Total Maximum Daily Loads Program
 

The Department announces public meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the development of a statewide Total Maximum Daily Load of mercury. The public is invited to attend these meetings on the dates and at the locations shown in the following table. (For a meeting agenda, select the link in the "Areas in Florida" column.)  A draft mercury TMDL report will be posted on Department’s TMDL webpage on May 25th, 2012 for public review and comment. Written comments will be greatly appreciated, and should be directed to: Jan.Mandrup-Poulsen@dep.state.fl.us.

Florida’s Statewide Mercury TMDL Factsheet - The FDEP is taking action to establish a statewide mercury TMDL to address excess levels of mercury found in some Florida fish. Public meetings will be held throughout the state in early June and public workshops will be held in July. The dates, times and locations will be announced in the Florida Administrative Weekly in the near future.

What is a TMDL?

A scientific determination of the maximum amount of a given pollutant that a surface water can absorb and still meet the water quality standards that protect human health and aquatic life. Water bodies that do not meet water quality standards are identified as "impaired" for the particular pollutants of concern--nutrients, bacteria, mercury, etc.--and TMDLs must be developed, adopted and implemented for those pollutants to reduce pollutants and clean up the water body.

The threshold limits on pollutants in surface waters--Florida's surface water quality standards on which TMDLs are based--are set forth primarily in rule 62-302, Florida Administrative Code, and the associated table of water quality criteria.

Locations of the Department's Adopted TMDLs

The DEP announces the availability of a PDF that displays the location of the Department’s Adopted TMDLs (i.e. Final, State Rule 62-304, Florida Administrative Code F.A.C.) within the State of Florida. Please help us improve our service by providing feedback on what you think of our Adopted TMDL PDF, whether the PDF is useful, and how could we make it better. Please contact Kristina Bridger (Kristina.Bridger@dep.state.fl.us), (850) 245-8023, or Janis Paulsen (Janis.Paulsen@dep.state.fl.us), (850) 245-8543.

What are the basic steps in the TMDL program? How does it work?

1. Assess the quality of surface waters--are they meeting water quality standards?
2. Determine which waters are impaired--that is, which ones are not meeting water quality standards for a particular pollutant or pollutants.
3. Establish and adopt, by rule, a TMDL for each impaired water for the pollutants of concern--the ones causing the water quality problems.
4. Develop, with extensive local stakeholder input, a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) that....
5. Implement the strategies and actions in the BMAP.
6. Measure the effectiveness of the BMAP, both continuously at the local level and through a formal re-evaluation every five years.
7. Adapt--change the plan and change the actions if things aren't working.
8. Reassess the quality of surface waters continuously.

The Divisions are working on a more comprehensive approach to protecting Florida water quality involving basin-wide assessments and the application of a full range of regulatory and non-regulatory strategies to reduce pollution.  The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is the heart of this comprehensive approach.

For more information, send e-mail to Jan Mandrup-Poulsen (Jan.Mandrup-Poulsen@dep.state.fl.us)

Total Maximum Daily Load Program
2600 Blair Stone Road - Mail Station 3555
 Tallahassee, FL, 32399-2400
Phone: (850) 245-8449