Watershed Assessment Program

 The Department announces the adoption of Reasonable Assurance Plans for waterbodies in the Shell Creek, Prairie Creek and Joshua Creek Watersheds, Florida Keys, and Lake Seminole.

• These plans were adopted by an order signed by DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard, Jr. on February 7, 2012.
• Requests for an administrative hearing to challenge the adoption of these Reasonable Assurance plans must be received no later than April 10, 2012.

The Department announces the availability of the FINAL lists of impaired waters for Cycle 2 of Group 5 Basins (Perdido, Upper East Coast, Indian River Lagoon, Springs Coast, Everglades, and Florida Keys).

• These lists were adopted by an order signed by DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard, Jr. on February 7, 2012. 
• (Please note: As part of the agency action adopting the list of impaired waters for the Group 5 basins, the Department also revised the verified lists of impaired waters and delist lists by Secretarial order for the Group 2, 3, and 4 basins.)

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 3555
 Tallahassee, FL, 32399-2400
Phone: (850) 245-8346