Florida is home to more than 1,100 artesian springs, the largest concentration in the world. Historically receiving an average of more than 10.5 billion gallons of pure groundwater per day, Florida's springs once provided a unique aquatic habitat unparalleled for species diversity and productivity. After more than 150 years of expanding human agricultural and urban development, Florida's springs have lost more than one third of their historic average flows and have been severely polluted by leaching fertilizers and careless disposal of human and animal wastes. The health of many of Florida's spring ecosystems has been severely impaired. A practical and affordable solution is available. Human groundwater extractions need to be significantly curtailed by implementing a cap on total groundwater use and by charging an extraction fee. Water reliance needs to shift from free groundwater to rainfall capture and storage. A similar solution is available to greatly reduce nitrogen contamination of the Floridan Aquifer. A cap and fee for nitrogen fertilizers and wastewater discharges should be implemented by Florida law. These proposed "aquifer protection" fees could be implemented gradually and fairly to allow private and public enterprises to adapt. These commonsense measures are needed immediately to save and restore these amazing gifts of Nature.

Dr. Bob Knight is an environmental scientist with more than 40 years of professional experience in Florida and nationwide. He is the founder and president of the non-profit Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute where he has written five books and numerous springs restoration plans. Bob also founded and was president of Wetland Solutions for 17 years where he led hundreds of treatment wetland projects, including the planning and design of Gainesville’s Sweetwater Wetlands Park. Dr. Knight also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Florida for six years, teaching graduate-level courses in Springs Ecology and Treatment Wetland Design.