Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis – Final Report SANTA FE RIVER AND SPRINGS ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Phase 3: Final Report: Environmental Data i The Santa Fe River at Rum Island by Hillary Skowronski Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis – Final Report Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis Phase 3 – Final Report: Environmental Data Prepared for Santa Fe River and Springs Scientific Working Group Date December 2020 Prepared by The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute ii Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis – Final Report Table of Contents Figures ...................................................................................................... iii Tables ........................................................................................................ v Acknowledgements .................................................................................. vi Executive Summary ................................................................................ vii Section 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................ 1 1.1 Study Area ......................................................................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Focus Springs ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.1.2 Other Noteworthy Springs ........................................................................................................ 5 1.2 Springs Under Protective Management ............................................................................. 10 1.3 Existing State-Mandated Springs Protection/Restoration Programs ................................... 11 1.3.1 Minimum Flows and Levels .................................................................................................... 11 1.3.2 TMDL/BMAP .......................................................................................................................... 12 Section 2.0 Environmental Baseline ....................................................... 13 2.1 Physical Environment....................................................................................................... 13 2.1.1 Geography ................................................................................................................................ 13 2.1.3 Land Use ................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 Hydrology ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.2.1 Rainfall ..................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2.2 River Discharge ....................................................................................................................... 19 2.2.3 The Relationship Between Rainfall and Discharge .............................................................. 22 Section 3.0 Spring Health Indicators and Methods of Sampling ........... 25 3.1 Water Quality .................................................................................................................. 25 3.2 Water Clarity ................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.1 Underwater Light Transmission ............................................................................................ 29 3.2.2 Secchi Disk Visibility ............................................................................................................... 29 3.3 Water Quantity ................................................................................................................ 30 3.4 Ecological Monitoring ...................................................................................................... 30 3.4.1 Vegetation and Algae Assessments ........................................................................................ 30 3.4.2 Fish Surveys ............................................................................................................................. 31 3.4.3 Snail Populations ..................................................................................................................... 31 3.4.4 Human Use ............................................................................................................................... 31 i Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis – Final Report 3.4.5 Whole Ecosystem Metabolism ................................................................................................ 33 Section 4.0 Results .................................................................................. 35 4.1 Water Quality .................................................................................................................. 35 4.1.1 Dissolved Oxygen ..................................................................................................................... 35 4.1.2 pH .............................................................................................................................................. 36 4.1.3 Specific Conductance .............................................................................................................. 36 4.1.4 Water Temperature ................................................................................................................. 36 4.1.5 Analytical Parameters ............................................................................................................. 39 4.2 Water Clarity ................................................................................................................... 46 4.2.1 Underwater Light Transmission ............................................................................................ 46 4.2.2 Secchi Disk Visibility ............................................................................................................... 46 4.3 Water Quantity ................................................................................................................ 50 4.4 Ecological Monitoring ...................................................................................................... 51 4.4.1 Vegetation and Algae .............................................................................................................. 51 4.4.2 Fish Surveys ............................................................................................................................. 57 4.4.3 Snail Populations ..................................................................................................................... 60 4.4.4 Human Use ............................................................................................................................... 62 4.4.5 Ecosystem Level Monitoring .................................................................................................. 65 Section 5.0 Discussion ............................................................................ 69 Water Withdrawals .......................................................................................................................... 69 Declining Spring and River Flows .......................................................................................... 70 Water Quality in the Springs and River .................................................................................. 73 Recreational Impairments ...................................................................................................... 77 Section 6.0 Conclusions .......................................................................... 81 References ............................................................................................... 82 Appendix A ............................................................................................. 85 Detailed Water Chemistry ..................................................................................................... 85 Appendix B............................................................................................ 122 Quarters 1-8 Fish Data ........................................................................................................ 122 ii Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis – Final Report Figures Figure 1. Overview of Phase 2 Sampling Stations for the Santa Fe River and Springs Environmental Analysis. ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 2. Segments 1 and 2 Santa Fe River monitoring station locations. ................................................... 7 Figure 3. Segment 3 Santa Fe River monitoring station locations. .............................................................. 8 Figure 4. Segment 4 and the Ichetucknee River monitoring stations. .......................................................... 9 Figure 5. Natural landforms that influence the physiography of the Santa Fe River System (areas from White, 1970 and SDII, 2011). ................................................................................................................................ 14 Figure 6. A map of the springsheds within the extent of the Santa Fe River Surface and Groundwater Contributing Basin.