Save Our Waters Week essay contest winners First place: Megan Marie Manning / CRHS Essay: Florida Springs — A Treasure in Jeopardy Florida’s springs were once crystal clear bodies of water that were untouched and naturally maintained. The beautiful bodies of water looked as if someone strenuously hand painted each and every glisten of translucent water, white sand, and green trees as nature’s canopy. Today, the painting has been shattered and the paint has crusted over into an algae coated, unsanitary mess no one wants to notice. If changes are not made soon, the springs will be extinct and future generations will not be able to witness its exquisite attributes due to overuse of water and possible permanent pollution. The fresh water in the Florida’s springs is valuable and needs to be conserved. Why does fresh water need to be cautiously utilized? Fresh water is essential to life on Earth and vital to human existence. Ninety-seven percent of Earth’s water is salt water, resulting in merely three percent fresh water. With this minuscule quantity available for all humans to rely on, it is crucial to conserve it. Oftentimes people do not attempt to preserve how much water they use, and in fact the average person in the U.S. uses about 300 liters a day. Also, water is used for residential, agricultural, and industrial purposes, consequently causing the fresh water springs to deplete. Damage to the springs has further escalated because of the effects from pollution. Specifically, fertilizers containing phosphorus and nitrates pollute through runoff into the springs. What is runoff? Runoff is defined as an abundant amount of water washing an overload of fertilizer away, forcing the nutrients to drain into the springs. Runoff leads to artificial eutrophication, which is defined as a practice that enhances the nutrient level in a body of water through human activities. The end result of artificial eutrophication is algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and death of aquatic life. Obviously, the situation Florida is in is a depressing tragedy. The appearance of our springs will continue to develop as an unsightly vision if we do not make an adjustment. In the next several decades do Floridians and tourists desire to see a swampy marsh or the genuine beauty the springs had to offer? It is imperative we control how Florida’s water is managed and minimize the pollutants employed to save what is in jeopardy.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 14:50:53 +0000