Welcome to the Southwest Florida Water Management District

District land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population. 

Prospective hunters can purchase permits for Phase I hunts beginning at 9 a.m. Oct. 1, on the District’s website WaterMatters.org/HogHunts. Permits will be available on a first come, first serve basis until they are sold out. The cost is $75 for each permit. A complete list of hunts with locations and dates is also available online.

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board adopted a $256.2 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2026, including $114.3 million in Cooperative Funding Initiatives and District grants for water resources projects.

The budget reflects the District’s commitment to protect Florida’s water resources and to improve Florida’s economic vitality. Some of the key initiatives in the District’s FY2026 budget include:

Today, the District’s Governing Board voted to return the operation, maintenance and management of the Chassahowitzka River Campground back to Citrus County while retaining ownership of the property. This 40-year agreement will allow the County to holistically manage both the boat ramp and parking area as well as the campground. Residents and visitors will be able to continue to enjoy this popular recreation area with convenient access to the river as they have for the previous 30 years that it was managed by the County.