Water Works
Yankee Lake
As part of our plan to protect and preserve the environment and work cooperatively with the region, Seminole County worked with the St. Johns Water Management District to develop the Yankee Lake Project. The concept of withdrawing surface water from the St. Johns River to meet Seminole County’s water demands was first discussed in the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Water Supply Plan 2000. The project was more clearly defined in the Water Supply Plan 2005 update. Finally, on May 13, 2008, the St. Johns River Water Management District amended the Water Supply Plan to add our specific project.
Seminole County complied with the St. Johns River Water Management District Water Supply Plan 2000 and Water Supply Plan 2005 by submitting a permit application to develop an alternative water supply source in 2004. In February 2007, Seminole County amended the permit application to specifically identify the St. Johns River as the alternative source.
The Yankee Lake project proposes to use a small withdrawal from the St. Johns River — just 5.5 million gallons per day, which is equivalent to one-fourth of one percent of the flow in the River at the project site. In the beginning, the water will be used for irrigation, but by 2014, 80 percent of the water will be used for drinking water.
Cooperation
The Yankee Lake project is only intended to meet Seminole County’s future water needs. However, it is possible the project will grow into a regional, collaborative project. Planning for the regional project has been underway for the past two years, and has included meetings with local governments, environmental advocacy groups, community groups and businesses. The consensus opinion of all these participants is that the St. Johns River at the Yankee Lake site should be developed to meet the future needs of other communities in Seminole, Volusia, Orange and Lake Counties.
Seventeen utilities have already expressed an interest in participating in some future water supply project to benefit the entire region. There are still many variables that will determine specifics for such a future project. If and when those variables are resolved, the project stakeholders will apply to the St. Johns River Water Management District for a consumptive use permit. This permit will be separate from the one that Seminole County is currently in the process of obtaining from the St. Johns River Water Management District. The public will have the opportunity to provide input concerning this separate permit application.
