Here is your March Earthcare Email,

How To Protect OurFlorida Springs?

Silver Springs is one of the most popular Florida springs and used to produce around 500 gallons of water every year. But last year, the water output was just 200 gallons—an alarming decrease of more than 50% of its water output. If the output continues to decline at the current rate, the spring will soon face saltwater intrusion and will no longer be the beautiful Springs you used to visit on weekends.

Here are 7 ways in which you can do your part to save the Florida Springs

1.   Reduce the pollution on the springshed.

The answer is to protect the springshed. The springshed is the land that provides the freshwater to a spring. Therefore, whatever activities are carried out on the springshed will affect the spring. So the first thing you can do is to reduce the activities that might pollute the springshed and therefore, the springs.

2.   Reduce the use of chemical fertilizers

If you have a gardens in your front yard and use a significant amount of fertilizers to grow the plants, it’s time to stop it. Chemical fertilizers usually come in a powdered form, making it easier to seep right into the underground water resources and pollute it.

You can limit the use of chemical fertilizers or switch to biofertilizers like compost

3.   Make sure your septic tanks are watertight.

Get your septic tank inspected every two or three years. Leaks in septic tanks can cause their content to seep into the underwater reservoir and pollute it. Over time the quality of water begins to reduce drastically, and eventually, it becomes unfit for human use.

4.   Prevent dumping any kind of waste down the street drain.

While cleaning your lawn or front yard, don’t dump the waste , like grass clippings, motor oil, or even pet waste, down the street drains. They can easily reach the underground freshwater source and contaminate it.

Motor oil is the most dangerous to dump in drains, as it doesn’t mix with water and forms a hydrophobic coating on top. This then makes its way into the freshwater springs.

5.   Be careful while disposing of daily-use chemicals.

Often, the last drops of bleach or cleaning solutions go down the drain. Unfortunately, these drains have direct access to the aquifers, which means all the chemicals you pour down the sink pass through the drainage and finally to the aquifer.

The chemicals can easily mix with the water, eventually contaminating the water that flows into the springs.

6.   Take care of the spring’s vegetation when enjoying water sports.

People often accidentally damage the vegetation of the place when they go snorkeling or diving. For example, your swim fins might easily tear off the delicate stems of the water plants, thus destroying the natural habitat of the marine creatures living there. Even more damaging is that once you destroy the native vegetation, there is a high chance that invasive plants might take up its place. Thus, altering the natural ecosystem.

Vegetation gets easily destroyed when motor boats are used in shallow areas. Raise the motor or switch it off when you reach the shallow areas and you can see the vegetation below.

7.   Dispose of trash safely.

Trash continues to be one of the major causes of pollution in the springs. Some visitors who come for camping or picnicking don’t clean up after themselves. Their trash eventually reaches the water bodies or ends up harming or being eaten by the creatures that live there.

Make sure you thoroghly clean up the area once you are done for the day. Follow the instructions set by the authorities and don’t scare off the wildlife and marine creatures in their natural habitat. Let’s all do our part in protecting our beautiful springs, so future generations can enjoy them too.