located within the following watersheds: Sarasota Bay Watershed, Gulf of Mexico Watershed
The biggest, deepest bay between Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay is bounded by Sarasota, Lido Key, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, and Bradenton. Well flushed by three passes (Big Sarasota, New, and Longboat) the water is much clearer than in the smaller bays to the south. Improved drainage in the urban watersheds provides more fresh water than historical levels via Whitaker Bayou, Hudson Bayou, and Bowlees Creek. There is a legal discharge of highly treated wastewater to Whitaker Bayou. In cooperation with the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program, the Southwest Florida Water Management District SWIM Program, the City of Sarasota, and many others, numerous improvements have been made in water quality, seagrass coverage, and habitat restoration in Sarasota Bay. It is an Outstanding Florida Water and shellfish harvesting is conditionally approved in some western portions. Learn more about what constitutes a bay or estuary »
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There are no associated names for this body of water.
Bay Condition Reports give a quick assessment of the water quality in a bay during a particular year by examining three important indicators of nutrient pollution: chlorophyll a, nitrogen and phosphorus.
Click here for a comparison of the six major bay systems that comprise Sarasota's coastal watersheds.
Or view individual, yearly reports:
This water resource is monitored by 264 sampling locations, which have collected a total of 1,565,634 samples ranging from 4/8/1965 to 5/21/2013. The sites sampling this water resource are:
| Surface Area | 22,519 acres |
|---|
| Watershed | Sarasota Bay Watershed |
|---|---|
| Latitude | 27° 23' 28" |
| Longitude | 82° 36' 34" |
| Tributaries | BOWLEES CREEK, CANAL 4-55, CANAL 41-16, WHITAKER BAYOU |
|---|---|
| Passes | BIG SARASOTA PASS, LONGBOAT PASS, NEW PASS |
Watersheds are areas of land with waterways that flow to a common destination. The boundaries between watersheds are elevated areas called divides. In this Atlas, the watersheds are composed of groups of creeks that flow to a single bay or group of bays. Drainage basins are subunits of watersheds and are defined by the main creek that flows through them. Sarasota County has five watersheds, named after the bays or river, and 28 drainage basins, named after the creeks. Stormwater improvements to reduce flooding and improve water quality are based on the drainage basin unit. Learn more about watersheds »
Sarasota Bay is located within the Sarasota Bay Watershed.
Specific drainage basins within this watershed include:
The Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) program is a joint effort of the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). The ASOS serves as the nation's primary surface weather observing network. ASOS is designed to support weather forecast activities and aviation operations and, at the same time, support the needs of the meteorological, hydrological, and climatological research communities. The following is near real-time data from the nearest available ASOS location.
Click the airport icon (
) on the map below for detailed weather information.
Who to call about environmental concerns and to report environmentally harmful activities. For potentially life threatening emergencies dial 911.
| Concern or Activity | Contact(s) |
|---|---|
| Dangerous Boating / Accidents | FWCC, Division of Boating Safety |
| Algal Blooms | |
| Fish Kill | FWCC, Fish Kills |
| General Concerns/Complaints |
FDEP Sarasota County |
| Industrial Waste/Spill | FDEP |
| Injured Wildlife or Illegal Activities | FWCC, Wildlife Violations |
| Shoreline Alterations, Wetland Impacts | FDEP |
| Aquatic Plant Removal | FWCC |
| Water Pollution, Residuals Landspreading | FDEP |
| Wetlands Issues/Dredge and Fill | FDEP |
Legend:
FWCC - Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
FDEP - Florida Department of Enviromental Protection
Nautical charts show water depth, the shoreline of adjacent land, prominent topographic features, aids to navigation, and other navigational information. They are maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and have recently been made available as geo-referenced, digital images which can be now be viewed within the Advanced Mapping Tool.
Every one of us contributes pollution to our streams, lakes, bays and oceans. The wastewater, dirt, and debris of our lives eventually drains downstream. Each of us must minimize our contribution to keep our waterways healthy and enjoyable. Some materials are powerful pollutants like raw sewage, petroleum, or pesticides, but even natural, biodegradable plant materials can add nitrogen to water resources and cause algal blooms and fish kills. Please use the information below to assist you in reporting an incident to the correct agency. Learn More about Reporting Pollution »
Sarasota County needs you to help manage and protect its natural resources! Fill out this form, and we will contact you with more information about becoming a volunteer. Learn more about volunteering »
0 volunteers on Sarasota Bay have submitted a water quality sample for this water resource within the last 18 months.
Visit the following links to view historical information on this water resource:
