On a recent boat trip on the Silver River to Silver Springs , I was again reminded of a fast-vanishing, old and more timeless Florida. One of powerful swirling, crystal-clear springs and of slow-rolling rivers against a backdrop of tall cypress trees and moss-draped live-oak trees — there really is no place like it in the world.
Unfortunately, however, our rivers and springs are under severe stresses and many are in decline. We can and must do more to protect our rivers and springs.
Renowned springs scientist and founder of the Florida Springs Institute, Dr. Robert Knight , cites excessive groundwater pumping and nitrogen pollution as the two biggest stresses to Florida springs. Silver Springs (a national treasure and still among the most visited tourist attractions in Florida ) has seen significant declines in its flow rates.
This combined with nitrogen pollution and the upriver damming of the Ocklawaha River has adversely affected whole ecosystems.
I saw these effects firsthand on my most recent visit to Silver Springs. Underwater meadows of tapegrass — along with the white sand and shell bottom — were now overgrown with a flowing filamentous algae, a sad gauzy darkness replacing what once was the clear, reflected light of transparent waters.