Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Water Resource Management Program, Department of Environmental Protection

Report 03-12, February 2003




Report Summary

The Water Resource Management Program of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection manages, conserves, and protects the state's ground and surface waters. While the program met its legislative performance standards related to surface water quality and ground water quality and supply, it should be noted that various pollutants threaten Florida's surface and ground waters. To increase the program's effectiveness in protecting the state's waters, several improvements are needed.

  • To address threats to surface water quality, the department is in the process of establishing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired surface water bodies. Although its approach to developing TMDLs appears reasonable, we identified several areas in which its processes for identifying impaired water bodies and for evaluating the effectiveness of various practices in reducing pollutant loads needs to be improved.
  • The recent bankruptcy of a company that mined phosphate in Florida revealed that the state's financial responsibility requirements do not provide adequate assurance that companies have sufficient resources to correct environmental damage caused by their operations and to close and manage facilities created to store hazardous byproducts. To ensure that the state does not shoulder this financial burden, financial responsibility requirements for phosphate mining companies should be strengthened.
  • The department's recent decision to consider allowing clay settling areas to be used as wetland mitigation sites is very controversial. To ensure the success of such wetland mitigation projects, the department should continue to evaluate wetland mitigation on clay settling areas and ensure that prototype mitigation sites are successful before giving widespread approval to the practice.


Related Reports
  1. Progress Report: Initial Steps Taken to Implement TMDL Program, Too Early to Determine Water Quality Improvements
    Report 05-42 August 2005
  2. Progress Report: Department Strengthens Financial Responsibility Requirements for Phosphate Mining Companies
    Report 05-27 April 2005
  3. Environmental Laboratory Privatization Feasible; Cost Savings Are Uncertain
    Report 01-65 December 2001
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
natural resources, environment, water, water resources, water supply, phosphate, mines, total maximum daily loads, water quality, clay settling areas, wetlands, wetland mitigation, mitigation, mulberry, financial responsibility, phosphogypsum, best management practices, nonpoint source