The Florida Water Resources Act, Chapter 373, F.S., establishes that all water in Florida, on the surface or in the ground, is a public resource managed by the department and the five water management districts. Florida's water supply comes from the bountiful systems of rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes, springs, aquifers and estuaries across the state. Florida's fresh water supply is used for public wa
Effective and efficient water management is essential to the public, the environment and Florida’s economic health and welfare. The core mission of Florida’s five water management districts is water supply, water quality, flood protection and floodplain management, and natural systems management. Over the past several years, DEP has worked collaboratively with the water management districts to review, revise and realign their operations, practices and budgets.
One major challenge associated with water supply planning is finding the balance between meeting public water supply needs while maintaining the healthy natural systems essential to Florida's economy and quality of life. Two ways that water managers ensure that the water resources and associated ecological systems are protected are through the implementation of Minimum Flows and Minimum Water Levels (MFLs) and Water Use Reservations (Reservations) programs.
Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project Comprehensive Review Study — the Restudy (Yellow Book) provides an introduction on the restudy and related South Florida ecosystem restoration efforts.
The Office of Water Policy and Ecosystems Restoration (OWPER) is responsible for implementing the department’s technical, planning and regulatory responsibilities for restoration activities required by the Everglades Forever Act (EFA; Section 373.4592, Florida Statutes (F.S.), the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP; Section 373.1502, F.S.) and the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Plan (NEEPP; 373.4595, F.S.).
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Rulemaking is underway for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers (LSFIR) and Associated Priority Springs Minimum Flow and Levels (MFL) and the Outstanding Florida Springs Rule. |
It is a policy of the Legislature that the state’s water resources be managed at a state and regional level. The Department of Environmental Protection, responsible for the administration of the water resources at the state level, exercises general supervisory authority over the state’s five water management districts, which are responsible for the administration of the water resources at the regional level.
The Office of Ecosystem Projects is the lead office responsible for implementation of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s responsibilities under the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP), pursuant to Chapter 373.4595, Florida Statutes (F.S.).
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