FLORIDA RIVERS: THE ST. JOHNS

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 Show Your Local River Some Love

June is National Rivers Month. To celebrate, I'd like to highlight the river that runs through my home in the Jacksonville, Florida area:

The Beautiful St. Johns River

Photo by Donna Kaluzniak

The St. Johns River rises through the sawgrass marshes in Indian River County and is one of the few rivers that flows north. It's the longest river in Florida, stretching 310 miles before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Mayport. 
The St. Johns is also one of the laziest rivers dropping only 30 feet from the headwaters to the mouth, or about one inch per mile. There's quite a lot of tidal influence at the mouth of the river. 

As it winds north the river becomes the source of several large lakes, including Lake George, as well as springs and tributaries. 

The river is home to numerous varieties of plants, birds, and marine life, including manatees, dolphins and river otters.

A Vital Natural Resource

The St. Johns River plays many important roles both ecologically and financially. The river serves as a shipping channel and commercial fishing resource. It's a tourism and recreational attraction for boaters, fishermen, kayakers and wildlife viewing. It plays a part in flood control as well.

Are There Problems with the River?

Algal blooms, likely caused by elevated phosphorus have occurred, and bacteria levels in tributaries have been high, according to a 2025 State of the River Report for the Lower St. Johns River (the northern section of the river). Other sections of the river have problems as well.

Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPS) and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) have been implemented for discharges to the river from Water Reclamation Facilities and Industrial Dischargers. 

TMDLs limit the amount of pollutants that can be discharged, and are included in permits from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Most of the facilities have completed upgrades to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus they discharge, at significant cost.

How Can You Help Protect the River?

Stormwater runoff carrying fertilizers, pesticides, decomposing grass clippings, and pet wastes eventually ends up in our rivers. 
  • Minimize fertilizer use and use slow-release fertilizers
  • Minimize pesticide use
  • Leave grass clippings on the lawn (use a mulching mower if possible)
  • Pick up pet waste
  • Never pour anything down a storm drain (oil, chemicals, etc.)
  • Don't flush of chemicals or drugs down the toilet. Many drugs can pass through or interfere with the wastewater treatment process.
  • Maintain your vehicles. Oil leaks and other fluids end up getting washed into storm drains and into the river.
Failing septic tanks are also a problem. If you have a septic tank, maintain it properly and have it inspected regularly.

If you enjoy boating, fishing, or kayaking on the river please be responsible. Never throw trash into the river. Maintain boating equipment to prevent oil leaks, etc.

Participate in a river cleanup.

The St. Johns Riverkeeper has additional information on keeping our river clean.

Geek Out

The St. Johns River Water Management District has several fascinating ways learn about the river.
There's a beautiful 4-part combined video and text series that takes you from the headwaters to the mouth of the river at the Atlantic Ocean: Journey on the St. Johns River.


Watch the fascinating one-hour movie, Water's Journey: The River Returns. Learn the history, ecology and challenges of the St. Johns River. Explore the river from all angles from a sailplane, to diving the springs that connect to the river, to exploring huge drainage pipes underground that contribute stormwater to the river. 

Read River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River by Bill Belleville. Journey along with him as he kayaks, boats, hikes the riverbanks, dives the springs and explores the underwater caves of the river. This is a beautifully written book that brings you along on the journey.





Comments

  1. CCJune 24, 2026 at 10:14 AM

    Wow Donna! First of all, this is excellent information and such a good reminder. Second, beautiful photograph! My husband and I replaced all of our grass with native plants. We don't use pesticides or chemicals and now delight (mostly) when we see holes in the leaves on our plants as it means we will be seeing butterflies and are feeding good bugs that then feed birds. Living on the marsh which connects to the St. John's we feel good about our decision. I'd love to learn more about things we might be able to do to clean up the river maybe from our own backyard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Donna KaluzniakJune 24, 2026 at 12:09 PM

      Thank you, Cindy! You're doing your part to help the Intracoastal Waterway, which meets the St. Johns River before it flows into the Atlantic!

      Delete

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