Who Regulates Consumptive Use?
Both the water management districts’ (WMD) governing boards, which are charged with maintaining the state’s reserves of usable water at an acceptable level, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are vested with the authority to require consumptive use permits and impose conditions upon those permits. This is in accordance with Florida’s water use policy, which gives preference to desirable uses and thus promotes natural resource, fish, and wildlife preservation. This authority is delegated almost entirely to the WMDs, which should be consulted before any consumptive use of water is undertaken.
Related Questions
- Where would I find information regarding the records of diversions, return flows, and consumptive use of water diverted from the Colorado River?
- What are the implications of surface water and groundwater interactions on consumptive or environmental use of water?
- What is meant by consumptive use, when referred to in the context of irrigation or ag water conservation?
