Drying Up: The Fresh Water Crisis in Florida

by John M. Dunn

Florida Historical Society Stetson Kennedy Award Florida Book Awards, Bronze Medal for Florida Nonfiction America’s wettest state is running out of water. Florida―with its swamps, lakes, extensive coastlines, and legions of life-giving springs―faces a drinking water crisis. Drying Up is a wake-up call and a hard look at what the future holds for those who call Florida home. Journalist and educator John Dunn untangles the many causes of the state’s freshwater problems. Drainage projects, construction, and urbanization, especially in the fragile wetlands of South Florida, have changed and shrunk natural water systems. Pollution, failing infrastructure, increasing outbreaks of toxic algae blooms, and pharmaceutical contamination are worsening water quality. Climate change, sea level rise, and groundwater pumping are spoiling freshwater resources with saltwater intrusion. Because of shortages, fights have broken out over rights to the Apalachicola River, Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and other important watersheds. Many scientists think Florida has already passed the tipping point, Dunn warns. Drawing on more than one hundred interviews and years of research, he affirms that soon there will not be enough water to meet demand if “business as usual” prevails. He investigates previous and current restoration efforts as well as proposed future solutions, including the “soft path for water” approach that uses green infrastructure to mimic natural hydrology. As millions of new residents are expected to arrive in Florida in the coming decades, this book is a timely introduction to a problem that will escalate dramatically―and not just in Florida. Dunn cautions that freshwater scarcity is a worldwide trend that can only be tackled effectively with cooperation and single-minded focus by all stakeholders involved―local and federal government, private enterprise, and citizens. He challenges readers to rethink their relationship with water and adopt a new philosophy that compels them to protect the planet’s most precious resource.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

304 pages, Hardcover

Published March 12, 2019

About the author

John M. Dunn is an Ocala, Florida-based freelance, writer, journalist and author. He has published over 350 articles for more than twenty periodicals, such as Europe, Overseas Life, Sierra, Off Duty, New Shelter, the Rotarian, LadyCom, the Executive Review, Florida Trend, Business Florida, the Ocala Star Banner, UF Today, and the St. Petersburg Times. In addition, he has written numerous scripts for audiovisual productions and a children’s play which was professionally performed on stages in North Florida. His non-fiction young adult books were published by Lucent Press (Thomson/Gale.) Dunn also edited Union Soldiers, Confederate Soldiers, Southerners, and Northerners, which are part of the Voices of the Civil War series for juvenile readers, published by Blackbirch Press.

The New York Public Library recognized the first edition of Dunn’s book on the removal of North America Indians in its Books for the Teenage List; the second edition received a stared review from the School Library Journal in May 2006. The Pennsylvania State Library Association included Dunn’s book on computers in its “Young Adult Top Forty Nonfiction 2002 Titles.” In addition, The Barahoma Center of California State University San Marcos features his book on Castro in its list of “Recommended Books in English about Latinos.” . In February, 2020, Dunn’s book, Drying Up. The Fresh Water Crisis in Florida was selected as winner of the Florida Historical Society's Stetson Kennedy Award for writing about Florida's natural environment. The book also, has won the Bronze Medal in the 2019 Florida Book Awards, Florida Nonfiction category He has also been profiled in Something About the Author.

He is a father and grandfather and lives with his wife in Ocala, Florida.

Reviews

[Vyki Englert · Rating 4 out of 5]

In recent years I finally got around to reading The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise. Published in 2006 The Swamp is considered the best researched and written book available on water (and more) in Florida -- however the book ends right around the time of the passing of the CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan). I had been looking for more information on recent water policy and the success of failure of restoration efforts in a more comprehensive way that what I get in the news. This book, published in 2019 doesn't quite do that.

Beginning with water problems in Cedar Key this book quickly dives into an overview of the history of land ownership, water, dredging and water policy in Florida. It's perhaps helpful if you haven't already read a better account of this -- if the history is what you are looking for, read The Swamp. I didn't find these chapters - a significant portion of the book well written and might have had a harder time following if I wasn't already familiar with the history.

The last few chapters were good and provided insights into more recent state legislation, the hostile state leadership's gutting and retaliatory firing of staff across multiple key agencies, current public perception of water issues, and recent successful small and local efforts to shift towards lower impact systems designed to integrate with the natural world.

I would recommend this book based on the content of the first few (1-3) and last few chapters (8-14), but I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish it another Michael Grunwald.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a follow-up to The Big Thirst....I had learned through various other readings that Florida was facing some especially difficult fresh water issues and wanted to better understand what they were and how they were being handled. Florida is spooky.....I'm not sure why people choose to live there. It's over-developed, at high risk to sea level rise, politically dysfunctional, environmentally tone deaf....and running out of fresh water. Bottom line........read this book if you're even remotely considering a move to Florida.....and start thinking about how to preserve fresh water in your own locale. If Florida comes knocking on your state's door looking to buy water or create some kind of joint water management coop.....tell them to pound sand and send them packing......I'm looking forward to watching Florida drown and die of thirst at the same time. Well written, explains water concepts very clearly, short enough (253 pp.) that you don't get bored......and the author strives to inform versus showing off how much he knows. Great read.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in the environment or conservation, and you live in Florida, this is a must-read. It's well researched and incredibly thorough, looking at the water crisis from all angles. It even provides a variety of solutions. I didn't give it the full five stars because, while very informative, the writing is a bit dry and scientific at times. But if you don't mind that, it's great.

[Frank Perdomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

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