A watershed (also called a drainage basin) is an area on the land surface from which water flows or has the potential to flow to a common destination. Watersheds are naturally separated from adjacent basins by topographic divides. Learn more about watersheds »
The Dona and Roberts Bay Watershed spans a total of 97.4 square miles, 90% of which lies within Sarasota County. The area within the county, totaling 87.4 square miles, is the only portion of the watershed for which information is available on the Sarasota County Water Atlas. The watershed contains 24 named lakes/ponds, 16 named rivers/streams/canals and 5 named bays/bayous.
Click the link below to view the water resources in this watershed.
No news or events have been posted yet. Be the first to submit news and events to the Water Atlas.
The Neighborhood Environmental Stewardship Team (NEST) concept is based on the idea of promoting neighborhood involvement in environmentally friendly projects to protect and restore our water resources. The NEST program projects focus on providing watershed education and getting neighbors involved in activities that improve their neighborhoods and enhance their watershed. The program goal is to help citizens and neighborhoods become advocates and champions for the watersheds they live in. The NEST program was developed in response to a need to get citizens and the general public better educated and more involved in the management and protection of the water resources of Sarasota County.
Below are NEST sites found in the Dona and Roberts Bay Watershed
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 0 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 »
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 
on the map below for detailed weather information.
| Month-to-Date Total | Historic Monthly Average | 12 Month Total | Historic 12 Month Average Total | Data as of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dona and Roberts Bay Watershed | 0.61 in. | 1.53 in. | 3.33 in. | 29.39 in. | 2/8/2010 |
The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. EPA calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. For each of these pollutants, EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health. (From EPA, 'AirNow'). Visit "AirNow" and learn more about EPA's AQI, air quality and human health at http://airnow.gov/.
This section provides links to capital improvement projects occurring in Sarasota County. Such activities may include stormwater control structures, retrofit projects, retention and detention ponds, and other stormwater pollution controls. Learn more about capital improvement projects »
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 |
| 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, Environmental Crimes |
| Wetlands Issues/Dredge and Fill |
FDEP |
Legend:
FWCC - Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
FDEP - Florida Department of Enviromental Protection
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 »
