Not just an arid landscape problem: Springflow declines in a region with high rainfall

Competition between human use and spring-dependent systems puts these systems in jeopardy. This study analyzed whether Florida springs have experienced reductions in springflow over the last century using time series data from state and federal agencies. Of 57 springs, 26 exhibited negative trends in springflow; these declines were correlated with population growth, with groundwater withdrawals, and to a lesser extent with rainfall. Even in a region with abundant rainfall, population growth has impacted spring integrity.