Water district declares April as Springs Protection Awareness Month
During its March meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD or water district) Governing Board declared April as Springs Protection Awareness Month, also emphasizing that springs are vital to the environment, economy, citizens and visitors of the state.
Earlier in March, the water district launched an education campaign to help protect the Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County, which begins at its world-famous springs. The Weeki Wachee River education campaign aims to inform river visitors about the recreational best management practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts. To learn more about the campaign, visit WaterMatters.org/ProtectWeeki.
The water district, in partnership with various stakeholders, is committed to implementing studies, projects and programs to conserve and improve the ecological balance of these spring systems, supporting regional economies, and quality of life. The water district has been a lead technical agency in springs protection and improvement for more than a decade, and has taken a comprehensive approach to protect the region’s springs, which includes water conservation, restoration, planning, communication and education, monitoring, research and development, regulation, and land acquisition and management.
There are more than 150 documented springs throughout the 16-county water district, with five first-magnitude spring groups that collectively discharge more than one billion gallons of water per day.
You can find more information about springs on the agency's website at WaterMatters.org/Springs.