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Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater and can be used for irrigation and other uses to extend our water supplies.Our RoleThe District works with local utilities and water users to maximize the beneficial use of reclaimed water as an alternative water supply. The use of reclaimed water helps meet current and future water supply needs in the region and is a vital component of the District’s… Read more

The Green Swamp is recognized by the state of Florida for its ecological and hydrological importance. There are several unique characteristics of the area. The Green Swamp can store surface water and slow the flow of floodwaters while sustaining rivers and streams. Its relatively high elevation, together with a shallow depth to the aquifer, keeps water levels high. The water table for much of the year stands above the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer, providing… Read more

Brian Armstrong was appointed as the executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District in June 2016.Armstrong had previously served as the District’s assistant executive director where he provided daily oversight of three Divisions and more than 400 staff. As the assistant executive director, Armstrong introduced Six Sigma principles to the District creating a program to successfully reduce waste and unnecessary processes, saving money and time;… Read more

As the assistant director of Resource Regulation, Brian Starford is responsible for the division’s production. This includes establishing performance metrics for Resource Regulation’s critical functions and monitoring those functions to ensure that established performance expectations are met. Starford also assists the director with the administration of the division’s permitting and compliance operations.Starford began his career at the District in 1987 as a water resource… Read more

Bell Barnett, of Winter Haven, was appointed to the Governing Board in December 2020. She is a former educator and a community advocate. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College and her Master of Public Administration from the University of South Florida. Bell Barnett is reappointed to a four-year term ending March 1, 2027.A fifth-generation Floridian, Bell Barnett earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, and her… Read more

The Alafia River watershed is a textbook example of karst topography. A karst terrain is produced by acidic water dissolving the underlying bedrock (mostly limestone). Springs are a common feature of karst topography. A spring is a natural opening in the ground where water flows directly from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. Florida has the largest concentration of springs in the world. Lithia Springs and Buckhorn Springs… Read more

Updated February 2025Our mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and ensure the public’s water needs are met.The Strategic Plan provides a road map for how the District will meet the water resources challenges of west-central Florida by identifying what needs to be accomplished, how the job will be done, and how success will be measured. In addition to identifying the District’s programs, the Plan targets specific priorities in each of the our four… Read more

There are more than 200 documented springs throughout the District. However, most individual springs cluster around 16 groups of springs, five of which are classified as first-magnitude groups based on the amount of water they discharge. While recognizing the need to manage all springs, the District places a priority on the five first-magnitude spring groups: Rainbow, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Homosassa, Chassahowitzka, and Weeki Wachee. These spring groups, located in… Read more

Doing Business with the District Thank you for your interest in doing business with the District. We procure goods and services in a fair and ethical way that encourages competition, is consistent with applicable laws, policies and procedures, and ensures taxpayers receive the most value for tax dollars. We also follow these values and guiding principles of public… Read more

Blackwater streams and rivers originate in swampy areas and get their names because the water that flows through them is stained dark brown, like the color of tea, by organic acids. This staining gives the appearance of "black" water. Some examples of blackwater rivers in the District include the Hillsborough, Withlacoochee and Pithlachascotee rivers. Some of the animals you will find in blackwater streams and rivers include alligators, river otters, bluegills, snapping… Read more

The management of the Green Swamp involves the coordinated efforts of many different agencies and organizations. The District is the lead agency responsible for regulating, protecting, preserving, restoring and making available for public use the water resources and lands of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve.In many instances, public land in the Green Swamp is managed cooperatively by more than one agency, with assistance from volunteers and the private sector. The Fish… Read more

The Withlacoochee River is one of Florida’s wondrous waterways, one of the few rivers in the world flowing south to north. It is 160 miles long, starting in the Green Swamp and winding through eight different counties before discharging into the Gulf of America.

 The name Withlacoochee is derived from a Creek Indian word meaning Little Big Water, a likely description of the high and low fluctuations the river naturally experiences.As you travel… Read more

Interactive Map   View the new interactive map that allows you to search, zoom and discover additional information about all of our recreation… Read more

Robert Stern of Tampa is a partner and attorney for Trenam Law.Stern was appointed to the Governing Board in February 2023, and his term expires March 1, 2026.Stern has served on a wide variety of local and state civic, charitable, governmental and community organizations. He was previously appointed and served on the University of Florida board of trustees and has served on the University of Florida National Alumni Association for nearly three decades, including serving as… Read more

Water Quality Basics Water quality is a description of the condition of water, similar to how we refer to our health to describe the condition of the human body. Water quality can refer to the chemical, physical and biological condition of water. It also includes evaluating whether water is safe to be used for a specific purpose like drinking, recreation or to support wildlife. You can’t tell much about the quality of water simply by looking at it. In… Read more

Restaurants use an average of 5,800 gallons per day of water. Following a comprehensive water use evaluation, a Largo, Florida restaurant was given the following recommendations for water conservation: Bathroom Retrofits

• replacing toilets with new 1.6 gallon per flush models
• installing lavatory aerators that reduced the water flow from 2.7 to 1.5 galons per minute

Potential savings of 700,00 gallons of water and $3,860 each… Read more

Privacy Policy Under Florida law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to any Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) email address. Instead,… Read more

Lake Tarpon SWIM Plan Update The Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM, program evaluates priority water bodies, identifies challenges and implements projects to improve water quality and natural systems. The District is currently updating the SWIM plan for Lake Tarpon and the draft plan is below: Approval ProcessThe draft Lake Tarpon SWIM plan was be presented… Read more

 Peace River Challenges and RestorationNatural factors, such as the geology of the region and rainfall, contribute to the amount of water recharging the Upper Floridan aquifer and surface water bodies in the area as do human influences, such as groundwater use. There have also been substantial changes to the Peace River watershed over the past 150-200 years, including the clearing, draining and re-contouring of lands for phosphate mining, agriculture… Read more

 Highlights

• Homosassa Springs is the headwaters of the Homosassa River and is known as the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park
• The park serves as a rehabilitation center and refuge for orphaned or injured manatees.
• Located in Citrus County
• 270-square-mile springshed

ChallengesThe river has numerous canals and seawalls that have had a negative impact on water quality and habitat.StrategiesThrough cooperation with other government… Read more