This is an experimental product, which is an effort to more easily visualize publicly available water quality data for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed. In the future additional maps are anticipated for:

- different time periods (e.g. latest measurement from the SFWMD database).

- different watersheds (St. Lucie River, Caloosahatchee River).

The underlying basin borders are derived from the SFWMD AHED Watersheds Map (10/4/2019), which contains more basins than the rows of the data table. The data table is based on Table 8B in the Draft 2020 South Florida Environmental Report. Thus, where multiple basins are assigned to one row in Table 8B, they all will be assigned the same color on the map. For example, the entire Upper Kissimmee Subwatershed is assigned one color on the map even though the map contains the borders of the 25 basins that comprise the Upper Kissimmee Subwatershed.

TP concentration maps: The maps show the Total Phosphorus (TP) concentration of discharges from the 35 basins that flow into the lake from the 3.4 million-acre watershed. The Target for cumulative TP discharge into the Lake from the watershed was set by the state in 2001 as 231,556 pounds per year, which is equivalent to an average concentration of 40 parts per billion (ppb, or µg/L). Hence in the map, the “Target” is 40 µg/L.

TP unit area load maps: The maps show the Total Phosphorus (TP) unit area load, measured in pounds per ac (lbs/ac) from the 35 basins that flow into the lake from the 3.4 million-acre watershed. The period used by the water management district is a “Water Year” (May through April). The Target for cumulative TP discharge into the Lake from the watershed was set by the state in 2001 as 231,556 pounds per year, which is equivalent to an average unit area load of 0.067 lbs/ac. Hence in the map, the “Target” is 0.067 lbs/ac. Several basins on the map also flow to another waterbody. Thus, the unit area load will be underestimated for those basins identified with an "*" in the table.

TN concentration maps: The maps show the Total Nitrogen (TN) concentration of discharges from the 35 basins that flow into the lake from the 3.4 million-acre watershed. The Target for cumulative TN discharge into the Lake from the watershed has not been set by the state, however the Governor’s Blue Green Algae Task Force recently recommended one be set. In the map, the “Target” was set at 1.4 mg/L (1,400 µg/L) based on SFWMD modeling.

TN unit area load maps: The maps show the annual Total Nitrogen (TN) unit area load, measured in pounds per ac (lbs/ac) from the 35 basins that flow into the lake from the 3.4 million-acre watershed. A Target for cumulative TN discharge into the Lake from the watershed has not been set by the state, however the Governor’s Blue Green Algae Task Force recently recommended one be set. In the map, the “Target” is 2.345 lbs/ac, which corresponds to a Target of 1.4 mg/L. Several basins on the map also flow to another waterbody. Thus, the unit area load will be underestimated for those basins identified with an "*" in the table.