By STAFF REPORTS
The Northwest Florida Water Management District held a series of public workshops in mid-October to launch the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program, which aims to identify and support meaningful projects to address water resource issues in each of the Panhandle’s seven watersheds.
The Watersheds Partnership Program will provide funding for planning, data collection, design, and implementation of projects to enhance water quality, aquatic habitat, and water supply in priority sub-basins within the Northwest Florida Water Management District.
To maximize effectiveness, the Program will be implemented in coordination with local and county governments, regional entities and other interested and affected parties, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve and three Panhandle Estuary Programs: the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program, Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program, and the St. Andrews and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program.
The series of public workshops served as an opportunity to help identify priority sub-basins based on criteria such as water quality, water supply and natural system protection. Stormwater management needs, areas of water resource concern because of population growth, or changes in aquatic habitat are some of the examples of the criteria used to identify priority sub-basins.
Once priority sub-basins are identified, the Program will then focus on creating work plans that will identify projects to help address water resource issues in each priority sub-basin.
The seven watersheds which comprise the Northwest Florida Water Management District are: Perdido River and Bay; Pensacola Bay; Choctawhatchee River and Bay; St. Andrews Bay; Apalachicola River and Bay; Ochlockonee River and Bay; and St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay.
For more information on the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program, please visit https://nwfwater.com/water-resources/surface-water-improvement-and-management/.
