DEP Cost Share Program

Program Overview - Springs

The Florida Legislature, through the Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), provides funding assistance for projects that improve the quality and quantity of the state’s water resources that protect and improve springs. FDEP works closely with the water management districts, local governments and other stakeholders to identify and implement springs projects that achieve restoration goals. State funding assistance is being made available to entities to implement these projects.

Eligible projects include land acquisition intended to protect springs, and capital projects that protect the quality and quantity of water that flows from springs. This would include any viable springs protection, restoration or management projects, such as:

• Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs)
• Hydrologic Restoration
• Land Acquisition
• Reuse
• Stormwater
• Wastewater Collection and Treatment
• Water Conservation
• Other innovative approaches and efficiencies that further the intended goal

Program Overview - Alternative Water Supply

The Governor and Legislature recognize the importance of developing alternative water supplies for the growing economy and health of Florida's natural systems. The Department and the Districts will give special consideration to projects in the MFL Recovery or Prevention Strategies or District Regional Water Supply Plans or projects otherwise benefitting MFLs.

• Reclaimed Water
• Water Conservation
• Stormwater
• Surface Water
• Brackish Groundwater
• Desalination
• Other Non-Traditional Source
• Other Water Quantity
• Feasibility and Land  acquisition projects may be eligible if they relate to one of the above and are necessary to implement a regional project

AWS and Springs Project Submittal

Applications for the AWS and Springs funding requests for the fiscal year 2023-2024 are currently open. Guidance documents are available for review.  The AWS / Springs application deadline is December 16, 2022.

The AWS/Springs application form can be accessed with the following link:

AWS and Springs Application Form

Conceptual Projects

Conceptual Projects can be submitted anytime, they do not have a deadline.

 If you would like to submit other projects for consideration, please use the Conceptual Project application form The application form can be accessed with the following link:

• Conceptual Project Application Form

Please read the following guidance and reference materials which will provide the applicant with assistance with how to fill out the required project application:

• District Springs Funding Guidance (PDF)
• AWS Guidance
• FDEP Guidance-on Springs-Funding
• Cost Effectiveness Calculator (XLS)
  
• Basin Management Action Plan Projects for SRWMD (PDF)
• Water Quality Assessments, TMDLs and BMAPs with Water Body IDs (WBID)
• FDEP-method-for-wastewater-TN-calculations (XLS)
• Nitrogen-source-inventory-and-loading-tool-NSILT-1
• BMP Trains 2020 UCF
• Spreadsheet-tool- for estimating-pollutant-loads-STEPL
• Lower Santa Fe Basin Recovery Strategy (PDF)
• North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership (NFRWSP) Boundary Map (PDF)
• NFRWSP Projects for SRWMD (PDF)
• Outstanding Florida Springs (PDF)
• Priority Focus Areas (PDF)
• Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plans - Coastal Basin (PDF) and Suwannee Basin (PDF)
• Water Resource Caution Areas Map (PDF)

Questions?

For more information, please contact the Agriculture and Environmental Projects team by email or by calling 386-362-1001.