Alachua County has temporarily closed the designated swimming area at Poe Springs Park due to poor water clarity that has reduced underwater visibility.
The closure took effect Thursday, July 16, after county officials determined water visibility no longer met safety standards for swimmers, according to an Alachua County press release.
The remainder of the park, located at 28800 NW 182nd Ave. in High Springs, will remain open, including picnic areas, walking trails and the boat ramp. Visitors may continue to access the park for activities such as kayaking and canoeing.
County staff will monitor water clarity weekly and will reopen the swimming area once visibility returns to a safe level.
County officials said the temporary closure is intended to protect public safety while environmental conditions improve.
For more information, contact Alachua County Parks and Open Space Director Jason Maurer at 352-213-4796 or jmaurer@alachuacounty.gov.
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“”…poor water quality that has reduced underwater visibility.”
Why? No mention of the cause. Hmm.
Remember when the springs were clean and pure and strongly flowed?
Then came unbridled development, water bottling plants sucking millions of gallons of water from the rivers and the springs and the impacts of warming and climate change.
As if the environment and natural resources were inexhaustible and immune from man-made impact.
Shameful – in fact a crime and an unforgiviable sin.
Why does a Department of Environmental Protection even bother to exist?
We can survive without yet another new housing development, yet another new big box store with a paved parking lot producing run-off contaminated with pollutants.
We cannot survive without an adequate of water.
It looked like that last July, too. We didn’t hear about it because access was closed anyway for construction of new restrooms. This is a worry.