TITLE:
Implications of Declining Ground Water and Water Quality in the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin for Survival and Recovery of Federally Endangered and Threatened Marine and Aquatic Species and Critical Habitat in the US Southeastern Coastal Plain Ecoregion—Part 2
AUTHORS:
Sydney T. Bacchus
KEYWORDS:
Environmental Laws and Regulations, Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Groundwater Capture, Induced Recharge, Inter-Basin Flow
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.11 No.4,
April
28,
2023
ABSTRACT: The Floridan aquifer system underlies the United States (US) Southeastern
Coastal Plain Physiographic Region. Anthropogenic groundwater declines in that
regional karst aquifer system, via semi-confining zones, have been documented
in published literature for decades. These anthropogenic groundwater declines
reduce surfacewater levels and flows, which increases saltwater intrusion and
alters the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters,
in violation of the US Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972. Historic groundwater
declines from mining and other anthropogenic groundwater withdrawals from this
regional karst aquifer system already threaten the survival and recovery of
marine and aquatic federally endangered and threatened species, as well as
existing and proposed critical habitat for those species within the
Southeastern Coastal Plain Ecoregion. Examples of marine and aquatic species
and their designated critical habitat adversely affected by groundwater
declines in the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin of this ecoregion include the
federally endangered south Atlantic Distinct Population Segments (DPS) of the
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus
oxyrinchus), shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser
brevirostrum), and oval pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema
pyriforme), as well as the federally threatened Gulf subspecies of the
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus
desotoi) and Suwannee moccasinshell (Medionidus walkeri). In 2020,
rules were adopted by two federal agencies allowing significant further
degradation of the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the nation’s
waters that are essential for maintaining federally listed species and their
habitat in this Ecoregion. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has
acknowledged the harm to these species and critical habitat from mining and
additional groundwater alterations, but no comprehensive Areawide Environmental
Impact Statement (AEIS), similar to the AEIS required for mining within the
Peace River Basin, has been conducted for any of the numerous mining projects
that are expanding and proposed within the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin to
evaluate all indirect and cumulative adverse impacts to all federally listed
species.