Water Quality Is A Top Priority For Florida

Protecting Florida Together is a consolidated source of information about Florida’s efforts to protect and improve water quality. The partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department of Health is part of the state's commitment to keeping the public informed about statewide water quality and restoration efforts, as well as simple steps all Floridians can take to help prevent excessive nutrients from entering our waterways.

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Grants

Since 2019, the Florida Legislature has committed nearly $5 billion to local governments and other eligible entities to support water-related projects.

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Email and text message notifications

To provide the most relevant and timely information, the Protecting Florida Together water quality notification system allows subscribers to sign up for customizable alerts regarding blue-green algae, red tide and other important updates.

Blue-Green Algae Resources

Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, occur in Florida’s freshwater environments and can cause harmful blooms in certain conditions. Learn more about blue-green algae and how Florida is responding.

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Red Tide Resources

Red tide in Florida is caused by high concentrations of Karenia brevis, a toxin producing microscopic algae that can affect the health of both wildlife and people. Learn more about red tide and how Florida is responding.

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Statewide Efforts

Governor Ron DeSantis directed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to coordinate two task forces, focused on freshwater and saltwater algal blooms to immediately address these water quality issues.

Blue-Green Algae Task Force

Governor DeSantis took a major step forward in combating blue-green algae in Florida through the creation of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force along with the appointment of its five members. This task force plays an important role in protecting Florida’s water and water-related resources. Each of the task force members is a nationally recognized and well-respected scholar. Their collective scientific expertise and input figures prominently in DEP’s efforts to improve water quality throughout the state.

Blue-Green Algae Task Force

Red Tide Task Force

Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership the Red Tide Task Force, also known as the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Task Force, was re-organized and received funding for the first time in more than 15 years. The Red Tide Task Force focuses on the causes of red tide and seeks to provide mitigation solutions, identify research needs and evaluate actions intended to address impacts from red tide along with other saltwater based algal blooms.

Red Tide Task Force