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It is crucial to engage stakeholders in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development to improve the acceptance of load and wasteload allocation decisions, collect data about the water quality parameters and locations of pollution sources, and facilitate TMDL implementation by the key stakeholders. Although this idea may seem straightforward and should work in theory, it is difficult to implement in practice. This study evaluates stakeholder engagement in developing an implementation plan (called Basin Management Action Plan, or BMAP) for nutrient and dissolved oxygen TMDL in the Lower St. Johns River Basin in northeast Florida. The complex land use pattern in this 2,750-square-mile basin (covering the metropolitan Jacksonville area, the Tri-County Agricultural Area, and publicly owned lands) reflects the diverse interests and opinions of the TMDL stakeholders. Three focus group studies conducted with the major stakeholder groups (agriculture, local government, and environmental groups) showed that the BMAP stakeholder engagement process did not meet stakeholders expectations for the following evaluation criteria: (a) representation of all relevant parties, views, values, and interests; (b) continuity of stakeholder involvement; (c) stakeholders power to influence decisions about the plan; (d) structure of the decision-making process; and (e) resources available to stakeholders. The results of the study allowed us to develop recommendations that include a broader representation of stakeholder groups, a combination of stakeholder engagement methods, delivery of relevant information and technical assistance to stakeholders, transfer of power for making TMDL/BMAP decisions to the stakeholders, and evaluation of the stakeholder involvement process across watersheds in Florida and in other states.