Decade-long partnership benefits District and Volusia County

Two heads are better than one, right? That saying rings true for the St. Johns River Water Management District and Volusia County. Over the past decade, the two agencies have forged a strong partnership, working together to protect and monitor local water quality through their collaborative efforts.

One of the District’s core missions is to protect and restore water quality, with monitoring and reporting being central to this goal. This process provides valuable data that helps the District make informed decisions about resource management and gain a better understanding of groundwater, springs and water bodies.

Managed by its Bureau of Water Resource Information, the District’s water quality monitoring network has evolved significantly since its beginnings in the early 1980s. Today, it includes nearly 400 surface water sampling sites across rivers, streams, lakes, canals and estuaries; 23 spring sites; and over 450 groundwater sites throughout the District’s 18-county service area. Samples from these sites are analyzed for various water quality parameters, such as nutrients, major ions and physical characteristics, at the District’s laboratory.

In 2014, Volusia County opted to outsource the analysis of their water quality samples and reached out to the District about a potential partnership. Having collaborated in the past, the two agencies carefully evaluated the proposal and established a mutually beneficial agreement. Under this arrangement, Volusia County is responsible for collecting water samples from 80 surface water stations across the county—22 of which are District sites and 68 are county sites. Meanwhile, the District uses its state-of-the-art laboratory to analyze these samples, transforming raw data into actionable insights.

“This partnership helps ease some of the workload for our water quality team,” Tim Miller, bureau chief of Water Resource Information, explains. “The county follows the same standard operating procedures as the District when collecting samples, ensuring data integrity, and with our lab processing the data from all 80 sites, it gives us access to more robust information that helps us effectively monitor the region’s water quality.”

Volusia County falls within three of the District’s four strategic planning basins: the Indian River Lagoon/Upper St. Johns River, Middle St. Johns River and Lower St. Johns River basins. The county’s water quality team gathers surface water samples from local freshwater lakes, canals and tributaries, as well as from the Mosquito Lagoon, an estuary within the Indian River Lagoon. Depending on the day’s schedule, they may be working from a boat, canoe or on foot. While collection schedules vary, most samples are obtained monthly.

These samples are crucial for tracking historical and current water quality trends, which helps ensure responsible management of the region’s water resources. After the District lab analyzes the samples, the results are both uploaded to the District’s database and shared with Volusia County. With this information, the county has been able to identify areas that need attention, leading to the establishment of two dedicated stormwater treatment areas designed to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing into the Indian River Lagoon. These efforts go beyond mere data—they’re about preserving the lagoon as a vibrant, healthy habitat for local wildlife and a beloved spot for the community to enjoy.

Additionally, the partnership has fostered a strong working relationship between the two agencies.

“We’ve been formally working together for ten years now, and it’s given us a great opportunity to continue to interact with Volusia County and build on a relationship that has existed for much longer,” Miller says. “It’s a win-win for both parties and ultimately benefits the region as a whole.”