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Experts say main stem of St. Johns River stable but tributaries show persistent pollution problems
Summary
At the Jan. 14 Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting, Dr. Jerry Pinto presented the 18th State of the River report, saying the main stem is generally satisfactory while many tributaries show bacterial and nutrient exceedances, monitoring data fell sharply in 2024, and septic systems and biosolids are key concerns.
Dr. Jerry Pinto, lead author of the 18th State of the River report and a researcher at Jacksonville University, told the Jacksonville Waterways Commission on Jan. 14 that while the main stem of the St. Johns River remains largely within acceptable ranges, many tributaries continue to exceed water‑quality thresholds for bacteria and nutrients.
"For the most part, the mainstream is okay," Pinto said, but he added that "the tributaries remain unsatisfactory and unchanged," listing Miller Creek, Pottsburg Creek, Red Bay, Silversmith and Cowhead Creek among the worst offenders. Pinto said the report uses enterococcus for…
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