Standards and Assessment

Standards and Assessment (SAS) administers the quality assurance and water quality standards programs, is responsible for a number of special technical issues, including mercury and bioassessment, and provides technical support in the ecological aspects of water quality science to other departmental programs.

The Quality Assurance (QA) Program provides Department-wide oversight on QA issues for the water, waste and resource management programs. DEP’s quality assurance requirements for analytical laboratories and field activities (Standard Operating Procedures) are codified in the QA Rule, Chapter 62-160, of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The DEP QA Directive outlines procedures and staff responsibilities for the comprehensive implementation of the Department’s Quality Assurance Management Plan. Besides the general oversight responsibilities, SAS provides technical QA support for programs, conducts various field and laboratory audits to determine compliance with the QA Rule, and provides scientific training on a wide variety of topics.

Florida's Water Quality Standards program is responsible for reviewing, establishing, and revising state water quality standards, as established in Chapters 62-302 (surface water quality standards), 62-4 (antidegradation policy), and 62-303 (impaired waters rule), F.A.C. The components of Florida’s water quality standards include: classifications and uses, criteria, an anti-degradation policy, moderating provisions, and special protection of certain waters (Outstanding Florida Waters). The section works closely with a variety of stakeholders and also assists with requests for waterbody use classification changes, development of Site Specific Alternative Criteria, and Use Attainability Analyses (UAA). The section provides guidance on the implementation of antidegradation policies in Rule 62-4.242, F.A.C. In response to recent initiatives put forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Florida has been extremely active in developing biological criteria and numeric nutrient criteria for fresh and marine waters.

Special Technical Issues

SAS is involved in a variety of special technical issues in which the section provides support for experimental study design, field sampling, and the review, interpretation, statistical analysis and reporting of environmental data.

SAS staff provide technical expertise on the effects of mercury on aquatic food webs and human health. This includes support for the development of a comprehensive statewide mercury Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and for Everglades restoration.

SAS leads DEP’s effort to develop, implement, and provide quality assurance support for Florida’s biological assessment tools. Biological assessment is an applied scientific discipline that uses the response of resident aquatic biological communities to various stressors as a method of evaluating ecosystem health. SAS also provides training and testing for individuals who wish to perform bioassessments.

For more information, please contact Russ Frydenborg (SAS Administrator), Michael Blizzard (Quality Assurance), Ken Weaver (Water Quality Standards), Joy Jackson (Special Technical Issues), or Don Axelrad (Mercury). 

Standards & Assessment Program
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road - M.S. 6511
Tallahassee, FL 32399
850-245-8064
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