Florida Administrative Code › 62 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › 62 - Departmental › Chapter 62-302 - SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS › Section 62-302.400 - Classification of Surface Waters, Usage, Reclassification, Classified Waters

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) All surface waters of the State have been
				classified according to designated uses as follows:
CLASS I
Potable Water Supplies
CLASS I-Treated
Treated Potable Water Supplies
CLASS II
Shellfish Propagation or Harvesting
CLASS III
Fish Consumption; Recreation, Propagation and
							 Maintenance of a Healthy, Well-Balanced Population of Fish and Wildlife
CLASS III-Limited
Fish Consumption; Recreation or Limited Recreation;
							 and/or Propagation and Maintenance of a Limited Population of Fish and
							 Wildlife
CLASS IV
Agricultural Water Supplies
CLASS V
Navigation, Utility and Industrial Use
(2)
				Classification of a waterbody according to a particular designated use or uses
				does not preclude use of the water for other purposes.
(3) The specific water quality criteria
				corresponding to each surface water classification are listed in Rules
				 62-302.500 through
				 62-302.540, and
				 62-302.800, F.A.C.
(4) Water quality classifications are
				arranged in order of the degree of protection required, with Class I water
				having generally the most stringent water quality criteria and Class V the
				least. However, Class I, II, and III surface waters share water quality
				criteria established to protect fish consumption, recreation and the
				propagation and maintenance of a healthy, well-balanced population of fish and
				wildlife. For manmade lakes, canals or ditches, or streams converted to canals
				before November 28, 1975, considered under subsections (5) and (11) below, the
				Department shall evaluate the limited aquatic life support and habitat
				limitations of such waters, recognizing the physical and hydrologic
				characteristics and water management uses for which they were
				constructed.
(5) In addition to
				meeting applicable water quality criteria in Chapter 62-302, F.A.C., Class
				I-Treated Potable Water Supplies (Class I-Treated) waters shall also meet the
				requirements for discharged substances in Section
				 403.061(29)(b),
				F.S. Interested parties may provide the Department with documentation
				demonstrating that a Class I-Treated water would not attain the requirements of
				Section  403.061(29)(b),
				F.S., in accordance with Rule
				 62-620.555, F.A.C.
(6) Class III-Limited surface waters share
				the same water quality criteria as Class III except for any site specific
				alternative criteria that have been established for the waterbody under Rule
				 62-302.800, F.A.C. Class
				III-Limited waters are restricted to waters with human-induced physical or
				habitat conditions that prevent attainment of Class III uses and do not include
				waterbodies that were created for mitigation purposes. "Limited recreation"
				means opportunities for recreation in the water are reduced due to physical
				conditions. "Limited population of fish and wildlife" means the aquatic
				biological community does not fully resemble that of a natural system in the
				types, tolerance and diversity of species present. Class III-Limited waters are
				restricted to:
(a) Wholly artificial
				waterbodies that were constructed consistent with regulatory requirements under
				part I or Part IV of Chapter 373, part I or Part III of Chapter 378, or Part V
				of Chapter 403, F.S., or
(b)
				Altered waterbodies that were dredged or filled prior to November 28, 1975. For
				purposes of this section, "altered waterbodies" are those portions of natural
				surface waters that were dredged or filled prior to November 28, 1975, to such
				an extent that they exhibit separate and distinct hydrologic and environmental
				conditions from any waters to which they are connected.