Category Archives: Council District 3

Council At-Large District 2, Council District 3, Planning District 2, Tributary

2.7.14. Greenfield Creek

2.7.14.1. About Greenfield Creek

Figure 2.43 Greenfield Creek (WBID 2240A/B) with sanitary sewer overflows reported by JEA in 2022 (JEA 2022b).
Figure 2.43 Greenfield Creek (WBID 2240A/B) with sanitary sewer overflows reported by JEA in 2022 (JEA 2022b).
    • West of the Intracoastal Waterway
    • Primary Land Use: Residential
    • Current TMDL reports:
      Fecal Coliform with BMAP
    • Not included in 2022 Verified List of Impaired Waters
    • WBID Area: 2.9 sq. mi.
    • Beneficial Use: Class III F/M

    (2240A Recreational – Marine, 2240B Recreational – Freshwater)

2.7.14.2. Data sources

Data were historically downloaded from the FL STORET website (DEP 2010f), with recent data downloaded from WIN WAVES (DEP 2022f). Data were filtered based on the stations in the Greenfield Creek WBID 2240A (marine) and 2240B (freshwater) (DEP 2023b) shown above. The filtered dataset reflects water column concentrations and was used to generate Table 2.19.

2.7.14.3. Discussion

Water quality data for Greenfield Creek are shown in Table 2.19. Average phosphorus levels were historically higher than the recently updated WQC (DEP 2015c; DEP 2016d; DEP 2016i), but data from 2020 through 2022 indicate that average concentrations of phosphorus and dissolved oxygen were within acceptable limits.  However, four of ten dissolved oxygen samples in the marine reach (2240A) were lower than the WQC. Average chlorophyll-a concentrations in the marine reach (2240A) remained higher than the WQC in 2020-2022, while average chlorophyll-a levels in the freshwater reach were below the WQC in 2021-2022.  Dissolved oxygen was removed from the verified impaired list (DEP 2016h) in Greenfield Creek. Greenfield Creek was verified impaired for mercury (DEP 2016h), but this has been addressed in the statewide mercury TMDL already in place (DEP 2013c).

A TMDL report (Wainwright and Hallas 2009a) was released to address fecal coliform, with a 70% reduction of sources, and a BMAP for Greenfield Creek (DEP 2010a) was legally adopted in August 2010. The Greenfield Creek watershed does not contain any permitted point sources for industrial wastewater. It contains the Girvin Road Landfill, which has been inactive since 1992; this landfill received not only solid waste, but sludge from the Neptune Beach Sewage Treatment Plant. The watershed also contains numerous outfalls for stormwater discharge. FDEP reported improvement in the frequency of fecal coliform exceedances in the freshwater segment of Greenfield Creek, but the last fecal coliform measurements in Greenfield Creek before 2018 date back to 2008.  Recent measurements indicate ongoing issues with elevated fecal indicator bacteria levels, as the average levels were several times higher than the WQC in 2020-2022. Additional information about fecal coliform in the tributaries can be found in Section 2.6 and Table 2.3. In 2018, FDEP piloted microbial source tracking strategies in selected impaired waterbodies.  They found that the strategies used could be used to narrow down areas suspected of containing sources that actively contribute fecal indicating bacteria to water in order to identify and remediate them, but this work is resource-intensive.  The source of fecal coliform in Greenfield Creek was unknown (DEP 2019a). In 2020, the freshwater portion of Greenfield Creek was added to FDEP’s study list to monitor the response in fecal coliform (E. coli) levels to ongoing restoration activities taking as part of the existing BMAP (DEP 2020f).

Historical water quality data for these parameters in Greenfield Creek are available in previous versions of the River Report. 

Table 2.19 Water quality data for Greenfield Creek.

Water QualityAverage and Number of Samples º
ParameterCriteria202020212022
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)≥34% sat. (≥3.0) FW7.23
(0 of 2 samples)		5.84
(0 of 10 samples)		5.30 ± 0.45
(0 of 9 samples)
≥4.0 SW5.95
(1 of 6 samples)		6.14
(1 of 4 samples)		5.20 ± 0.94
(4 of 10 samples)
Total Nitrogen (mg/L)<1.54‡ FW0.91
(0 of 5 samples)		0.98
(0 of 4 samples)		1.09 ± 0.08
(0 of 5 samples)
<1.54‡ SW0.88 ± 0.07
(0 of 5 samples)
Total Phosphorus (mg/L)<0.12‡ FW0.09
(0 of 5 samples)		0.09
(0 of 9 samples)		0.07 ± 0.01
(0 of 5 samples)
<0.12‡ SW0.08 ± 0.01
(0 of 5 samples)
Chlorophyll-a (µg/L)<20‡ FWNot available7.90
(0 of 5 samples)		7.49 ± 2.25
(0 of 5 samples)
<5.4‡ SW15
(4 of 4 samples)		14.35
(4 of 4 samples)		8.18 ± 1.43
(3 of 5 samples)
Arsenic (µg/L)≤50 FWNot available0.94
(0 of 9 samples)		Not available
≤50 SWNot available1.71 ± 0.18
(0 of 10 samples)
Cadmium (µg/L)<0.3 FWNot available0.01
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
<8.8 SWNot available0.01
(0 of 4 samples)		0.03 ± 0.01
(0 of 10 samples)
Copper (µg/L)<9.3 FWNot available8.25
(1 of 5 samples)		Not available
<3.7 SWNot available5.79
(4 of 4 samples)		2.57 ± 0.60
(3 of 10 samples)
Iron (µg/L)<1.0 FWNot included in
2021 SORR		Not included in
2022 SORR		Not available
<0.3 SWNot included in
2021 SORR		Not included in
2022 SORR		0.36 ± 0.07
(4 of 10 samples)
Lead (µg/L)<3.2 FWNot available0.14
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
<8.5 SWNot available0.30
(0 of 4 samples)		0.49 ± 0.09
(0 of 10 samples)
Nickel (µg/L)<52 FWNot available0.25
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
<8.3 SWNot available0.50
(0 of 4 samples)		0.78 ± 0.12
(0 of 10 samples)
Silver (µg/L)<0.07 FWNot available0.01
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
<0.92 SWNot available0.01
(0 of 4 samples)		0.02 ± 0.01
(0 of 10 samples)
Zinc (µg/L)<120 FWNot available10.50
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
<86 SWNot available7.50
(0 of 4 samples)		6.00 ± 0.76
(0 of 10 samples)
Fecal Indicator Bacteria (E. coli) (CFU/100 mL)E. coli <410 FW3800
(11 of 12 samples)		1480
(12 of 12 samples)		3125 ± 2042
(7 of 8 samples)
Enterococci <130 SW721 ± 306
(6 of 8 samples)
Turbidity (NTU)<29 FW3.9
(0 of 3 samples)		4.01
(0 of 9 samples)		2.86 ± 0.65
(0 of 5 samples)
<29 SW3.70 ± 0.33
(0 of 5 samples)
Note: Hardness-dependent freshwater criteria for cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were generated based on a hardness concentration of 100 mg/L.
° = Number of samples below Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen; Number of samples above Water Quality Criteria for all other parameters.
FW = freshwater; SW = saltwater (marine). Values denoted with (*) indicate a proposed criterion, which has not yet been adopted.
Values denoted with (‡) are reference values based on EPA criteria (EPA 2010b), but the water body is not regulated by this standard.

Council At-Large District 2, Council At-Large District 3, Council District 13, Council District 3, Planning District 2, Planning District 3, Tributary

2.7.16. Intracoastal Waterway

2.7.16.1. About the Intracoastal Waterway

Figure 2.45 The Intracoastal Waterway Tributary (WBID 2205C) with sanitary sewer overflows reported by JEA in 2022 (JEA 2022b).
Figure 2.45 The Intracoastal Waterway Tributary (WBID 2205C) with sanitary sewer overflows reported by JEA in 2022 (JEA 2022b).
    • Near the mouth of the St. Johns River
    • Primary Land Use: Marsh/Wetland (Land Cover)
    • Current TMDL reports: None
    • 2022 Verified Impairment for Fecal coliform (Enterococci) and Iron
    • WBID Area: 23.9 sq. mi.
    • Beneficial Use: Class III M

    (Recreational – Marine)

2.7.16.2. Data sources

Data were historically downloaded from the FL STORET website (DEP 2010f), with recent data downloaded from WIN WAVES (DEP 2022f). Data were filtered based on the stations in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) WBID 2205C (DEP 2023b) shown above. The filtered dataset reflects water column concentrations and was used to generate Table 2.21.

2.7.16.3. Discussion

Water quality data for the ICW are shown in Table 2.21. The ICW does not appear to provide a significant nutrient load to the St. Johns River. The Intracoastal Waterway was identified as being impaired for mercury, based on elevated levels of mercury in fish tissue, which is addressed by the statewide mercury TMDL (DEP 2013c). Limited fecal indicator bacteria measurements were available prior to 2019, but the average fecal indicator bacteria levels in 2020-2022 all exceeded the WQC; the ICW is verified impaired for fecal coliform in 2022 (DEP 2022). The ICW is also verified impaired for iron concentrations in 2022 (DEP 2022). Iron concentrations were at the WQC in 2022.

Historical water quality data for the Intracoastal Waterway are available in previous versions of the River Report.

Table 2.21 Water quality data for the Intracoastal Waterway.

Water QualityAverage and Number of Samples º
ParameterCriteria (SW)202020212022
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)≥4.05.97
(0 of 31 samples)		5.99
(3 of 14 samples)		7.03 ± 0.34
(0 of 12 samples)
Total Nitrogen (mg/L)<1.54‡Not availableNot available0.57 ± 0.08
(0 of 4 samples)
Total Phosphorus (mg/L)<5.4‡0.09
(1 of 14 samples)		0.03
(0 of 8 samples)		0.08 ± 0.01
(0 of 4 samples)
Chlorophyll-a (µg/L)<11‡2.62
(0 of 14 samples)		0.86
(0 of 7 samples)		3.18 ± 0.70
(0 of 4 samples)
Arsenic (µg/L)≤508.8
(0 of 13 samples)		20.00
(0 of 2 samples)		2.50 ± 0.01
(0 of 4 samples)
Cadmium (µg/L)≤8.80.36
(0 of 13 samples)		0.50
(0 of 2 samples)		0.20 ± 0.05
(0 of 4 samples)
Copper (µg/L)≤3.72.52
(5 of 13 samples)		5.50
(2 of 2 samples)		2.66 ± 0.09
(0 of 4 samples)
Iron (mg/L)≤0.30.4
(9 of 13 samples)		0.11
(0 of 2 samples)		0.30 ± 0.05
(3 of 4 samples)
Lead (µg/L)≤8.50.52
(0 of 13 samples)		0.50
(0 of 2 samples)		0.29 ± 0.04
(0 of 4 samples)
Nickel (µg/L)≤8.31.17
(1 of 13 samples)		1.00
(0 of 2 samples)		0.62 ± 0.13
(0 of 4 samples)
Silver (µg/L)≤0.92*1.77
(1 of 13 samples)		0.50
(0 of 2 samples)		0.19 ± 0.06
(0 of 4 samples)
Zinc (µg/L)≤860.35
(0 of 13 samples)		5.00
(0 of 2 samples)		3.75 ± 1.25
(0 of 4 samples)
Fecal Indicator Bacteria (Enterococci) (CFU/100 mL)E. coli <410630
(3 of 7 samples)		1610
(3 of 6 samples)		3330 ± 1978
(3 of 3 samples)
Enterococci <130315
(1 of 1 samples)
Turbidity (NTU)<296.22
(0 of 13 samples)		2.56
(0 of 1 sample)		7.45 ± 1.75
(0 of 4 samples)
Note: Hardness-dependent freshwater criteria for cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were generated based on a hardness concentration of 100 mg/L.
° = Number of samples below Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen; Number of samples above Water Quality Criteria for all other parameters.
FW = freshwater; SW = saltwater (marine). Values denoted with (*) indicate a proposed criterion, which has not yet been adopted.
Values denoted with (‡) are reference values based on EPA criteria (EPA 2010b), but the water body is not regulated by this standard.

Council At-Large District 3, Council District 3, Planning District 3, Tributary

2.7.21. Open Creek

2.7.21.1. About Open Creek

Figure 2.50 Open Creek (WBID 2299A/B) with sanitary sewer overflows reported by JEA in 2022 (JEA 2022b).
Figure 2.50 Open Creek (WBID 2299A/B) with sanitary sewer overflows reported by JEA in 2022 (JEA 2022b).
    • West of the Intracoastal Waterway,Southwest of Jacksonville Beach and Northwest of Ponte Vedra Beach
    • Primary Land Use: Residential
    • Current TMDL reports:
      Fecal Coliform with BMAP
    • Not included in 2022 Verified List of Impaired Waters
    • WBID Area: 6.5 sq. mi.
    • Beneficial Use: Class III M & F

    (2299A Recreational – Marine, 2299B Recreational – Freshwater)

2.7.21.2. Data sources

Data were historically downloaded from the FL STORET website (DEP 2010f), with recent data downloaded from WIN WAVES (DEP 2022f). Data were filtered based on the stations in the Open Creek WBID 2299A (marine) and 2299B (freshwater) (DEP 2023b) shown above. The filtered dataset reflects water column concentrations and was used to generate Table 2.26.

2.7.21.3. Discussion

Water quality data for Open Creek are shown in Table 2.26. Limited water quality data were available in WIN for Open Creek in 2022. Open Creek has been identified as impaired for mercury (DEP 2016h) and is addressed in the statewide mercury TMDL already in place (DEP 2013c).  Open Creek was added to FDEP’s study list in 2020 for Biology in response to failing bioassessments of macroinvertebrates, but a causative pollutant has not been identified (DEP 2020f).

Average fecal indicator bacteria levels exceeded the WQC in 2020-2022. A TMDL report (Wainwright and Hallas 2009b) was released in 2009 to address fecal coliform, with a 60% reduction in contribution sources. (Note: the data analyses in the TMDL are based on different criteria than those used in this report). Subsequently, a BMAP to address this issue was legally adopted (DEP 2009b).  In 2018, FDEP piloted microbial source tracking strategies in selected impaired waterbodies.  They found that the strategies used could be used to narrow down areas suspected of containing sources that actively contribute fecal indicating bacteria to water in order to identify and remediate them, but this work is resource-intensive.  Open Creek was suspected of having sources of untreated human waste present, and ruminant waste was detected in the waterbody (DEP 2019a).  In 2020, both the freshwater and marine portions of Open Creek were added to FDEP’s study list to monitor the response in fecal coliform levels (E. coli in the freshwater portions and Enterococcus in the marine portions) to ongoing restoration activities taking place as part of the existing BMAP (DEP 2020f). Additional information about fecal coliform in the tributaries can be found in Section 2.6 and Table 2.3.

No recent measurements were available in WIN between 2020 and 2022 for the marine reach (2299A) for the following parameters: Chlorophyll-a, Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Nickel, Silver, Zinc.

Historical water quality data for these parameters in Open Creek are available in previous versions of the River Report. 

Table 2.26 Water quality data for Open Creek.

Water QualityAverage and Number of Samples º
ParameterCriteria202020212022
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)≥34% sat. (≥3.0) FW6.4
(0 of 11 samples)		6.46
(0 of 20 samples)		6.63 ± 0.17
(0 of 12 samples)
≥4.0 SW5.71
(0 of 4 samples)		5.74
(1 of 4 samples)		6.97 ± 0.17
(0 of 14 samples)
Total Nitrogen (mg/L)<1.54‡0.86
(0 of 5 samples)		0.84
(0 of 3 samples)		Not available
Total Phosphorus (mg/L)<0.12‡0.06
(0 of 5 samples)		0.08
(1 of 5 samples)		Not available
Chlorophyll-a (µg/L)<20‡ FW2.69
(0 of 4 samples)		5.63
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
Arsenic (µg/L)≤50 FW0.98
(0 of 5 samples)		1.23
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Cadmium (µg/L)≤0.3 FW0.01
(0 of 5 samples)		0.02
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Copper (µg/L)≤9.3 FW5.19
(0 of 5 samples)		9.30
(2 of 10 samples)		Not available
Iron (µg/L)≤1.0 FW0.45
(0 of 5 samples)		0.47
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Lead (µg/L)≤3.2 FW0.1
(0 of 5 samples)		0.27
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Nickel (µg/L)≤52 FW0.45
(0 of 5 samples)		0.25
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Silver (µg/L)≤0.07 FW0.01
(0 of 5 samples)		0.01
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Zinc (µg/L)≤120 FW2.5
(0 of 5 samples)		3.50
(0 of 10 samples)		Not available
Fecal Indicator Bacteria(CFU/100 mL)E. coli <410 FW450
(8 of 15 samples)		1140
(18 of 22 samples)		961 ± 190
(7 of 9 samples)
E. coli <410 SW1776 ± 705
(2 of 2 samples)
Enterococci <130 SW531 ± 83
(3 of 3 samples)
Turbidity (NTU)<292.75
(0 of 4 samples)		3.68
(0 of 5 samples)		Not available
Note: Hardness-dependent freshwater criteria for cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were generated based on a hardness concentration of 100 mg/L.
° = Number of samples below Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen; Number of samples above Water Quality Criteria for all other parameters.
FW = freshwater; SW = saltwater (marine). Values denoted with (*) indicate a proposed criterion, which has not yet been adopted.
Values denoted with (‡) are reference values based on EPA criteria (EPA 2010b), but the water body is not regulated by this standard.

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