Volusia Water Symposium 2021
Springs, a Window into the Aquifer
A look at where we are and where we are going
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Program:
Volusia Water Alliance presents the latest of a webinar series: Springs, a Window into the Aquifer. Join us on Friday October 29 at 9 a.m. when we will explore how our springs, as part of our larger springshed, help us understand the current state and future outlook of our water supply.
We are fortunate to have six experts who will give us a detailed overview of the components that affect our springs. From local plans to meet our future water needs, to historic changes in waterflow and water quality; water conservation; the Blue Spring’s Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP), and a practical Water 101 segment, we will learn all of the valuable information that our springs can give us.
9 AM Moderator
Nancy Vaughn, Natural Resources Chair, League of Women Voters of Volusia County
9:15 What the Westside Utilities are doing to protect spring flow and water quality
Erin Reed PhD, PE Water & Utilities Engineer
Volusia County Water Resources and Utilities
9:45 How Spring’s Work (Keynote Presentation)
Todd Kincaid, Ph.D. Principal
GeoHydros, LLC – Groundwater and Geologic Modeling
10:30 Blue Spring Historic Changes in flow, water quality, and biota
Robert A. Mattson, CEP, CSE (the District’s springs guy)
Environmental Scientist V, Bureau of Water Resources
St. Johns River Water Management District
11:00 10 minute break
11:10 Water conservation
Deirdre A Irwin, Water Conservation Coordinator for the District
St. Johns River Water Management District
11:40 Update on Volusia Blue Spring Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP)
Moira Homann, Basin Coordinator
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration
12:15 Water 101 for Newbies, the guide to living in a springshed, Yard sign, 20 best plants, and the Springs’ Dashboard
Gabrielle (Gabbie) Milch, Middle Basin Manager
St. Johns RIVERKEEPER
12:45 Close
Speakers:
Erin Reed, PhD, PE
Water Resources & Utilities Engineer for Volusia County
Dr. Reed is a senior engineer for Volusia County Water Resources and Utilities, which operates 10 water systems serving populations ranging between 100 and 20,000. She has extensive experience in water quality, water treatment, springshed and watershed analyses, groundwater flow models and transport modeling throughout the central Florida region, including Volusia Blue Spring. Dr. Reed has led Volusia County Utilities as the project manager on several water supply and wastewater remediation projects and strategies for DeLeon Spring, Gemini Spring, and the Volusia Blue Spring.
Todd Kincaid, Ph.D.
Todd is a groundwater scientist, underwater explorer, and advocate for science-based conservation of water resources and aquatic environments. He holds a Ph.D. in hydrogeology from the University of Wyoming and M.S. and B.S. degrees in hydrogeology and geology from the University of Florida. In 1999, he co-founded a consulting company focused on advanced computer simulation and visualization of complex hydrogeologic environments, particularly karst aquifers. From 2000 to 2012, Todd and his team partnered with the Florida Geological Survey and the Florida State University to engage in a long-term study of groundwater flow through the Woodville Karst Plain of North Florida/ South Georgia. They used fluorescent dyes to trace groundwater flow from critical points of concern across the City of Tallahassee to Wakulla, St. Marks, and Spring Creek Springs. Their work demonstrated that groundwater and its contaminants can move at speeds of up to miles per day; and that saltwater intrusion to the Floridan aquifer due to over pumping and sea level rise is happening far faster than previously thought possible. Todd is currently a senior associate at the geotechnical engineering firm Shannon and Wilson Inc. and Executive Director of Project Baseline, a 501(c)(3) aimed at mobilizing scuba divers to record change in the world’s underwater environments and engage with scientific, conservation, and government entities to advance restoration and protection efforts. More on Todd at: LinkedIn and ResearchGate.
Robert A. Mattson
Robert Mattson a Senior Environmental Scientist at SJRWMD. He has been involved in monitoring, research, and
management of Florida springs, rivers, and estuaries for 35 years. Since joining SJRWMD in 2005, he has worked mainly on springs
evaluating the drivers affecting spring ecology and applying that knowledge to management.
Deirdre Irwin
Deirdre Irwin is the Water Conservation Coordinator for the St. Johns River Water Management District. With over 30 years of experience with the District, she has worked with the agency’s surface water regulatory program, water resource education program, certification program development and water supply planning. Her work as the Florida Water StarSM Coordinator involves administering the program and technical outreach for the program. Deirdre works closely with district staff in the development of regional water supply plans and coordinates a regional utility conservation coordinator network.
Deirdre co-chairs the Water Use Efficiency Division for the Florida Section of the AWWA. She serves on the statewide Florida-Friendly Landscaping Advisory Committee and on the Board of the Florida Green Building Coalition.
Moira Homann
Moira Homann began her career at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (department) in 2010 with the Watershed Evaluation and Total Maximum Daily Load (WET) Section working on developing TMDLs. In 2014, she joined the department’s Watershed Planning and Coordination Section working as the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) coordinator for surface water and spring BMAPs across the state. Over the past couple of years, Moira has also been heavily involved working with stakeholders across the state developing and implementing Alternative Restoration Plans.
Moira received a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Conservation Management from the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture in 2004; and a joint Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Public Affairs from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 2009.
Gabbie Milch
She is the Middle St. Johns River Basin Advocacy Coordinator for the St. Johns Riverkeeper, a non-profit organization. Gabbie focuses on water resource protection and clean water in the St. Johns River Middle Basin. She activates and advocates for the community to engage and learn about the quality and quantity of the River from Orange County to Lake George. She believes that the St. Johns River should be safe for kayaking, as well as swimmable and fishable. She believes clean water is critical for our waterways and aquatic life and the health of people.
She has worked as an Extension Agent for the Seminole County UF IFAS Extension Office as an Urban Horticulturalist and Florida Friendly Landscape Program Agent, coordinated the Master Gardener Program. She also has worked as a Stormwater and Lakes Manager for the City of Maitland, Fl. And as a Water Conservation Coordinator for the City of Ocoee, Fl
She has worked in outreach, volunteer coordination, and community education for over 30 years in Central Florida. She attended UF, working on her MS in Agricultural Education and Communications and graduated from Rollins College, Winter Park, FL with a BA in Environmental Studies, 1988. She is an avid kayaker and loves the outdoors. Married with three grown children, and lives near Wekiva Springs.
For more information please email volusiawater@gmail.com
This program was funded with the help of the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida via proceeds from the ‘Protect Florida Springs’ license plate.
PREVIOUS SEMINARS IN THE SERIES
Volusia Water Alliance
Virtual Symposium Series
P R E S E N T S
Restoring Balance: Reflections on Florida’s Water:
Past, Present, and Future
Presented by Rick Kilby and Moderated by Jason Evans
Rick Kilby is the author of the award-winning, Finding the Fountain of Youth, and recently released Florida’s Healing Waters.
Professor Jason Evans is the Executive Director of Stetson University’s Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience.
To View the recording of this webinar, click on this link;
Restoring Balance: