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Florida State Drought Programs Program Title: Water Resources Act Function: Mitigation, Response, Monitoring and Prediction, Communication Program Assistance or Functional Assistance: Provides the framework for all water supply activities, including Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) oversight of specific programs delegated to the five regional water management districts. Statute or Authority: Chapter 373, Florida Statute, Chapter 62-40, F.A.C. Agencies (primary agency listed first): FDEP Customers Served: The five regional water management districts (WMDs) and their customers Triggering Event or Circumstance-How does this program relate to drought? Specific programs have been legislatively mandated in response to "water shortage" events (short-term droughts and long-term resource problems). Water policy is in effect on a continual basis; each specific program has trigger mechanisms. Unmet Needs at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: Customer education (so that they understand and use existing coordination mechanisms); customers who span more than one region (or who compete for related public funding) would like more consistency. Program Limitations: Requires significant oversight because of the dependence on regional programs which may not be consistently developed, revised, and/or applied. Legislative amendments have created some duplicative and contradictory mandates. Contact Name and Phone Number: Laura Mooney, FDEP Florida State Drought Programs Program Title: Water Shortage Plan Function: Mitigation, Response, Monitoring and Prediction, Communication, Planning Program Assistance or Functional Assistance: Provides the framework for water supply activities, including Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) oversight of specific programs delegated to the five regional water management districts. Monitors hydrologic conditions and water demand; uses different phases of educational efforts and/or restrictions during "water shortage" events to protect natural systems and water supplies. Statute or Authority: Specific authority from Section 373.175, F.S., Chapter 62-40, F.A.C. Each regional water mgmt. district has applicable Rule. Agencies (primary agency listed first): FDEP; NWFWMD (Chapter 40A-21, F.A.C.), SRWMD Water Shortage Plan, SJRWMD (Chapter 40C-21, F.A.C.), SWFWMD (Chapter 40D-21, F.A.C.), SFWMD (Chapter 40E-21, F.A.C.) Customers Served: Natural systems; public and private water systems; self-supplied agriculture; self-supplied mining & industry; self-supplied recreational users; self-supplied domestic users; general public Triggering Event or Circumstance-How does this program relate to drought? Hydrologic triggers specific to each region and subregional area (monitor well levels, streamflow, lake levels, drought indices, etc.). Trigger values cause phased responses (appropriate educational efforts and/or "water shortage" regulations) to be implemented. Each district currently has up to five phases of pre-planned regulatory responses. Unmet Needs at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: Additional customer education. More appropriate application of alternatives to traditional restrictions (such as "water budget" approaches). Better consistency and coordination between districts. Customers want additional mitigation (alternative water supply development) and a more equitable approach (less emphasis on traditional lawn and landscape restrictions). Program Limitations: Some media markets span multiple districts (and therefore span specific hydrologic triggers). The relative importance and level of involvement by different customers has varied between districts; as a result, there has been a divergence in the application of responses (including local government participation in enforcement). Enforcement of traditional restrictions is staff-intensive for districts and local governments. Contact Name and Phone Number: Guy Gowens, NWFWMD (850) 539-5999; Bill Kirk, SRWMD (904) 362-1001; Dwight Jenkins, SJRWMD; (904) 329-4500; Lois Sorensen, SWFWMD(352) 796-7211; Scott Burns, SFWMD (561) 686-8800
Program Title: Consumptive (Water) Use Permitting Function: Mitigation, Response, Monitoring and Prediction Program Assistance or Functional Assistance: Limits water use to "reasonable-beneficial" quantities and reserves the right to further limit water use during declared "water shortage" events. Statute or Authority: Specific authority from Section 373.019, 373.223, 373.246, F.S.; Chapter 62-40, F.A.C. Each district has applicable Rule. Agencies (primary agency listed first): FDEP; NWFWMD (Chapter 40A-2, F.A.C.), SRWMD (Chapter 40B-2, F.A.C.), SJRWMD (Chapter 40C-2, F.A.C.), SWFWMD (Chapter 40D-2, F.A.C.), SFWMD (Chapter 40E-2, F.A.C.) Customers Served: Public supply, commercial & industrial, and agriculture Triggering Event or Circumstance-How does this program relate to drought? User applies for certain amount of water through permit process. Unmet Needs at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: Water resource limitations. Improved coordination and consistency among WMD rules. Program Limitations: Rule inconsistencies between water management districts (e.g. agricultural irrigation allocations). To date, permitting has not addressed cumulative regional impacts. Contact Name and Phone Number: Scott Burns, SFWMD Florida State Drought Programs Program Title: Water Resource Caution Areas (WRCA) Function: Mitigation, Response, Monitoring and Prediction, Planning Program Assistance or Functional Assistance: Requires that each water management district identify "water resource caution areas" (areas facing long-term water resource problems, generally "supply versus demand" in nature) and develop management plans (including but not limited to appropriate regulation) to address each area's problems. Statute or Authority: Specific authority from Section 373.036, F.S., Section 62-40.520(1), F.A.C. Applicable Rule(s) have been updated to reflect this program. Agencies (primary agency listed first): FDEP; NWFWMD (Chapter 40A-2, F.A.C.), SRWMD (not in Rule), SJRWMD (Chapter 40C-23, F.A.C.), SWFWMD (Chapter 40D-2, F.A.C.), SFWMD (Chapter 40E-23, F.A.C.) Customers Served: Natural systems; public and private water systems; agriculture; mining & industry; recreational users; domestic users Triggering Event or Circumstance-How does this program relate to drought? District water supply assessments identify areas that are not capable of meeting future demands based on a 20-year planning horizon. Unmet Needs at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: Improved coordination and consistency Program Limitations: Inconsistency in setting resource protection criteria. Uncertainty of demand projections. Contact Name and Phone Number: Tom Swihart FDEP Florida State Drought Programs Program Title: Minimum Flows & Levels Function: Mitigation, Response, Monitoring and Prediction Program Assistance or Functional Assistance: Requires that each water management district develop "minimum flows and levels" for priority water bodies and ground water systems. Also requires the development and implementation of recovery strategies. Statute or Authority: Specific authority from Section 373.042, F.S. Applicable Rule(s) have been updated or created to reflect this program Agencies (primary agency listed first): FDEP; NWFWMD (not in rule), SRWMD (not in rule), SJRWMD (Chapter 40C-8, F.A.C.), SWFWMD (Chapter 40D-8 and 80), SFWMD (Chapter 40E-22, F.A.C.) Customers Served: Natural systems; public and private water systems; agriculture; mining & industry; recreational users; domestic users Triggering Event or Circumstance-How does this program relate to drought? If a watercourse is threatened such that future withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resource or ecology of the area. Unmet Needs at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: Need for additional research on resource protection and how to define significant harm. Coordination and consistency among WMDs Program Limitations: Inconsistency among WMDs on establishing MFLs. Implementation and enforcement of MFLs. Contact Name and Phone Number: Kathleen Greenwood FDEP Florida State Drought Programs Program Title: Regional Water Supply Assessment Planning (RWSP) Function: Mitigation, Response, Monitoring and Prediction, Communication, Planning Program Assistance or Functional Assistance: Requires that each water management district perform water supply assessments (water demand projections and anticipated water supplies through the year 2020). Also requires regional water supply planning (detailed studies and development of additional sources) when water demand projections exceed the anticipated water supplies. Statute or Authority: Specific authority from Section 373.0361, F.S.; Chapter 62-40, F.A.C. Applicable Rule(s) are being updated to reflect this program (plans are under development). Agencies (primary agency listed first): FDEP; NWFWMD, SRWMD, SJRWMD, SWFWMD, SFWMD Customers Served: Natural systems; public and private water systems; agriculture; mining & industry; recreational users; domestic users Triggering Event or Circumstance-How does this program relate to drought? Water Supply assessments identify Water Resource Caution Areas. Each area should have a Regional Water Supply Plan. Unmet Needs at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: Groundwater and resource protection modeling. Need for water use efficiency and reuse research. Coordination and consistency among WMDs. Program Limitations: Uncertainty of projecting future demands. Inconsistency in setting resource protection criteria for water supply planning. Balancing resource protection with water supply development. Coordination among public suppliers for regional solutions. Contact Name and Phone Number: Kathleen Greenwood FDEP |