USGS LOGO

 

Circular 1278
A contribution of the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program

2005


Water withdrawals and trends from the Floridan aquifer system in the southeastern United States, 1950-2000

Richard L. Marella and Marian P. Berndt


COVER OF REPORT

Select an option:

CONTENTS
Introduction
National Water-Quality Assessment Program
Aquifer Description
Water Withdrawals, 2000
Water Withdrawal Trends, 1950-2000
Water Quantity and Quality Concerns
References

Introduction

The Floridan aquifer system in the southeastern United States is one of the most productive aquifers in the world (Miller, 1990). This aquifer system underlies an area of about 100,000 square miles in southern Alabama, eastern and southern Georgia, southeastern Mississippi, southern South Carolina, and all of Florida. The Floridan aquifer system is the primary source of water for nearly 10 million people and supports agriculture, industry, and tourism throughout most of the region. In most areas, water from this aquifer is potable and needs very little treatment before use. However, in southern Florida (south of Lake Okeechobee), northwestern Florida and southern Alabama and Mississippi (Pensacola and westward), and eastern South Carolina, water in the aquifer system generally is not potable.

The purpose of this report is to:
• Provide a general description of the Floridan aquifer system;
• Discuss water withdrawals by category for 2000;
• Highlight trends in water withdrawals between 1950 and 2000; and
• Provide a brief summary on the effects that human impacts have on the Floridan aquifer system.


Suggested Citation:

Marella, R.L., and Berndt, M.P., 2005, Water withdrawals and trends from the Floridan aquifer system in the southeastern United States, 1950-2000: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1278, 20 p.

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
2010 Levy Avenue
Tallahassee, FL 32310

rmarella@usgs.gov




FirstGov button  Take Pride in America button