Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration
The Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration is charged with monitoring and assessing Florida's surface water and groundwater quality; identifying, verifying and prioritizing pollution problems; developing strategies to resolve the problems; and implementing those strategies through comprehensive restoration actions in partnership with local stakeholders.
The department's laboratory is housed in the division and is integral to fulfilling the division's responsibilities and supporting other department programs and objectives. In summary, DEAR:
- Develops and adopts Florida's surface water quality standards.
- Monitors and reports on surface water and groundwater quality.
- Assesses rivers, lakes, estuaries and springs to identify pollution problems.
- Adopts scientific water quality restoration targets—Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
- Develops and implements restoration plans such as Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), Reasonable Assurance Plans and Nutrient Reduction Plans in concert with local stakeholders to achieve water quality standards.
- Provides the department and other resource agencies with the highest quality laboratory services available.
- Manages water quality data repositories and related geospatial data for storage and use by the department, other agencies, and the public; and
- Provides technical support to the department and the public regarding appropriate methods for water quality analysis and data quality assurance (QA).
DEAR Programs
Bioassessment Program
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.
Florida DEP Laboratory
Provides chemical, biological and other analyses for samples collected by DEP and other state and federal agencies.
Florida Stormwater, Erosion, and Sedimentation Control Inspector Training & Certification Program
Provides training on how to minimize impacts caused by erosion and sedimentation on construction sites.
Quality Assurance
Provides technical guidance and support for sample collection and analytical tests related to chemistry, microbiology, toxicity, taxonomic identification and other bioassessment procedures.
Regional Operation Centers
Provides logistical support to fulfill the data collection requirements for the Status and Trend Monitoring Networks and the Strategic Monitoring Program.
Water Quality Assessment Program
Monitors the quality of the state's surface and groundwater resources.
Water Quality Evaluation and TMDL Program
Includes two sections: Watershed Evaluation and TMDL and Watershed Assessment
Water Quality Restoration Program
Focuses on BMAPs; agricultural pollution prevention; guidance, training and education pertaining to Florida Friendly Landscapes and stormwater erosion control; and fertilizer ordinance review.
Water Quality Standards
Reviews, establishes and revises state water quality standards; reviews petitions for waterbody use classification changes; and provides guidance on the implementation of antidegradation policies.
Water Quality Standards Program
Responsible for the development of water quality standards, the Triennial Review of water quality standards, coordination of bioassessment training and implementation, and providing technical support.
Watershed Assessment Section
Uses best available information to identify waterbodies and water segments that are not meeting applicable water quality standards and designated uses based on the Impaired Waters Rule.
Watershed Monitoring
Gathers water samples from rivers, streams, lakes, canals, and wells around the state; laboratory scientists measure the levels of certain “indicator” substances in each sample.
