North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership
North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan
2023 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan
The NFRWSP Planning Region includes 14 counties in the SJRWMD and the SRWMD: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, and Union. Beginning in 2020, the Districts worked with stakeholders to update to the 2017 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan (2015-2035) (NFRWSP), which was approved at a joint meeting of the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) governing boards in January 2017. This work was conducted to meet the requirements of Section 373.709 of the Florida Statutes, which requires the Districts to reevaluate their determinations concerning the need for a water supply plan at least every five years. The 2023 NFRWSP assesses current and projected water needs in the NFRWSP area, the potential impacts of groundwater withdrawals on natural systems, and identifies sufficient project options to sustain water resources and related natural systems through the planning horizon (2045). The 2023 NFRWSP (2020–2045) was developed through a collaborative process among the Districts, local governments, public supply utilities, environmental advocates, and other stakeholders.
As a result, the Districts determined fresh groundwater alone cannot supply the projected 135 million gallons per day (mgd) increase in groundwater demand during the planning horizon without causing unacceptable impacts to water resources. The 2023 NFRWSP identified the following solutions to meet the current and future water use needs of the region while ensuring the natural resources of the area are protected.
- The plan illustrated that water conservation efforts could potentially reduce the projected 2045 water demand by as much 60 to 83 mgd.
- The plan also identified an additional 160 mgd of projects, including aquifer recharge, potable reuse, and expanded use of reclaimed and stormwater to meet the projected demand while protecting our natural resources.
Work Completed
- November 16 and 17, 2021 - two Technical Methods public workshops describing the approach to developing the population and water demand projections were held at the SJRWMD and SRWMD, respectively.
- The technical methods were utilized to develop the 2020–2045 population and water demand projections, water reuse estimates and projections, and water conservation scenarios. Comments on the technical methods and datasets were received through December 17, 2021. The Districts reviewed all submitted comments and incorporated updates to the methods and datasets, as necessary. Additional comments on the projections and spatially distributed data were received through July 8, 2022, and were incorporated into the documents where appropriate.
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November 15 and 16, 2022 – two Constraint Assessment public workshops describing the water resource constraint methodologies and results were held at the SRWMD and SJRWMD, respectively.
- Comments on the constraint assessment methodologies and results were received through January 31, 2023 and incorporated into the documents where appropriate.
- February through April 2023 – The Districts worked collaboratively with the region’s utilities, water users, and local stakeholders to identify project options to help meet our water supply needs, now and in the future. A list of potential water supply, water resource development, and water conservation project options was developed, which will be included in the upcoming 2023 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan.
- September 20 and 21, 2023 – two Draft Plan workshops describing the status, overall conceptual intent, and impacts of the 2023 NFRWSP on existing and future reasonable-beneficial uses and related natural systems were held at the SRWMD and SJRWMD, respectively.
- Comments on the 2023 NFRWSP were received through October 6, 2023, and incorporated into the documents where appropriate.
- December 12, 2023 – the SJRWMD and SRWMD Governing Boards approved the 2023 NFRWSP (2020-2045)
Current Activities
There is active work underway in the planning area to establish new MFLs and update existing MFLs. This work is being done in parallel with the planning process. Below is a summary of these activities and points of contact to engage with these efforts.
Final 2023 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan
The Final 2023 NFRWSP and associated appendices, approved by the SJRWMD and SRWMD respective Governing Boards on December 12, 2023, are provided below:
- 2023 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan — with appendices
- 2023 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan — without appendices
- Appendix A Public Comment and Response
- Appendix B Population and Water Demand Projections
- Appendix C Simulated Change in Groundwater Levels within the NFSEG Model
- Appendix D Water Quality Assessment
- Appendix E Adopted MFLs
- Appendix F MFLs Assessment
- Appendix G Waterbodies without Adopted MFLs Assessment
- Appendix H Wetland Assessment
- Appendix I Resiliency Assessment
- Appendix J Land Reclamation Assessment
- Appendix K Project Options
- Appendix L Santa Fe Recovery Strategy
- Appendix M Lakes Brooklyn and Geneva Recovery Strategy
Stakeholder Participation
Interested stakeholders are encouraged to sign up to be notified when data or documents are posted or when meetings related to the NFRWSP are scheduled to occur. To be added to the mailing list, please send your first and last names, group affiliation (if any), and email address to partnership@sjrwmd.com.
Previous Water Supply Plan
The 2017 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan (2015-2035) was the first-ever regional water supply plan for the Partnership, local governments, public supply utilities, environmental advocates, and other stakeholders. These groups all shared the common goals of preserving and extending our future water supply.