UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY


MAP SERIES NO. 76


FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
published by BUREAU OF GEOLOGY


89s 88s 87- 86 855 84 83 82' 81 80
r |


PROGRAM FOR MONITORING
SURFACE-WATER QUALITY IN FLORIDA

By
Larry J. Slack

Prepared in cooperation with the
BUREAU OF WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION

Tallahassee, Florida
1977

INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Geological Survey investigates the occurrence, quantity,
quality, distribution, and movement of the surface and underground
waters throughout the nation. It is the principal federal water-data
agency and, as -such, collects and disseminates about 70 percent of
the water data currently being used by numerous state, local,
private, and other federal agencies to develop and manage the
nation's water resources.
The purpose of this water atlas is to inform the reader of the
overall operation and extent of the program for monitoring surface-
water quality in Florida: the history and funding of the program, the
purpose and objectives of the network of monitoring stations by
hydrologic categories, the frequencies of sampling, the types of
water-quality data collected, and how these data are published and
used.
HISTORY AND FUNDING
The U.S. Geological Survey's program for monitoring surface-
water quality in Florida began in 1939. It was part of a general
investigation to determine the availability of water in the Miami
area for public and private supply. That investigation was in cooper-
ation with the Florida Geological Survey (now the Florida Bureau of
Geology), Dade County, and the cities of Miami, Miami Beach and
Coral Gables.
The program is constantly being revised in response to the varying
needs for information to alleviate water-resource problems, and the
application of new hydrologic principles and techniques. As of 1976,
the monitoring program in the State of Florida was maintained in
cooperation with more than 75 State, Federal, and local agencies;
and water-quality information was being obtained from a network of
more than 600 stations in five categories in 61 of the 67 counties in
Florida.
-- CLASSIFICATION OF MONITORING STATIONS
Most of the stations included in the monitoring program fall
within five general categories: real assessment, eutrophic condition
assessment, hydrologic benchmark, long-term trend, and water-
quality accounting. The purpose of each category is defined in table
1.
Water-quality data are also collected at bulk-precipitatinn. stloi-
water runoff, morphological-limnological, and other special purpose
stations to satisfy the need for information in specific problem areas
or to provide additional data to water planners and users.
At morphological-limnological stations, for example, the surface
and drainage area, volume, bottom contours, type of drainage, geo-
logic setting, basin characteristics, chemical composition and
nutrient concentration, transparency, sediment type and composi-
tion, degree of stratification, phytoplankton species and number and
abundance of littoral vegetation are determined on a one-time-only
basis by means of a late summer survey.

DISTRIBUTION OF STATIONS
The distribution of stations in the monitoring program as of April
1976 is shown on the large map. The distribution and number of
stations in a given area is determined by the extent to which infor-
mation is needed. This generally is the result of water-quality
problems related to increasing usage by municipalities, industries,
and agriculture.

TYPES AND FREQUENCIES OF DATA COLLECTED
Many of the program stations are multiple-purpose stations and
are sampled as part of two or more categories. For example, the
station Sopchoppy River near Sopchoppy (in Wakulla County) is
sampled as a hydrologic benchmark station, an areal assessment
station, and a water-quality accounting station.
The station categories, parameter coverage, and sampling fre-
quency are subjective and quite variable, depending on the specific
situation. The minimum constituent coverage and sampling fre-
quency most commonly observed for each station category are shown
on table 2.
Eighteen of the Florida Water Quality Accounting stations are
also part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Stream Quality
Accounting Network. The National Stream Quality Accounting
Network is a nationwide, federally and cooperatively funded
program which provides systematic water-quality data for selected
stations. Site selection and coverage were determined for the purpose
of assessing the long-term trends in the physical, chemical, and
biological characteristics of the nation's streams. The primary objec-
tives are as follows.
1. To account for the quantity and quality of water moving within
and from the United States
2. To depict areal variability in water quality
3. To detect changes in stream quality
4. To lay the groundwork for future assessments of changes in
stream quality
The locations of active and planned stations in the U.S. Geological
Survey's National Stream Quality Accounting Network in Florida as
of April 1976 are shown on figure 1.
Of the 18 U.S. Geological Survey's National Stream Quality
Accounting Network stations in Florida, 8 are also part of the
National Pesticide Water Monitoring Program, operated by the
Survey in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency.
At each of these stations four water samples and two sediment
samples are collected annually for pesticide analysis. The specific
constituents for which analyses are made within each type of
measurement are listed on table 3.


DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
S -_ __ BUREAU OF GEOLOGY
Sn 1 H"OLMES lThis public document was promulgated at a total -
SN ROSA/ H OLMcost of $854.26 or a per copy cost of $.43 for the
S ACKSO 1 purpose of disseminating hydrologic data.

OKALOOSA GADSDEN / --- .. NAU------ SU-
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1 T1O 2
The U.S. Geological Survey has three central water-quality LAFAYETTE NION
laboratories, in Denver, Colo., Atlanta, Ga., and Albany, N.Y. Each ,- UN N o 1 .. s
year the central laboratory at Atlanta and the water-quality labora- O C ST. JOHNS
stories at the Survey offices in Florida analyze nearly 20,000 samples -
collected from streams and lakes in Florida. -
The central laboratories perform chemical analyses that range in 3 2
complexity from determinations of simple inorganic constituents, GILCHRIST ALACHUA PUTAM
such as chlorides, to complex organic compounds such as pesticides. E--- \
As each analysis is completed, it is verified by laboratory personnel -
and then transmitted by way of a computer terminal to the central, FLAGLE R
computer facilities and stored in Reston, Virginia, in the Water- TABLEI1 ~ ~fi a sat he nto psgm TABLE 3 -Tthe c o tents dt rm ned a
Quality File, discussed later in this report. __ pa of eachtype of measurement, EVY
Categoryofstation PurpoType ofmeasurement Constituen 9 7
AVAILABILITY OF THE RECORDS A Area-l ..... nt a -rted hbart, narhty data onp, a Speciflnccndutance Spnifnadanadprats
All records obtained from the water-quality program in Florida, dds on t ons-mwater qd]-Divd oxgen Dlvd oygen 10 2
since its inception in 1939, are available to the public. Table 4 lists Aty oth nsao prfl and i, Nitroaenkpaes.r N-atron,tnnt,mondnrga MARION VOLUSIA
the annual series of U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Papers conditio.... hospecies O dtotaphph
for the South Atlantic slope and eastern Gulf of Mexico basins are viderly detctonofdtneoration 5lyayBOD 5 -bio.hemicloygen.demand 2 ~
given in Part 2. c Hydrologicbenchmark ,- .. ... .. Mhjor chemical ., E
Beginning with the 1964 water year (October 1963-September ,,,,'., -,,I, institents had. ... lk d ity, an ld Id l 2LAKE
1964), water-quality records have been released by the U.S. 1, .' ,, ,s to mal .... cndepH.co.Irand CITRUS 2 '
Geological Survey in annual reports on a state-boundary basis. ert"f.man-t.iof estam T n.l. Includ..eslmall.orpfthef.llenwing
These reports are for limited distribution and are designed primarily D Lnag-temtrend Prav.de ape.ific tndoutan and ten. aluminum, ar.o.en, n d- h a nn 9 24
-_ p re A -o-onsnr- .- cpper, -rn, lead, manga mercury, __ SU TER
for rapid release of data shortly after the end of each water year. now r tage an mared petty mckel, spleiuan.ad ..n.se SUMTE-R SEMINOLE
These records were published later in Geological Survey Water- tn' hbts a.U tem otsan.ountn pesticides Incticide:nnchdneDDD. 7 \
Supply Papers through 1971. From 1971 through 1975 only the areat.o nton toDdDete .T.,dld h to drtn, hlr HERNADO ORANG
annual reports were published. Starting with the 1976 water year throughout n area. taphene ORANGE
the annual reports were designated an official series. E Wa.,., qlity Dq l.tetrin r I tn. n t .e..atrI..ari. -deebicde 2t .;2,4.5 T;-and Si 2
A large-scale computerized storage and retrieval system is used by quanty with tream.flw and eatso,; fear l codfonn. rtotea coihfo ng feal
quai ty w ft wand n o n; fe tal tho total ohfao eCaal
the Geological Survey to store, retrieve, and disseminate water data pv a.. a n org alos o f atrptoo" pAsco
acquired through its many activities. The Geological Survey's Pin ".adkton "" 226CO, nt 29
... 1h DIslved: RA-226, uran., g, ss alpha, 2 9
National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System was imple- Ad-'1 "r ihmdsbeta.drha 10 /
mented in November 1971. In addition to its data processing, pd under the US.eol Stp.nded graltphaandgrossbetJ
storage, and retrieval capabilities, the system has the capability of Surea's' Notinoa Otreo n Qaalat. 24.haurDOprfle o24h.0.adissolaednaygenprofil,
providing computer-printed tables (for example, tblAle Natlt 5), computer- Amntt.ngn n ts Bey ... cn.-. b,- 57 OSCEOLA
tales (or exmpletabe e), compuPetecr-esehnottm Innadea hmerornaleofthe pestiedes OOG 2 0
printed graphs (for example, figure 2), statistical analyses of data, .sediment lisneda l1,e ) H CILLSBOROUGH 2
and digital plots. The system is operated and maintained on the Suspendd dent Sundedeediment 1
central computer facility of the Survey at its National Center, TABLE2C E -o r d a pngf for Jt_ cgPe OLK 17
Reston, VA, and through about 50 terminals in Water Resources ABL2 d -n adon, .,atnwn.. ara)o fns o sf a / \
Division district and subdistrict offices located in major cities c-Astoettnens..nsedoona mon nne ,ireotonrafns.-om.--t a ---/ n| f I / C1-)
throughout the nation (Hutchison, 1975). C mtuets red d 'minium nui frequent INDIAN RIVER
The U.S. Geological Survey has a computer program to retrieve. r n .
data from an index of water-quality, stage, and discharge- MANATEE HIGHLANDS -
measurement stations and to list them in a format suitable for I a t..HARDEE2 7
publication. Table 6 is an example of a computer-printed table gen- 1 OKEEC EE
rated through the station-index program. 2 a | ta it I it R(EE E
In addition to the basic data reports already described, the 0 S .. ..T LCIE 2 o- ,.
Geological Survey publishes many interpretative reports in the 1 a STAr
series: Professional Papers, Bulletins, Circulars, Water-Supply 1 a 2 th
Papers, Open-file Reports, Water-Resources Investigations Reports, categor- oM.....on otsoo 10
and Hydrologic Investigations Atlases. Some Geological Survey- - -Area -n t i t2 1 2 n MA RTI
reports are availableonly through the NationalTechnical Informa- B tmphaditon men 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 MARIN
tion Service, Springfield, Va. ..yd.alth.rhma2sk I1 2 1 1ot 2 1 1 2 1 12 i t -------
Geological Survey personnel also have written many interpreta- E Waterquaity aunng_ bt 1 2 2 41 24 -22 12 2 1 4 -i A-p 2--
tive reports published by the State of Florida: Bulletins, Information As often as station .. visited. ntns. aO, Okeechobee 29
Circulars, Map Series (such as this report), Report of Investigations, bUnl histoca conductanc data, avable, 365. CHARTT 1 GLADES
and Special Publications. PA
Inquiries concerning the reports or activities of the U.S. Geological -.,. o
Survey may be addressed to District Chief, Water Resources Divi-- .
sion, U.S. Geological Survey, Suite F-240, 325 John Knox Road,
Tallahassee, Florida 32303; or to Chief, Bureau of Geology, Division HENDRY BEACH
of Interior Resources, Florida Department of Natural Resources, 903 l t t o s a i 1 i Wa.. o .ttas.---
W. Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; or to Chief a g I
Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, MS 420, t tt 1 7171 7a7 a a a S S,) t ..ts \
Reston, Virginia 22092. notor S'i-tun-at~ -o

SELECTED REFERENCES t5 2 t i t a a 1 .iOnaoooi S
In61 1 11=0 11t 1O 11 0 0 010 00a a0t t0a. n a pmnt atatl0M 1I BROWARD
Conover, C. S. s 14 6 6 4 1 n a 6 1 6 a t o a 1 a t t a 0 a .i6rArHa 17.4
1965 (MacKichan, K. A., and Price, R. W.) The water mapping, 1 a a a a a a a s. .ia t a a S oa 1- COLLIER 1
monitoring and research program in Florida: State Board of lit 12 t a o 8a 292A8im-ty ..oMaO an io2)8-
Conserv., Florida Geol. Survey, Spec. Pub. 13. 19 t, 1t 59, i a n I I o a T stnsonC)(saI)+ll oa1 12 -
Hutchison, N. S. l n 0 0 a .a a aS a 1 a i t t a N onto .nO-T-2) 2
1975 WATSTORE user's guide: U.S. Geol. Survey open-file rept. 1 3a oI a L g32 sa a2 so el I a i 2 tt V a o 2 t0 a4 St MSdl (------ I
75-426, v. ip. v-v,, taSMNoo No10 = Wa..rt..-inart... V, 5 nt-o a t 3oa0 2ona S..2.o t -07 Ot OM12 <.Mna4o>A a


S u 0--1-o t4. o .- 5
'"t n ao"' "., ....S........ JXPLA .. .. ....... .... /
E L T 4 49 o .. .--...... ---
V..~. \ -- o"8 -- -t (Monitoring-station program by category of sampling sta-
P 7 tion as of April 1976.)
EXPLANATION -- --
O -ni a a I Oi 7 Areal assessment
Active slottion : *
o Planned slotion
L ,t 2 Eutrophic condition assessment
-- J 1 Hydrologic benchmark p

\ ." 3 Long-term trend


^on7
I (I


Figure l--Locations of active and
planned stations in the U.S. Geological
Survey's National Stream Quality Ac-
counting Network in Florida as of April
1976.


tLOG OF ISARGE. IIN -IC FEa T PER SECOND
Figure 2.-Computer-printed graph, showing the log of the dis-
solved solid load versus the log of discharge at the Myakka River
near Sarasota, Florida.


4 Water quality accounting
(Number refers to the number of stations in each category
currently being sampled.)


0 10 20 30 40 50 MILES

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FLORIDA GEOLOGIC SURVEY MAP SERIES .*'
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