Selected Projects

Evaluation of the Impacts of Land Use on the Water Quality of Fanning Springs

Fanning Springs is a first-magnitude spring located within Fanning Springs State Park on the Suwannee River in Levy County. The spring consistently discharges nitrate (nitrate plus nitrite as N) in excess of 3.0 mg/L. This is the highest concentration of nitrate discharging from any of the first-magnitude springs that reside in Florida’s State Parks. In a co-operative effort with the Department’s Division of Recreation and Parks and the US Geological Survey, the FGS is assessing the source of nitrate discharging from the spring. The goals of the project are to estimate: (1) the aerial extent of the springshed (recharge basin), (2) the sources of nitrate originating within the springshed and their respective contribution of the loading of nitrate, (3) the ground-water travel times for the various sources of nitrate, (4) the dilution rates that occur between the sources and the spring, and (5) establish a nitrate monitoring network for Fanning Springs. The project is scheduled for completion in 2005.