Black Creek water resource development project

I want you to know about this because it is a very good thing for Keystone Heights and is going to cause the value of houses to go up. I want to start by letting you know that Spring Lake gets water from natural springs. We have seen the water go up and down during the 44 years we have owned the property, but it has never affected us.  Our lake is large enough and deep enough that boating, fishing, and swimming have never been an issue.

                                                                                                 Cost of the Black Creek Project

 The current cost estimate for the construction of the system, including the pump station, pipeline and treatment system, is
approximately $100 million. Funding for the project was provided in the St. Johns River and Keystone Heights Lake Region Projects legislative appropriations over three years beginning in 2017. The total appropriation was more than $48 million, of which nearly $43.4 million was allocated to the Black Creek project. Additionally, north Florida utilities are contributing $19.2
million toward the project. Those utilities include Clay County Utility Authority, Gainesville Regional Utilities, St. Johns County Utilities, and JEA. The remaining balance will be provided from District funds. The appropriation was championed by Sen. Rob Bradley of Fleming Island (who currently serves as the District’s Governing Board Chairman), Rep. Bobby Payne of Palatka, and Rep.
Travis Cummings from Orange Park.

                                                             Why is it important to bring water to Keystone Heights Lakes?

There are TWO MAJOR recharge areas for the Floridan Aquifer; One is located in the Valdosta, Georgia area and the other one is through Lakes Brooklyn and Geneva in Keystone Heights, Florida.

 The low water levels of those two lakes reflect the fact that the aquifer

 is being drawn down at a greater rate than rainfall can resupply the recharge areas.

 

This project is a 17-mile pipeline that will connect Middleburg’s Black Creek to Keystone Heights, Florida.

 

The pipeline will pump a maximum of 10 million gallons per day and is expected

 to increase the water level at Lake Geneva by 10 feet. 

Spring Lake is part of the Etonia chain of lakes so it will be substantially recharged.  

 

RECENT UPDATE:

 

This is an email I received on December 16, 2024

 

                                                            Water will start flowing into the filtration fields in late Dec/early Jan.                                                              There will be a two-month test process, then water will be going into Alligator Creek.

 Vivian @ saveourlakes.org