GROVELAND, Fla. \u2013 Among the rolling hills in Groveland, you\u2019ll find the largest ornamental tree grower in the Southeast.<\/p>\n
One-thousand acres. A million trees and plants.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese trees get shipped all the way as far north as New York and as far west as Texas,\u201d Austin Spivey, the nursery\u2019s production manager, said as he walked under the shade from rows of potted magnolia trees. <\/p>\n
Cherry Lake Nursery (WKMG-TV)<\/p>\n
The tree farm is also an example of Florida\u2019s future relationship with water. <\/p>\n
Here, every drop is meticulously managed. <\/p>\n
Cherry Lake Nursery is leading the way in water conservation. Using technology, Spivey says they\u2019ve cut water usage by 40% while increasing production by 15%. <\/p>\n
Austin Spivey explains the benefits of some of the water conservation technology at Cherry Lake Nursery (WKMG-TV)<\/p>\n
Saving water makes business sense, but it\u2019s also necessary, according to the latest Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI). It\u2019s a 20-year plan for managing Florida\u2019s water resources. <\/p>\n
Clay Corsey, the Director of Water Supply Planning and Assessment with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), says the plan is necessary to ensure that Florida\u2019s water resources are not just abundant but sustainable for future generations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell people my job is really weird,\u201d Corsey said. \u201cIn that, what I want to do is I want that water molecule in the aquifer to be reused as many times as possible before it ultimately discharges out to the Atlantic Ocean.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Upper Floridan aquifer has historically supplied the vast majority of water used in Central Florida, but new studies suggest that it will have to change. <\/p>\n
You see, when the aquifer below us gets stressed, the flow of our springs slows, lake levels can drop, and wetlands dry up. <\/p>\n
Scientist measures the flow in a spring (St. John’s River Water Management District)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our rivers, lakes, and springs that are gonna be the canary in the coal mine,\u201d Corsey explained. \u201cWe have a team of scientists that go out into the field and collect that data. They also have the flow data and then they come up with the relationships between what we\u2019re seeing happening with the ecology and the water flows to determine how much water can safely be taken out of those systems before we harm them.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cTraditional water resources alone cannot meet future water demands or currently permitted allocations without resulting in unacceptable impacts to water resources and related natural systems.\u201d That\u2019s the conclusion in the latest CFWI report. <\/p>\n
The Initiative, established in 2016, is a 20-year management plan, updated and approved every five years. <\/p>\n
The collaborative effort involves multiple water management districts, including the St. Johns River, South Florida and Southwest Florida Water Management Districts. The initiative aims to address the growing demand for water in a region where rapid development and population growth pose significant challenges. <\/p>\n
[WATCH: Program at Blue Spring State Park provides state-of-the-art all-terrain chairs]<\/p>\n
\u201cWater is something in the state of Florida that I think a lot of us take for granted,\u201d said Corsey, emphasizing the delicate balance between utilizing water for human needs and protecting the environment.<\/p>\n
The CFWI\u2019s recent report highlights a critical issue: the sustainable limit of groundwater withdrawals from the upper Florida aquifer has been reached. To meet future needs, alternative water supplies must be explored. \u201cWe need to be looking to alternative water supplies in order to meet those future needs,\u201d Corsey explains.<\/p>\n
The plan includes a diverse portfolio of 140 water supply and water resource development projects and 27 water conservation projects, ensuring that growth and environmental protection move forward hand in hand.<\/p>\n
In fact, without the projects outlined in the 2025 plan, Central Florida could face a projected groundwater shortfall of 96 million gallons per day by 2045. <\/p>\n
One of the innovative solutions is the Taylor Creek Reservoir, which, when fully constructed, will supply 54 million gallons per day of surface water.<\/p>\n
Taylor Creek Reservoir (St. John’s River Water Management District)<\/p>\n
Additionally, businesses like the Cherry Lake Tree Farm are implementing efficient irrigation systems and utilizing surface water to conserve groundwater.<\/p>\n
Purchasing and installing new equipment can be expensive. One of the biggest returns on conservation came from the installation of more efficient water emitters. The simple plastic devices are inexpensive, but the installation was costly.<\/p>\n
Water emitters at Cherry Lake Nursery (WKMG-TV)<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to keep in mind to convert our farm to these took over a million emitters and thousands of miles of poly pipe spaghetti tubing,\u201d Spivey explained. \u201cIt took us one year, three people working six days a week just to convert the farm.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cherry Lake Nursery also purchased new pumps, which allows then to use more surface water from lakes and ponds for irrigation. <\/p>\n
The SJRWMD offers a cost-share program to help offset the cost of new equipment. <\/p>\n
Corsey says conservation will play an increasingly bigger role in Florida\u2019s water future. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf each one of us do a little bit in conserving water, what that does is that helps put off the need for these large-scale regional water supply projects,\u201d Corsey urges, highlighting the collective responsibility of individuals in safeguarding Florida\u2019s water future.<\/p>\n
From 2020 through 2024, about $2.85 million was dedicated toward 30 water conservation projects that are complete or underway, projected to save over 1 million gallons per day. <\/p>\n
Think of the aquifer as a savings account, Corsey suggests. \u201cWe want to try and use the surface water when we\u2019re in those periods of heavier rainfall… and then draw on the aquifer during those drier times.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Florida continues to grow, the challenge of maintaining a sustainable water supply becomes ever more pressing. Yet, Corsey believes there is hope. \u201cThe future of Florida looks amazing,\u201d he assures, thanks to the collaborative efforts of water management districts and the commitment to innovative, sustainable solutions.<\/p>\n
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