Florida Water Depletion

The state of Florida is known for its natural springs, which originate from the underground Floridan aquifer. Aquifers are underground caverns where water is collected from runoff. The aquifer also provides water for practical residential usage, agricultural irrigation, commercial and industrial usage. In the 1800s water was abundant, in order to create more residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial settings, the state had to undertake acts to rid the land of water. According to “Florida’s Water Resources,” the state would do this by draining swamps, creating statewide canals, and also holding back flood water. Those programs were meant to rid the land of excess water, so people were able to create additional land suitable for …show more content…
The first solution is to aerate lawns throughout the state. Aeration is the process in which a thick layer of thatch is punctured so air and water are able to reach the roots of a lawn. Aeration also gets rid of soil compaction, which can block water and nutrients from entering the soil. By using aeration people can replenish the state’s groundwater while also having a healthy lawn. Over watering of residential and commercial lawns is another problem people are having when using water. If a person were to aerate they would use less water, while sustaining a healthy lawn. According to Roy R. Carricker, a professor at the University of Florida in the Department of Food and Resource Economics, Florida gets about 55 inches of precipitation each year. The amount of rainfall the state gets does not replenish the amount used. An individual aerating their lawn will not need to use sprinklers every day. Another example to reduce the water usage is to educate the public on the importance of conserving water. Uneducated citizens do not have an understanding about the concept of how significant the aquifer is, which leads to misuse of water. Therefore, by telling citizens about the aquifers and how important they are, citizens will make responsible decisions about their personal usage of water. The water we save will go toward the growing population of people moving into the state and a regulated use in agriculture. The state will continue to have beautiful springs fed by the aquifer and still have water to use for economic practices in farming, recreation, commercial and industrial areas. Agricultural irrigation is affecting the aquifer by joining the force of over watering. For example, in 1990, 3,805 million gallons per day were used on crops and etcetera (Carricker). Methods such as aeration, reducing sprinkler usage,