Apparently Clay County residents, and others in Northeast Florida, aren't the only people who see the potential danger in sucking a few hundred million gallons of water out of the St. Johns River. American Rivers thinks so, too.

That organization has named our river as one of the 10 Most Endangered Rivers in the United States.

Central Florida needs water to accommodate growth. A long-term solution is needed, and one that does not risk the St. Johns as the most convenient stop-gap measure.

The St. Johns River Water Management District has the authority to put a halt to the ill-conceived plan to syphon the river at its sources. The Florida Legislature can use its powers to stop this roll of the dice on our river's health and ecosystem. Neither, though, appear inclined to look into the future and say anything other than "Maybe 250 million gallons a day won't damage the river."

When you're talking about a natural asset like the St. Johns River, "maybe" should never be good enough.

Besides, if Central Florida is allowed to draw a quarter-billion gallons a day now, how many more hundreds of millions of gallons a day will it need to accommodate its future growth? If there isn't the wisdom or courage to stop this terribly risky plan before it gets started, we sure can't count on the Legislature or Water District stepping to the plate later.

When the line at the St. Johns spigot starts filling with Central Florida's next development, and the one after that and after that one too, maybe the Water District and Legislature will step in and put a stop to it.  But "maybe" isn't good enough for the St. Johns.

In a few more years, when the St. Johns River has become the St. Johns Creek and then the St. Johns Lake and eventually the St. Johns puddle, Central Florida (along with the rest of the state) is still going to need water. We will still face the same problem we face today and looking for a reasonable, long-term solution, just like today. We can work toward that solution now, or we can allow our government to watch as the river is raped first, then work toward a real solution.

People who oppose the plan to begin withdrawing hundreds of millions of gallons from the St. Johns River have two points of protest - the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Florida Legislature. They will act responsibly in the face of development only when they are forced to.

Contact them, and let them know that you are one of the growing numbers ready to force them to protect the our river, so the St. Johns no longer belongs as one of the nation's 10 Most Endangered Rivers.

Michael S. Mann

michaelsmann@comcast.net [1]