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Watery Beasts »
There aren’t many big predators walking around in Florida. Wolves are gone, bears are rare and panthers are nearly extinct. But in the water, it’s different. Florida’s fresh water has alligators and crocodiles — big toothy reptiles. In the ocean there are sharks — big toothy fish. Of course, gator and shark attacks are rare, but it happens enough to make us all a bit nervous. It’s great to be able to share the state with animals that have been living here for millions of… Read more
Cattle Grazing Land Leasing »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District manages lands under its stewardship for the protection of water resources and natural systems through the application of effective, efficient and fiscally responsible land management practices. The purposes and attributes for which the lands were acquired provide the foundation for designating the appropriate land use and management strategies on the lands. As stewards of more than 343,000 acres of land within the its 16-county… Read more
Water CHAMP Sign Up »
It's easy and costs you nothing. Join your fellow hotels and motels in Water CHAMPSM and conserve Florida's water.   What You Get
  • Participation in a linen and towel reuse program
  • Use of printed materials in all guest rooms
  • Use of self-audit checklist
  • Training of housekeeping staff
Read more
Recycled Water »
Recycled Water – Safely Supplying Florida’s Future. What is Potable Reuse?Potable reuse refers to highly treated recycled water from various sources people can use for drinking, cooking or bathing.Is Recycled Water Safe for People to Drink?Yes. This type of recycled water uses proven technology to make the water safe. The water meets or is a higher quality than strict state and federal drinking water … Read more
Emergency Order SWF 24-022 (Tropical Depression 4) »
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTIN RE:EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION FORREPAIRS, REPLACEMENT,RESTORATION, AND CERTAINOTHER MEASURES MADE NECESSARYBY TOPICAL DEPRESSION 4_____________________________________EMERGENCY ORDER NO. SWF 24-022Under the authority of Sections 120.569(2)(n), 252.36, 252.46, and 373.119(2),Florida Statutes (“F.S.”), and upon consideration of State of Florida Executive Order No. 24-156, and the following findings of fact, the… Read more
Scott Letasi, Engineering and Project Management Bureau, Bureau Chief »
As bureau chief of the Engineering & Project Management (EPM) Bureau at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Scott Letasi is responsible for the District’s cooperative funding initiative program and District initiatives projects specifically related to the District’s flood protection area of responsibility. The EPM Bureau develops surface water models in the Watershed Management Program and implements the District’s Structures Capital Improvement Program… Read more
Tom Hughes, Information Technology Bureau Chief »
As bureau chief of Information Technology, Tom Hughes is responsible for leading and managing the District’s Information Technology Bureau. The bureau works closely with internal and external customers to provide a comprehensive set of information technology services that support the District’s mission to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and ensure the public’s water needs are met. These activities include the management of the hardware, software and data that… Read more
District Water Management Plan »
The District Water Management Plan serves as a comprehensive guide describing our responsibilities for water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems. Section 373.036(2)(e)4 Florida Statutes (F.S.) indicates the water management districts may substitute an annual work plan report included as an addendum to an annual strategic plan for the statutorily required District Water Management Plan. The statute specifies that the strategic plan establish the… Read more
Biking »
From the novice to the expert trails, many different types of biking opportunities can be found on District lands. Biking Wilderness Park Off Road Trails System at Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve Read more
ADA Accessible »
The District offers many recreational opportunities for everybody to get outside. The District and its partners provides recreational opportunities for the mobility-impaired. Many of the lands listed in this guide have accessible facilities such as paved trails, boardwalks, fishing piers, picnic areas or restrooms that meet the standards established by the ADA. The District also provides opportunities for mobility-impaired fishing and hunting on some… Read more
District Logotype & Seal »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offers this page as a means of providing our partners and cooperators our logotype and seal.We’ve organized files based on the file formats typically preferred by home/office software and professional graphics software. Please contact our webmaster for… Read more
Water Conservation »
To conserve water means to use it wisely and to not be wasteful. Conserving water is a very important part of making sure there is enough water to meet the needs of humans and the environment. And even though we might have enough fresh water available to meet our needs today, we also need to plan for the future. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local governments and organizations, are responsible for managing… Read more
Tampa Bay »
  Highlights
  • Designated an “Estuary of National Significance” in 1990
  • Florida’s largest open-water estuary at 373 square miles
  • Over 2.7 million residents in the watershed
  • Includes portions of Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties
  • 2,200-square-mile watershed
GoalsWater Quality Goals
  • Update nutrient reduction goals for each bay segment using a revised seagrass-nutrient management paradigm…
Read more
Human History »
 Sometime in the early 1500s — an unknown Spanish cartographer was updating a map of the New World. He sketched a meandering river in a previously uncharted region. Like all cartography, it was part accurate representation, part educated guess. Perhaps out of wishful thinking, he decided to call it Rio de la Paz, or the “Peace River.”To the Seminole Indians, who settled on its banks two centuries later, it was Tallackchopo, “The River of Long… Read more
Vertical Datum Upgrade »
To improve accuracy, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has upgraded the datum used to record water level elevation.  The District has upgraded the datum, or starting point, used to record water level elevation at its data collection sites. Water elevation is measured in feet above mean sea level. The datum was upgraded from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88… Read more
Weeki Wachee Natural System Carrying Capacity Study »
Project Overview An ecologically-based study was completed to evaluate how recreational use affects natural systems along the Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County, Florida. The study, known as a carrying capacity study, is intended to provide information to assist in making decisions that will better manage impacts of recreational use on this natural system. Background The beauty of the river makes it a popular site for recreational activities. There are… Read more
Aquifer »
Aquifers are underground layers of rock and sand that hold water. These layers are made up of loosely packed sediments and layers of calcium-rich limestone and dolomite. In Florida, most of the population depends on the Floridan aquifer for their drinking water. The Floridan aquifer, which is the largest and deepest aquifer in the state, holds groundwater like a sponge. Holes in the rock that make up the aquifer allow the water to move freely through it. Aquifers are… Read more
Palma Sola Bay »
 A bay is a shallow body of salt water between a larger barrier island and the mainland. A barrier island is a long, narrow sandy island parallel to the shore. Palma Sola Bay is located between the barrier island of Anna Maria and the city of Bradenton.In the 1880s, a fishing village called “Cortez” was formed here and was bustling with fishermen. It's one of the last commercial fishing villages in Florida and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Tarpon,… Read more