Water supply

One of the core missions of the St. Johns River Water Management District is to implement a regional strategy to provide sufficient water for both people and the environment. For most of us, our main source of water comes from underground aquifers, primarily the Floridan aquifer, and that source of water is limited.

People draw water out of aquifers for drinking and for agricultural or industrial uses. On the other side, the rain that fills aquifers is also needed in lakes, rivers, estuaries and wetlands to meet nature’s needs. The district works daily to maintain a balance in the water needed by people and nature for today and in the future.

Using too much groundwater can result in unacceptable impacts, such as drying out wetlands, reducing spring flows, lowering lake levels and degrading groundwater quality from saltwater intrusion. The district’s regulatory program works to ensure these types of impacts do not occur from permitted uses.

The district’s water supply planning program works to plan for meeting our future demands while protecting the water resources.