Environmental Monitoring

Improving water quality is one of the core components in the South Florida Water Management District's mission. A significant amount of data is collected and analyzed to assess our region's water quality. Water quality monitoring systems track ecosystem status and trends and the performance of District projects, including information needed to meet legal and regulatory requirements.

Environmental information is essential to effective water resource management and restoration. Real-time data combined with historical information about weather, rainfall and changes in vegetation or land-use are used to help managers make water resource decisions that are based on the soundest science.

The District's environmental monitoring program supports restoration projects throughout the central and south Florida region, including the Everglades, Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, Big Cypress Basin, water conservation areas and stormwater treatment areas.

The District monitors surface water, fish and sediment in marshes, estuaries, lakes, rivers and canals. Sampling locations include pumping stations, culverts, marsh environments and open water environments. Water, fish and sediment samples are analyzed for nutrients, pesticides, trace metals and ultra-trace mercury.

Data collected for water quality monitoring is available on the District's specialized database called DBHYDRO. This database is the source of historical and up-to-date environmental data for the 16-county region covered by the District.

Other government agencies assist the District in water quality sampling in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park and Biscayne Bay. Some state, federal and private laboratories also assist with water quality analyses.

Technical reports and publications, plus details about monitoring sites, geographic information systems data and regulatory data are also available on these pages.