Collaborative Conservation Efforts

Project Conserves Water

The St. Johns River Water Management District and Vulcan Materials Co. completed a well conversion project in Putnam County that will benefit Clay-Putnam minimum flows and levels (MFLs) while meeting the needs of the Grandin Sand Plant in producing vital construction materials for northeast Florida.

“This project is the result of two teams working together in a collaborative process and striking the right balance to protect the environment while supporting growth through infrastructure and planning,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle. “This is an excellent example of a public-private partnership that not only achieves the MFL for Lake Grandin, but also reduces groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer by more than 2.6 million gallons per day.”

Putnum County Commissioner Buddy Godard; Putnum County Commissioner Bill Pickens; Putnum County Commissioner Larry Harvey; St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle; Vulcan VP/GM Dean Sunas; St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board Member Douglas Burnett; Florida State Representative Bobby Payne; Vulcan Environmental Manager Mike O’Berry

“Doing the right thing is the only way to do business, and that includes conserving resources and protecting the environment,” said Dean Sunas, vice president and general manager at Vulcan Materials Co. “This partnership with the St. Johns River Water Management District demonstrates how businesses and communities can come together for the benefit of all neighbors and stakeholders.”

The $985,000 investment converts the plant’s water source from the Upper Floridan aquifer to the Lower Floridan aquifer. The project included the construction of a Lower Floridan aquifer production well and a Lower Floridan aquifer monitoring well, which allows for additional data collection.

For more information, please visit www.sjrwmd.com