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CD Home >Water Resource
Management> Watershed
Management and Monitoring
In the past water
bodies were protected by technology based effluent limitations and other
pollution control requirements that were thought to be sufficient to
meet or maintain water quality standards. It has become evident that the
source of water pollution is a complicated issue. Every water body is
impacted differently by both point and non-point sources. In order to
address the specific impairment of a water body, a TMDL is established.
TMDLs are the maximum amount of a specific pollutant that can be
assimilated by a water body without degrading the quality of the water
such that it does not meet current water quality standards.
"Impaired water"
refers to a water body or water body segment that does not meet its applicable water
quality standards as set forth in
Chapters 62-302 and
62-4, F.A.C, due in whole or in part to discharges of pollutants
from point or nonpoint sources.
The 303(d) List is
required by
Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Each state must develop
a list of waters that do not meet water quality standards or do not
support their
designated uses.
The
Clean Water Act and the Watershed Restoration Act
of 1999, section
403.067, Florida Statutes, require that TMDLs are established for
the impaired water bodies listed on the 303(d) List.
TMDLs are
established through a
tiered watershed monitoring approach. Based on water quality sample
results along with biological assessments the TMDLs are calculated by
the TMDL Development Section, DEP Tallahassee office.
Once TMDLs have been
established for a water body, the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP)
development begins. BMAP development is designed to implement practices
that will reduce pollutant loads into a water body. Wherever possible,
the BMAP process uses scientifically based determinations of pollutant
load allocations that government agencies, businesses, organizations,
and individuals will be responsible for reducing. Determinations of load
allocations vary by water body depending on available data, groundwater
contributions, etc. The BMAP represents a set of strategies that these
entities will use to reduce their pollutant contributions.
Government agencies,
businesses, organizations, and individuals who contribute to the
pollution in a water body will be asked to participate in the pollutant
reduction process. Some examples of practices these entities will be
responsible for are reducing discharges from permitted facilities,
implementing Best Management Practices, public education, and
restoration projects.
All revisions to the
F.A.C., Chapter 62.304, Total Maximum Daily Load, and subsequent BMAPs
are open to the public for comments before they are finalized. The
schedule of upcoming public meetings related to rule revisions, can be
found on the
Surface Water Draft Rules .
More information on
how to get involved with the TMDL process, is on our Get Involved page.
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Contact List-
Watershed Management and Monitoring
Central
District Office
Watershed Management and Monitoring Section
3319 Maguire
Blvd, Suite 232
Orlando,
Florida 32803-3767
phone: 407-897-4100
fax: 850
412-0472
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our webmaster.
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2012 State of Florida