network and exchange ideas with other decision-makers in north Florida;

Key topics covered:

  • Water quality and availability policies in north Florida;
  • Traditional and alternative water supply sources in the region;
  • Local strategies to address water resource challenges; and
  • Links between local economy, water quality, and water availability.

Which Workshop to Attend?

Attending all three workshops is strongly encouraged – the workshops are integrated into a coherent program

Participating and contributing agencies and organizations:

  • Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service
  • Florida Department of Environmental Protection
  • Suwannee River Water Management District
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Alachua County Environmental Protection Department
  • Water Policy and Planning Center, Albany State University
  • University of Florida / IFAS
  • University of Florida / Water Institute

Agenda

Workshop 1, Feb. 10, 10 am – 12 pm
Water Quality: What does a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) mean for your community?
(attendees are welcome to an open discussion over lunch)

Welcome and Introductions
Springs, Rivers, and Aquifer: Overview of Water Resources in North Florida (David Kaplan, UF/IFAS)
Group discussions:

  • Basin Management Action Plan: area covered, goals, requirements, and implications for local communities (moderated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection)
  • Sources of nitrogen loading to the springs and rivers and strategies each sector can use to address the pollution issues (moderated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or Alachua County Environmental Protection)
  • The role of agriculture in addressing water quality issues (moderated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)
  • Pollution loading from septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, and urban landscaping: addressing these issues in your communities (moderated by UF/IFAS)

Regional case study: moving forward with addressing regional water quality issues
Open discussion continues over the lunch

Workshop 2, Feb. 17, 10 am – 12 pm
Water for people and water for natural systems: How can we meet both goals?
(attendees are welcome to an open discussion over lunch)

Welcome and Introductions
Water is what connects us all: Water Resources in North Florida (Stacie Greco, Alachua County’s Environmental Protection Department)
Group discussions:

  • Water sources for various activities in local communities. How much water is used in urban and rural areas? (moderated by the Alachua County’s Environmental Protection Department)
  • Local rivers and springs: what does a recovery of the flow or level mean for your community? (moderated by the Suwannee River Water Management District)
  • Planning water supplies for the region: how can your community be involved? (moderated by the Suwannee River Water Management District and UF/IFAS)
  • Drought of 2010: lessons learned and drought and flood preparedness (moderated by the Suwannee River Water Management District)

Regional case study: moving forward with addressing regional water availability issues
Open discussion continues over the lunch

Workshop 3, Feb. 24, 10 am – 12 pm
The future of the Suwannee River Basin: Linking water quality, availability, and economy
(attendees are welcome to an open discussion over lunch)

Welcome and Introductions
Overview of the issues addressing local communities: economy, land, water (Rod Clouser, UF/IFAS)
Group discussions:

  • Visioning for the region: locally-relevant solutions to water resource challenges. moderated by:
    • Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    • UF/IFAS
    • The Nature Conservancy
    • Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University
    • Suwannee River Water Management District

Key water resource initiatives for the upcoming year (Wendy Graham, UF/IFAS)

USDA NIFA
 

This five-year project (2017-2022) is funded through the
United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute
of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

University of Florida Water Institute University of Georgia Auburn University Albany State University