Alternative Text Description for Florida Water Body Identification Districts (WBIDs)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the Water Body Identification Districts (WBIDs) across the entire state of Florida. The WBIDs represent a comprehensive polygon-based system where each polygon has a unique identification number used to delineate drainage basins, lakes, lake drainage areas, springs, rivers and streams, segments of rivers and streams, and coastal, bay, and estuarine waters throughout Florida. The map shows thousands of individual polygons outlined in purple that roughly delineate the drainage basins surrounding water body assessment units used in Florida's Basin Rotation Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program and other water management applications.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire state of Florida, from the panhandle region in the northwest extending southward through the peninsula to the Keys. Major cities labeled on the map include Jacksonville on the northeast coast, Tampa on the central west coast, Cape Coral in southwest Florida, and Miami in the southeast. The map extends slightly beyond Florida's borders to show portions of neighboring areas including Dothan and Albany to the north and Valdosta to the northeast in Georgia. The Gulf of America forms the western boundary, while the Atlantic Ocean borders the east coast. The Straits of Florida are labeled at the southern tip of the peninsula.

KEY INSIGHTS

The map reveals a dense network of water body identification districts distributed throughout Florida with varying polygon sizes and configurations. The northern panhandle and northern peninsula regions display particularly dense concentrations of smaller polygons, suggesting more complex drainage basin patterns in these areas. The central peninsula shows a mixture of larger and smaller polygons, indicating varied watershed sizes. Southern Florida, particularly the area around the Everglades and southern peninsula, displays notably larger polygon units compared to northern regions. The coastal areas along both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts show intricate polygon patterns reflecting the complex hydrology of Florida's shoreline, estuaries, and coastal waters.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

WBIDs Layer

This layer represents the comprehensive statewide system of Water Body Identification Districts used for water resource management and assessment in Florida.

WBID Polygons (purple outlines on light background)

Appearance:

Irregular polygons outlined in purple or magenta against a light gray background, creating a mosaic pattern across the state.

Distribution:

WBID polygons cover the entire state of Florida from the panhandle through the peninsula to the southernmost keys, with varying polygon sizes throughout.

Notable locations:

Spatial patterns:

The polygon boundaries appear to follow natural hydrological features and drainage basin configurations rather than political boundaries. Smaller, more numerous polygons tend to cluster in areas with more complex drainage patterns, while larger polygons appear in regions with more unified watershed characteristics. The pattern suggests a hierarchical organization of water bodies based on drainage basin relationships.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns are apparent in this map as the WBIDs form a continuous, non-overlapping mosaic of polygons covering the state.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The WBIDs are assigned to FDEP districts as part of their attribution, though there are instances where a WBID may be physically located within one district's boundary but assigned to a different district. This occurs when WBIDs are grouped into Planning Unit basins that cross FDEP district boundaries, and for consistency, all WBIDs within a Planning Unit are assigned to the same district. Users seeking information about which district a WBID physically falls within should refer to the FDEP Regulatory Districts layer. The polygons visible on this map delineate the drainage basins surrounding the water body assessment units rather than the exact water body boundaries themselves.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

This layer is maintained by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) as part of the Basin Rotation Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program and other water resource management applications. The data source layer name is WBIDS_NOV25.

Definition Query:

No definition query or filter criteria was applied to this map view.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a statewide scale showing the entire state of Florida and immediate surrounding areas. At this scale, individual polygon boundaries are visible, allowing users to see the overall distribution and relative sizes of WBID units across the state.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data source indicates a November 2025 version (WBIDS_NOV25), suggesting the content reflects water body identification districts as of November 2025.

Limitations:

Users should be aware that WBID district assignments may not correspond to the physical location of districts due to Planning Unit basin groupings. For accurate physical district location information, users should consult the FDEP Regulatory Districts layer. The polygons represent drainage basin delineations rather than precise water body boundaries.

Map Coverage:

The map covers the entire state of Florida from approximately the Alabama-Florida border in the west to the Georgia-Florida border in the north, extending through the full peninsula to the Florida Keys in the south. Small portions of neighboring states (Alabama and Georgia) are visible for geographic context.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.