deep creek

stormwater treatment area


The St. Johns River Water Management District Constructed and maintains a Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) near Hastings, Florida, that intercepts agricultural run off before it enters Deep Creek on its way to the St. Johns River. 

​This STA consists of a 25 acre pond, connected to a 38 acre created marsh by a shallow flow way.  Storm water is pumped from a canal that drains the surrounding agricultural fields into the pond.  From there the water flows through the rim ditch to the marsh and then outfalls into Deep Creek. 

We installed Beemats Floating Treatment Wetlands in a small section of the rim ditch and studied uptake rates for two native wetland plants over a sixteen month period.  Biomass analyses indicated elevated nutrient uptake rates by Canna flaccida and Juncus effusus, with seasonal differences between the species, due to the abundant presence of bioavailable nitrogen and phosphorus from the fields.