We need your help as FOWR Challenges the 2025 Wekiwa & Rock Springs Plan

The Wekiva River along with our beautiful Wekiwa and Rock Springs are impaired because of excessive nutrients and nuisance algae. Previous efforts by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) over the past 10 years have not reduced the nitrogen or algae. Now DEP has issued another inadequate plan to improve water quality in the springs and river. We are asking for your financial support for FOWR’s challenge of the 2025 Wekiwa & Rock Springs BMAP.  Please read the following statement and then visit our website to donate.

On November 24, 2025, the Friends of the Wekiva River and the Florida Springs Council filed a petition challenging the 2025 Wekiwa & Rock Springs Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) adopted by DEP in June, 2025.   The plan does not comply with clear statutory requirements for improving springs water quality, reducing nitrogen pollution, and holding polluters accountable for reducing pollution. Key deficiencies of the Wekiwa & Rock Springs BMAP include:

1. Does not contain a sufficient list of projects, with planning-level cost estimates and estimated dates of completion, to achieve the pollutant reductions needed to meet the 5-year nitrogen load reduction milestone.

2. Does not incorporate sufficient projects and strategies by local governments and agencies to achieve their assigned 5-year nitrogen reduction milestones. Instead, the BMAP unlawfully allows local entities to submit “project identification efforts” by January 14, 2026.

3. Does not incorporate nitrogen load reduction strategies for population growth during the 20- year implementation period.

4. Does not contain an implementation plan to achieve the adopted nitrogen concentration goal within 20 years of adoption.

Legal challenges are not cheap! We would appreciate your financial support for FOWR’s challenge of the 2025 Wekiwa & Rock Springs BMAP. 

Please visit our website to donate.