Florida Freshwater

Healthy ecosystems and watersheds are the foundation for healthy economies and communities. Florida’s natural areas, lakes, rivers, aquifers and working forests provide clean, bountiful water supplies for people and nature and are prized recreational resources among swimmers, divers, boaters, anglers and others.

However, Florida’s freshwater resources are experiencing declines in quality and quantity, as well as significant alterations to natural hydrology. Pressures include rapid growth that has led to more demand for water and amplified stormwater runoff from urban areas and agricultural lands that impacts water
quality by increasing nutrient loads and sediments. Overarching issues such—as climate change and poor land development decisions—are also causing water resources to decline. These problems are jeopardizing water for Florida’s natural systems—like lakes, rivers, springs and coastlines—and affecting people that live in and visit the state. TNC is working with partners to improve and protect Florida’s water resources for both nature and people.

Florida Freshwater provides access to two tools that can be used to help make decisions to improve these freshwater resources. The Sedimentation tool provides assessments of sites in the Yellow River watershed where sedimentation is occurring. The Aquifers tool uses publicly available data to model where nutrient loads and water withdrawals are most affecting Florida’s springs.