The Sarasota County Water Atlas is designed to provide citizens, scientists, professionals, and planners with comprehensive and current water quality, hydrologic, and ecological data, as well as information about recreational opportunities and a library of scientific and educational materials on water resource issues. Typically, the scientists and citizens who live and work on water resources have found it difficult to gather the information they need from the myriad of agencies that collect the related data. To solve this problem, we conceived of the Atlas as a "one stop information shop" for concerned citizens and scientists alike. The Atlas functions as a warehouse for a variety of water resources information, including documents and educational links. We have also strived to make the Atlas a rich resource that educates citizens about the data presented and gives scientists easy access to the specialized information they need. We encourage you to use the Atlas as a tool to help in maintaining and improving our vital water resources.
Project Funding
- Sarasota County
Information Providers
- Benchmark Laboratories
- Enviro-Audit
- Environmental Protection Agency, Western Ecology Division, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement & Modeling Division
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture, Shellfish Environmental Assessment Section
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Invasive Plant Management, Charlotte Harbor Aquatic & Buffer Preserves, Water Quality Assessment Program
- Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Water Programs, Biomedical Waste Program
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Marine Fisheries, Artificial Reef Program, Bureau of Marine Fisheries Management
- Florida LAKEWATCH, Univ. Fla. Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences
- Florida Natural Areas Inventory, GIS Division
- Lee County , Hyacinth Control District
- Manatee County, Parks & Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, Air & Watershed Management
- Manatee County Department of Environmental Management, Watershed Management Division, Environmental Management Department
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Center for Coastal and Tropical Ecology, Manatee Research Program
- National Audubon Society, Christmas Bird Counts, Audubon Science Office
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service (NOS), Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, Aviation Center Data Management
- Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority
- Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
- Sarasota County, Environmental Services, Artificial Reef Program, Natural Resources - Coastal Resources
- Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Chicago Zoological Society in cooperation with Mote Marine Laboratory
- Southwest Florida Water Management District, Hydrologic Data Section, Data Collection Bureau
- U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau
- University of Florida, IFAS Extension, Florida Automated Weather Network
- University of South Florida Water Institute, GIS Team, Water Atlas Program
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
- USF Water Institute Assessments, Lake and Stream Assessments
- USGS National Water Information System, Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center
Project Partners
Sarasota County Water Atlas
- Kayla Quinn, Sampling and Outreach Coordinator
- Rene Janneman, Environmental Specialist
- Mike Jones, Environmental Specialist
- Mollie K. Holland, Neighborhood Environmental Stewardship Team Coordinator
- Kenny Dotson, GIS Analyst
University of South Florida Water Institute
Faculty
- Shawn Landry, PhD, Program Director, Research Associate Professor
- Kai Rains, PhD, Research Associate Professor
Staff
- Keith Bornhorst, BS, Web Applications Developer
- Ruth Costley, BS, Senior GIS Analyst
- David Eilers, BS, Field Scientist - Environmental
- Claude Kershaw, MS, Senior Database Applications Developer
- Jayden Mohacsi, BS, Applications Developer
- Jennifer Negron, BS, Database Developer
- Jason Scolaro, MS, Database Applications Developer
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to all the wonderful people who have participated in the process of designing and developing the Sarasota County Water Atlas.
Water Atlas Program Advisory Group
Special thanks to the following group of individuals who have helped to guide the long-term development of the Water Atlas Program (www.wateratlas.org) by participating in the Water Atlas Advisory Group.
Participant |
Organization |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Aragon | Hillsborough County |
| Lisa Beever, Ph.D. | Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership |
| Greg Blanchard | Manatee County |
| Julie Bortles | Orange County |
| Mike Britt | City of Winter Haven |
| Rob Brown | Manatee County |
| Maya Burke | Tampa Bay Estuary Program |
| Michael Carnevale | City of Winter Haven |
| Marcia Anderson Clark | Orange County |
| Lindsay Cross | Tampa Bay Estuary Program |
| Amanda Dominguez | Sarasota County |
| Liz Donley | Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership |
| Gloria Eby | Seminole County |
| Ben Garcia | Lake County Water Authority |
| Holly Greening | Tampa Bay Estuary Program |
| Jim Griffin | Florida Center for Community Design and Research |
| Melissa Harrison | Pinellas County |
| Jennifer Hecker | Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership |
| Marie Lackey | Seminole County |
| Shawn Landry | USF Water Institute |
| Kelli Levy | Pinellas County |
| Sarah Malone | City of Lakeland |
| John McGee | Hillsborough County |
| Kathryn Meaux | Sarasota County |
| Ashley Melton | Sarasota County |
| Jack Merriam | Sarasota County |
| Kim Ornberg | Seminole County |
| Michael Perry | Lake County Water Authority |
| Jon Perry | Sarasota County |
| John Ryan | Sarasota County |
| Laura Thorne | Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission |
| Melanie Weed | Pinellas County |
| Kelly Westover | Sarasota County |
| Shannon Wetzel | Seminole County |