Watershed Assessment Section

News & Announcements

Notice of Biennial Assessment 2022-2024 Final Assessment Lists
(October 15, 2025)

The department announces a public meeting to present and receive public comments on the Biennial Assessment 2024-2026 draft assessment lists of waterbodies and water segments. The meeting is scheduled for October 22, 2025, 10 a.m. to be held virtually via GoToWebinar. Registration for the webinar is provided below under meeting location. The department will accept written comments on the draft assessment lists through November 21, 2025. 

Written comments should be directed to: Jessica Mostyn@FloridaDEP.gov, Mail Station #3555, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400.

The DRAFT assessment lists were developed pursuant to Chapter 62-303, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), to include all 29 basins in the state. The Draft Verified Lists include those waters that are additions to the State's Verified List of Impaired Waters and are proposed for addition to the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list. The Draft Delist Lists include those waters that are removals from the State's Verified List and are proposed for removal from the CWA section 303(d) list. The Draft Study Lists include those waters that do not attain water quality standards and additional information is needed to confirm attainment; an alternative restoration plan is in place; have an adverse trend in nutrients or nutrient response variables; or exceedances of stream nutrient thresholds, but the department does not have enough information to fully assess nonattainment of the stream nutrient water quality standard. The Draft Study List Removals include those waters that no longer meet the listing requirements for the Study List, as identified in Rule 62-303.390, F.A.C., and are submitted to EPA for removal from the CWA section 303(d) list. The Draft Master Lists (which contain all assessments for all waterbodies in each basin) are available here.

There are several reasons that a waterbody has become impaired over this assessment period that can be summarized into five main categories: additional data were collected since the 2024 assessment cycle, an assessment correction was made from the last cycle, areas with restoration projects no longer in progress were identified, there was a change in the assessment methodology, or the data shows that water quality has declined since the 2024 update. Waters proposed for addition to the Verified List due to additional data were either previously assessed on the Study List, Planning List, or had insufficient data last assessment cycle and were prioritized for additional monitoring and now there is sufficient information to add waters to the Verified List as impaired.

In addition to the draft assessment lists in spreadsheet format, an interactive map titled "Biennial Assessment 2024-2026 Draft Lists" is available that shows the geographic location of the waterbodies and waterbody segments by WBID that are proposed for addition to the Verified List, Delist List, Study List or Study List Removals. For help using the interactive map features, please review this help file or alternatively, you may download the final list GIS shapefiles as a geodatabase. 

These assessment lists were produced with water quality and biological data included in the IWR Run 66 database that have been received by the department as of July 18, 2024. They also incorporate station-WBID assignment updates, WBID classification updates and/or data exclusions based on a preliminary evaluation by department staff.

Notice of Applicable Stream Assessment for Waters in the Kissimmee River Basin

(September 4, 2025)

The department announces that sufficient documentation has been provided to demonstrate that the waterbody segments identified as Partin Canal (WBID 3173A1), Lake Tohopekaliga Drain (South Segment) (WBID 3173C), and Shingle Creek Headwaters (WBID 3169G1) located within the Kissimmee River basin meet all the conditions identified in paragraph 62-302.200(36)(b), Florida Administrative Code, for an exclusion from the definition of a stream. 

For purposes of interpreting the narrative nutrient criterion in paragraph 62-302.530(48)(b), F.A.C., these waterbody segments will be assessed applying the stream nutrient impairment thresholds in subsections 62-303.351(3)-(5) and 62-303.450(1), (2) and (5), F.A.C., rather than the numeric nutrient standard for streams. This action only affects the implementation of nutrient criteria for the specified waters; all other applicable water quality standards remain in effect.

These assessment thresholds will continue to be applied unless the department receives sufficient countervailing information concerning the applicability of paragraph 62-302.200(36)(b), F.A.C., to these waters, including the purpose of the waterbody such as flood protection, stormwater management, irrigation, water supply, navigation, boat access to an adjacent waterbody or frequent recreational use.

A map showing the geographic extent of the stream exclusions is available for Partin Canal (WBID 3173A1) and Lake Tohopekaliga Drain (South Segment) (WBID 3173C).  The supporting documentation received by Osceola County is available upon request.

A map showing the geographic extent of the stream exclusions is available for Shingle Creek Headwaters (WBID 3169G1).  The supporting documentation received by the City of Orlando and Orange County is available upon request.

Availability of the 2025 Strategic Monitoring Plan
(January 31, 2025)

The department announces the availability of the 2025 Strategic Monitoring Plan. These plans represent the water quality and biological monitoring needs identified by the department in preparation for basin assessments as part of the watershed management approach. The Watershed Assessment Section developed the 2025 Strategic Monitoring Plans to assist in assessing the health of Florida's surface waters by conducting biological assessments and water quality sampling. These activities are carried out by seven Regional Operation Centers (ROCs) located throughout the department's six District offices and by staff in Tallahassee.  The extensive monitoring effort is accomplished through coordination with local stakeholders, water management districts, city and county governments.  

Notice of Final Assessment Determination for One Impaired Water in the Ochlockonee-St. Marks Basin
(November 6, 2024)

The department announces the revised final assessment determination for one waterbody, Lake Overstreet Drain (WBID 689) in the Ochlockonee - St. Marks basin.  Lake Overstreet Drain was initially proposed for addition to the Verified List of Impaired Waters for Escherichia coli; however, the City of Tallahassee, stakeholders that are located within the basin, timely requested and was granted an extension of time on the proposed listing, which kept the proposed agency action from becoming final. This waterbody is being placed on the Study List for Escherichia coli as the final assessment determination for the Biennial Assessment 2022 - 2024. A final order revising the final assessment determination of Lake Overstreet Drain was adopted by Secretarial Order on November 4, 2024.