Hotspot Analysis Process Overview
The last five years of water quality data collected at each monitoring location are used for this analysis. First, monitoring locations are grouped based on their type – bay, freshwater stream, or tidal stream. Then, frequency distribution analysis is performed to define a percentile distribution for each parameter, for each of the three groups. Finally, for each monitoring location, an annual median value is calculated for each parameter, and that median is used to place the monitoring location in the correct percentile range, depending on its group.
Monitoring stations are assigned to a group based on the type of water body monitored (bay or stream) and if a stream, the classification of the stream segment where the monitoring location is located, either freshwater or marine, as determined by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s water body ID, or WBID, definition.
As is the case for the Water Quality Trends analysis, the monitoring locations selected for hotspot analysis must meet minimum data sufficiency and seasonality standards (enough data points collected, spread throughout the year).
