Water, water everywhere
By Terry Toole

Can you believe this is Spring Creek, today?

Who would have believed that this scene, just above the Spring Creek Bridge inside the Colquitt city limits would look like this on Tuesday, January 15, 2008?

This same spot just a very few weeks ago would not filla 55 gallon barrel with water, and most of that water flowed out of the drain pipe of our city sewerage pond.

Let me be quick to say that the state EPA/EPD officer,or whoever he was told me that the water out of our sewage pond was clean enough to drink. I got a cup and promised him that he would make the front page of this newspaper if he would catch a cupful and take a sip. He refused. The man is smarter than I gave him credit for being.

Back to our beloved Spring Creek -

For the past week or so, we have had numerous calls wanting to know where all the water came from that was flowing down Spring Creek.

The answer wasn't the rains we have been so blessed to receive. They were worth millions of dollars in our drought ridden area, but not enough to fillup the creek, make it run again, and even cover much of the swamp around the creek that hasn't been wet for months and months.

So what made the creek start running and overflowingout into the nearby swamp when we are in the worst drought in recent history?

Far be it from this writer to give the answer without asking the "experts."

According to those who are supposed to know, the rains were great and we need even more, but that didn't bring Spring Creek up like it is.

Have you noticed the other wet weather streams are not running or even filling? We are still in a drought.

These are a couple of answers that were given by some smart folks about Spring Creek.

One stated, "Do you know why they call Spring Creek that name? Even though most of the springs have been covered with sand, silt and logs, ever so often the right things happen, and the springs flowin spite of our poor stewardship."

Another expert said, "We are so fortunate to be sitting on top of one of the biggest aquifers in the world. We don't take care of it like we should, but it will replenish itself better than most aquifers with just a little rain ever so often. With the few rains we have had, and the slow-down of irrigation systems drawing the water out, the Floridian Aquifer and springs around Spring Creek have filled the creek, even in a drought."

According to another expert, "The Floridan aquifer system is one of the most productive aquifers in the world. This aquifer system underlies an area of about 100,000 square miles in southern Alabama, southeastern Georgia, southern South Carolina, and all of Florida. The Floridan aquifer system provides water for several large cities, including Savannah and Brunswick in Georgia; and Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Orlando, and St. Petersburg in Florida. In addition, the aquifer system provides water for hundreds of thousands of people in smaller communities and rural areas. Locally, the Floridan is intensively pumped for industrial and irrigation supplies. During 1985, an average of about 3 billion gallons per day of freshwater was withdrawn from the Floridan for all purposes. Withdrawals during 1988 were somewhat greater. Despite the huge volumes of water that are being withdrawn from the aquifer system, water levels have not declined greatly except locally where pumpage is concentrated or the yield from the system is minimal. Although the aquifer issues out over 3 billion gallons of water each day, there is no real danger in this resource coming to extinction. A high annual rainfall, and the flattopography of Florida provide a natural recharge for the aquifer.' Although use of the aquifers water has increased drastically over the years, more than half of the aquifer has experience no major decline in volume."

Whatever the reason for Spring Creek to start flowing again, Lord, we thank You. I just hope and pray that those "tree hugging" folks don't find a mussel down in the aquifer. We won't be able to draw another drop of water out of it for fear that someone might harm one of them.