Watershed Monitoring
 

Starting in 1996, DEP initiated an effort to re-design its water resource monitoring efforts. The purpose was to create an efficient, multi-resource, comprehensive monitoring network, designed to fulfill many of the Department's monitoring needs.

This effort, the Integrated Water Resource Monitoring Network (IWRM) Program, is a multi-level or “tiered” monitoring program designed to answer questions about Florida’s water quality at differing scales. The program is supported by several DEP water quality monitoring groups in Tallahassee and in regional (district) offices. In general, Tier I addresses statewide and regional (within Florida) questions, Tier II focuses on basin-specific to waterbody-specific questions, while Tier III answers site-specific questions.

Tier I monitoring is comprised of two monitoring efforts, status monitoring, and trend monitoring, which are both designed to answer state-wide to regional questions. Tier II monitoring includes basin assessments and monitoring required for TMDL (total maximum daily load) development. This monitoring is more localized in nature than that occurring under Tier I monitoring, yet may encompass a broader area than that employed in Tier III. Tier III includes all monitoring tied to regulatory permits issued by DEP and is associated with evaluating the effectiveness of point source discharge reductions, best management practices or TMDLs. The program addresses both surface and ground waters of the state.

IWRM is used to meet Florida’s programmatic and larger scale reporting requirements, including production of the state’s water quality monitoring strategy report (106 report) and the integrated 303(d) / 305(b) report to the EPA, An overview of IWRM Program from 1999-2008 can be found in the state of Florida Water Quality Monitoring Strategy document. A new design was implemented for the Watershed Monitoring Program in 2009 and can be found at Watershed Monitoring Design Document.

A related effort is the formation of the Florida Water Resources Monitoring Council, which was created to help link existing monitoring programs with expanded coastal and ocean monitoring to form a comprehensive, integrated monitoring program to benefit the state.