Our Water Story

State Requirements Explained 

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): is a scientific determination of the maximum amount of a given pollutant that surface water can absorb and still meet the water quality standards that protect human health and aquatic life. Water bodies that do not meet water quality standards are identified as "impaired" for the particular pollutants of concern - nutrients, bacteria, mercury, etc. - and TMDLs must be developed, adopted and implemented to reduce those pollutants and clean up the water body. The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Restoration Targets for the St. Lucie River and Estuary Basin were adopted in 2009.

Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP): is the "blueprint" for restoring impaired waters by reducing pollutant loadings to meet the allowable loadings established in a 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. The Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) for the St. Lucie River and Estuary Basin was adopted in 2013.

Funding 

Restoring watersheds after decades of development and drainage manipulation is a challenging task. It requires innovation, commitment and significant resources. Many local, state and federal sources have been utilized to make the progress we have thus far, and they will all be necessary to reach our goals. The most basic source of funding  is our county ad valorem funds. The board has committed $1.25 million each year from county property assessment revenues. This has been supplemented with $500,000 annually from a franchise fee paid to Martin County by Florida Power and Light and $280,000 annually from a portion of the county’s municipal service taxing unit assessment.

All of this local investment is leveraged with state and federal grants and appropriations. Funding sources include Environmental Protection Agency section 319 grants, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Total Maximum Daily Load grants, a South Florida Water Management District Cooperative Funding grant, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program grant, the St. Lucie River Issues Team and state legislative appropriations.

Martin County's Contribution

Martin County has contributed $75 million toward land acquisition that precipitated $169 million in land acquisition for Indian River Lagoon South Everglades restoration projects. Those acquisitions led to construction of the $550 million C-44 stormwater treatment area and reservoir. In addition, Martin County has invested $40 million in local stormwater treatment areas and septic to sewer conversions that have complemented $45 million in matching grant funds to provide nutrient reduction, flood control and water quality improvements to the St. Lucie River and Estuary.
 
In total, Martin County has contributed well over $85 million in water quality related investment, which has been integral in over $600 million current total investment in our local watersheds. This progress is prompting even more advancement as momentum is building for future water quality projects.