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St. Johns River Factsheet
Threats to River’s Health
The health of the St. Johns River and its watershed are threatened by many problems and activities,
including:
• Sedimentation from construction‐site runoff.
• Fecal coliform bacteria pollution from failing septic tanks, leaking sewage pipes, sanitary sewer
overflows (SSO’s), and animal waste.
• Nutrient pollution from wastewater and industrial discharges, failing septic tanks, and urban and
agricultural fertilizer runoff.
• Loss of wetlands, springsheds, aquifer recharge areas, and habitat for plants and wildlife.
• Declining flows from springs as a result of lower aquifer levels.
• Lack of enforcement and compliance with environmental regulations and permit conditions.
• Water withdrawals from the St. Johns River and its tributaries for irrigation and drinking water,
resulting from our wasteful and inefficient use of water.
• Dredging projects that can impact habitat, alter hydrology, and disturb contaminated sediments.
• Georgia‐Pacific’s proposed pipeline to divert its wastewater from Rice Creek to the St. Johns
River.
St. Johns Riverkeeper: http://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/issues
Bacteria in Tributaries
Fifty‐five tributaries in the Lower St. Johns River have been verified as impaired because of elevated
levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Bacteria pollution comes from failing septic tanks, wastewater
treatment plants, broken sewer lines, and animal waste. The issue of bacteria in the tributaries is of
great importance to the public for both environmental and human health reasons. Nutrients released
with sewage may cause algal blooms, and exposure to fecal bacteria can pose a risk to human health.
Currently, nine tributaries in Duval County are “posted” with warnings against human contact because
of high bacteria levels.
The City of Jacksonville has entered into an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that all tributaries achieve
“safe” bacteria levels by 2014. This will be a challenge for the next administration and City Council.
Lower St. Johns River Technical Advisory Committee: http://www.lsjr.org/documents.html
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Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient pollution, or eutrophication, is one of the most serious water quality problems facing the St.
Johns River and its tributaries. While nitrogen and phosphorus are necessary elements for all
ecosystems, the St. Johns River has exceeded its assimilative capacity for these nutrients. This means
that more nutrients are being discharged though pipes and runoff into the river than it can “dilute.”
These nutrients feed uncontrolled algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water needed by fish, reduce
light that is essential to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAVs), and threaten the health of both humans
and aquatic life by emitting toxins. The excess nutrients come from wastewater treatment plants,
industrial discharges, failing septic tanks, stormwater runoff, and fertilizers that regularly wash into the
river.
In recent years, state and federal regulatory agencies have been working to develop nutrient loading
reduction programs. These programs will require significant actions by municipalities and utilities,
including the City of Jacksonville and JEA, to reduce nutrient pollution.
EPA Numeric Nutrient Criteria: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/florida_index.cfm
DEP TMDL Program: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/tmdl/index.htm
Water Conservation
The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) has determined that most of the counties
within the St. Johns River watershed are reaching the sustainable limits of our aquifer. The forthcoming
2010 Water Supply Plan is expected to identify 97% of the District as either a Priority Water Resource
Caution Area or a Potential Caution Area, including Duval County. In North Florida, water use is
expected to increase by over 116 million gallons per day (MGD) from 2005 to 2030, meaning that we are
facing a potential water supply deficit that is larger than JEA’s current daily production for its entire
customer base of 110 MGD.
Each of us living in the watershed of the St. Johns River uses approximately 140 gallons of water every
day. Over 50% is typically used outside the home for lawns and plants. This is the same water that we
drink, feeds our wetlands, creates our springs, and provides 20‐30% of the flow of our river. If we
continue using water at this rate, we run the risk of degrading our aquifer and damaging our wetlands,
springs, and the St. Johns River. However, if we turn to risky and expensive alternatives, such as water
withdrawals from the St. Johns, to meet our water supply needs, we can also potentially harm the health
of our river. Proven conservation strategies and practices provide the most cost‐effective and
responsible alternatives to meet our future water supply needs.
SJRWMD Water Supply Planning Program: http://www.sjrwmd.com/watersupply/planning.html
St. Johns Riverkeeper: http://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/river‐friendly/water‐conservation/
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Septic tanks
There are approximately 70,000 (+/‐ 1,000) septic tanks located throughout Duval County. Ten to 15%
of these systems have failed or are failing. In many cases, these systems are a major cause of high
bacteria levels in our tributaries and nutrient pollution in our river. Failing septic tanks also create
unacceptable public health risks and inhibit private investment and economic development in the
affected areas. Currently, there are 37 areas in Duval County that have been declared Septic Tank
Failure Areas by the Duval County Health Department. Those failing areas include approximately 30,000
septic tanks.
For more information:
Fred Odom, Executive Director
Water Sewer Expansion Authority
904‐655‐5125 odomfc@jea.com
Georgia‐Pacific Pipeline
The Georgia‐Pacific (GP) paper mill in Palatka has discharged its waste stream into Rice Creek, a tributary
of the St. Johns, since 1947. The mill’s discharge has damaged the health of Rice Creek with a variety of
pollutants, including the cancer‐causing compound dioxin. Recent EPA sampling has shown the mill is
still discharging dioxin at levels five times what is considered “safe.” Currently, GP is also the second
largest discharger of nitrogen (lbs.) to the St. Johns River.
As the result of a 2002 Administrative Order (AO), GP states that it has spent $200 million to improve its
wastewater discharge. However, the Palatka mill still cannot meet water quality standards in Rice Creek
and now plans to build a pipeline to divert its waste directly into the St. Johns River.
St. Johns Riverkeeper believes there are alternatives that would allow GP to continue to operate the
mill, potentially address the dioxin problem, keep the discharge point in Rice Creek, and better protect
the St. Johns River.
FL DEP: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/northeast/Current‐Topics/GeorgiaPacific.htm
St. Johns Riverkeeper: www.cleanergp.com
St. Johns River Accord
In the summer of 2006, Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, the St. Johns River Water Management District
(SJRWMD), JEA, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Water Sewer Expansion
Authority (WSEA) responded to the nutrient pollution crisis by entering into a historic agreement that
commits $700 million over 10 years toward the restoration of the lower section of the St. Johns River.
The Accord includes commitments of $200 million from JEA, $150 million from the City of Jacksonville,
up to $150 million from the SJRWMD, and $200 million that will be sought from various federal and
state sources. However, these commitments have gone largely unfulfilled, due to revenue shortfalls
and no dedicated source of state or federal funding.
City of Jacksonville River Accord: http://www3.coj.net/Mayor/River‐Accord.aspx
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