Optimizing groundwater quality monitoring for water supply management

Population growth and land development in northeast and east-central Florida have resulted in rapidly increasing water use. The increasing demands pose potential adverse impacts to groundwater sources and related natural systems and create the risk of water supply shortages. The St. Johns River Water Management District is coordinating a water supply planning effort to identify sufficient water sources and options to meet projected water needs through 2020. To meet the data requirements of the water supply assessment, a geostatistical analysis was performed to devise an improved regional and subregional groundwater quality monitoring network for the Upper Floridan aquifer. Water quality information produced by the monitoring network is used in a wide range of applications. This information is communicated to local governments and the public in various ways.