62-40.540. Water Data

(1) All local governments, water management districts, and state agencies are directed by Section 373.026(2), F.S., to cooperate with the Department in making available to the Department such scientific or factual data as they may possess. The Department shall prescribe the format and ensure the quality control for all water quality data collected or submitted.

(2) The Department is the state’s lead water quality monitoring agency and central repository for surface water and ground water information. The Department shall coordinate Department, District, state agency, and local government water quality monitoring activities to improve data and reduce costs.

(3) The Department’s FLORIDA STORET water quality data base shall be the central repository of the state’s water quality data. To assure that it is readily available to the public and for use in the Department’s watershed management program, all appropriate water quality data collected by the Department, Districts, local governments, and state agencies shall be placed in the FLORIDA STORET system within one year of collection.

(4) The Department’s biennial state water quality assessment (the “305(b) Report”) shall be the state’s general guide to water quality assessment and should be used as the basis for assessments unless more recent, more accurate, or more detailed information is available. The 305(b) report shall be based, in part, on the assessment methodology set forth in Chapter 62-303, F.A.C.

(5) Appropriate monitoring of water quality and water withdrawal shall be required of permittees.

(6) The Districts shall implement a strategy for measuring, estimating, and reporting withdrawal and use of water by permitted and exempted users. Thresholds for measurement requirements and reporting applicable to permittees shall be established and adopted by rule; however, all water use permits for more than an annual average of 100,000 gallons per day shall require that the use be measured by a cost-effective method. This information shall be reported to the Districts at reasonable intervals. The Districts are encouraged to summarize and analyze water use in the District at least annually.

(7) The Department and the Districts shall coordinate in the development and implementation of a standardized computerized statewide data base and methodology to track activities authorized by environmental resource permits in wetlands and waters of the state. The data base will be designed to provide for the rapid exchange of information between the Department and the Districts. The Department will serve as the central repository for environmental resource permit data and shall specify the data base organization and electronic format in which the data are to be provided by the Districts.

Specific Authority 373.026(7), 373.036(1)(d), 373.043, 373.171 FS. Law Implemented 373.023, 373.026, 373.036(1)(d), 373.103, 373.171, 373.413, 373.414, 373.418, FS. History–New 7-20-95, Amended 5-7-05.