Watershed Assessment Program

News & Announcements

Change for the Assessment Cycle of the Waterbodies in the Group 2 Basins

In anticipation of numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) for lakes, streams, and springs that the Department adopted in December 2011 becoming effective, the Department wishes to update you on the following change for the assessment cycle of the waterbodies in the Group 2 basins, which includes the Apalachicola-Chipola Rivers, Lower St. Johns River, Middle St. Johns River, Tampa Bay Tributaries, Charlotte Harbor and St. Lucie-Loxahatchee Rivers.  Based on the watershed management cycle, the Department would typically assess the waterbodies in these basins in 2013; however, we are postponing this year’s assessment cycle to align our monitoring programs with our assessment cycle under the new numeric nutrient criteria. For further information please see the Memo to Stakeholders.

Florida’s rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters are spectacularly beautiful. More than that, they are essential natural resources, supplying the water necessary for aquatic life, both large and microscopic; drinking water; recreation; industry; fishing and shellfish harvesting; and agriculture. Florida's multi-billion tourist industry would vanish if our water resources were irreparably degraded.

Protecting these abundant water resource, restoring them when they become damaged because of unmanaged growth and development, and preserving them for the future is your responsibility and ours.

DEP's Divisions of Water Resource Management and Environmental Assessment and Restoration implement a wide range of programs to protect and restore Florida's surface waters. Tour this website and you will find dozens of different strategies and activities underway to benefit water quality. At the heart of these efforts, particularly in identifying water quality problems and establishing clean-up objectives, is the Watershed Assessment program.

For more information, send e-mail to Julie Espy (Julie.Espy@dep.state.fl.us)

Watershed Assessment Program
2600 Blair Stone Road - Mail Station 3560
 Tallahassee, FL, 32399-2400
Phone: (850) 245-8346