Water Levels

The water supplies that fluctuate most are the surficial resoivoirs since they are recharged by rain.  During drought years these aquifers can fluctuate wildly, up to 30 or more feet.  The water in these resevoirs so near the surface is the most in danger of running our. 

The deeper Floridan Aquifer is incredibly huge, and it fluctuates much less.  It is up to thousands of feet thick in areas, and its annual recharge and use rate is measured in mere inches.    Its recharge rate varies from 1" to 10" on average.  Because of its high recharge rate we need to be careful that it does not become polluted.  All of this water that is stored up is then discharged through over 700 natural springs throughout the state of Florida.  Of these there are over thirty first magnitude springs, meaning springs that give off more than sixty four million gallons of water every day. 

The Floridan Aquifer stretches out over 100,000 square miles of area.  Couple that with thousands of feet thick in average, and you have huge amounts of water.  Its volume is said to be over 2.2 quadrillion gallons.  Just to put into perspective how valuable a resource our aquifer is, a gallon of pure spring water sells for over a dollar, thus making the Floridan Aquifer worth potentially up to $2.2 quadrillion.  (an economics note, were we to actually attempt to sell all of that water it would 'flood' the market resulting in much lower prices)

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