Basin Management Action Plans
What is a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP)? It is the
“blueprint” for restoring impaired waters by reducing pollutant loadings
to meet the allowable loadings established in a Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL). It represents a comprehensive set of strategies--permit limits
on wastewater facilities, urban and agricultural best management
practices, conservation programs, financial assistance and revenue
generating activities, etc.--designed to implement the pollutant
reductions established by the TMDL. These broad-based plans are
developed with local stakeholders--they rely on local input and local
commitment--and they are adopted by Secretarial Order to be enforceable.
What BMAPs have been adopted so far? The following BMAPs have
been adopted by DEP Secretarial Order:
Upper Ocklawaha – August 2007
The Upper Ocklawaha Basin Management Action Plan, developed in
partnership with Lake and Orange counties, cities, the St. Johns
River Water Management District, Lake County Water Authority and
other local stakeholders, identifies actions and commitments to
restore and protect water quality in the Upper Ocklawaha River
Basin. Its implementation will benefit surface waters throughout
Lake and part of Orange Counties, including the Clermont Chain of
Lakes connected by the Palatlakaha River, Lake Apopka, Lake Griffin,
and the Harris Chain of Lakes.
Orange Creek – May 2008
The Orange Creek Basin Management Action Plan, developed in
partnership with the City of Gainesville, Marion and Alachua
Counties, the St. Johns River Water Management District, Alachua
County Health Department, University of Florida, Gainesville
Regional Utilities, private silviculture interests, and other local
stakeholders, identifies actions and commitments to restoring and
protecting water quality in the Orange Creek Basin. The Orange Creek
Basin is a tributary of the Ocklawaha River. The plan’s
implementation will benefit surface waters in Alachua and Marion
Counties, including Orange Lake, Lochloosa Lake, Newnans Lake,
Tumblin Creek, Sweetwater Branch, Hogtown Creek, Lake Wauberg,
Paynes Prairie/Alachua Sink, and the Ocklawaha River.
Long Branch – May 2008
The Long Branch Basin Management Action Plan, developed in
partnership with Orange County and the Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services, identifies actions that are
needed to decrease bacteria and nutrients in Long Branch. Long
Branch is a tributary of the Econlockhatchee River in unincorporated
Orange County, between Bithlo and Wedgefield.
Lower St. Johns River - October 2008
The LSJR BMAP represents the collaborative effort of the Lower
St. Johns River TMDL Executive Committee in cooperation with the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of
Environmental Assessment and Restoration to identify the management
strategies necessary to achieve the nutrient TMDLs for the main stem
of the river from the confluence of the Ocklawaha River north to the
mouth of the river.
Where are BMAPs being or scheduled for development? Efforts
are underway in the following watersheds to develop BMAPs:
Get the full sized, high-res version
of the map (898 KB)
Tables of planned or on-going BMAP activities in the areas within
each of the DEP District Offices
Reasonable Assurance Documents
EPA regulations allow states to place certain impaired water bodies
into Category 4B of the Integrated Report Categories instead of Category
5 – Impaired and needs a TMDL. The Florida Watershed Restoration Act
(Section 403.067(4)) explicitly allows DEP to not list impaired waters
under Category 5 if they already have control programs in place that
will assure that water quality standards will be restored. These types
of water bodies – impaired but with control programs already being
implemented to reduce pollutant loadings – are placed in Category 4B of
the Integrated Report. To assist stakeholders in developing approvable
Reasonable Assurance Plans, the Department created a
guidance document.
To date, the Department and EPA have approved the following
Reasonable Assurance Plans:
Shell, Prairie, and Joshua Creeks – December 2004
This Reasonable Assurance Plan was developed by the Southwest
Florida Water Management District in cooperation with DEP, DACS,
agricultural producers, and others. There are 41 signatories to the
Plan which sets forth actions to reduce chlorides, conductivity, and
total dissolved solids in these water bodies.
Lake Seminole – May 2007
This Reasonable Assurance Plan was developed by Pinellas County
to set forth the actions that have been taken or are planned to be
taken to reduce nutrient loadings to Lake Seminole and restore the
lake’s water quality standards.
