Monitoring Program and Data

ACEPD received grant funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to locate, survey and take water level measurements from wells in Alachua, Gilchrist and Columbia counties to determine springsheds or which areas of the Floridan aquifer system contribute to which springs on the Santa Fe River. See the full report here or the map here. See this presentation which explains what a springshed is and how the map was created.

ACEPD also performs semi-annual potentiometric surface mapping of the Floridan aquifer system to monitor groundwater levels within Alachua County. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at over 90 wells.  These contours show the potential altitude to which water will rise in tightly cased wells that tap the confined portions of the Floridan aquifer as well as the actual water surface elevation in wells that tap the unconfined Floridan aquifer.  The vertical datum is National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929.  To see the May 2010 Potentiometric Map click HERE. Semi-annual data collection is performed in cooperation with Suwannee River Water Management District, St. Johns River Water Management District and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. 

ACEPD has sampled approximately 80 wells in Alachua, Columbia and Gilchrist counties for nitrates. This was an effort to determine the extent and degree of nitrate contamination in the Floridan aquifer system. A map summarizing this study is available here.