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Joshua Gamblin of Arcadia is the Ranch Manager of Stolen Saddle Ranch.Gamblin was appointed to the Governing Board in August 2024. His term expires March 1, 2028.Previously, he served as the land manager, wildlife biologist, and private land burn team coordinator for the Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.Gamblin earned his bachelor’s degree in natural resource management in wildlife from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and his master’s degree in forest… Read more

Vendor Registration Form The District's Vendor Registration form is a substitute Internal Revenue Service W-9 form that enables the collection of information required to comply with federal income tax laws. Request a Vendor Registration form by emailing VendorRegistration@WaterMatters.org or by calling (352) 505-2970. Be sure to include the commodity codes… Read more

The Chassahowitzka Springs Restoration Project improved water quality and the bottom habitat for plants and animals. Project OverviewThe Southwest Florida Water Management District restored portions of Chassahowitzka Springs by removing accumulated sediments, which improved the water quality and the bottom habitat for plants and animals.BackgroundSand and organic materials have been transported by flows from residential canals and stormwater runoff to the springs and… Read more

Why does the District surplus land?The District’s Governing Board policy 610-4 requires an assessment of District lands every two years for potential surplus opportunities. The objective of the assessment is to identify and sell lands that no longer meet the original acquisition purposes of providing substantive water resource benefits. Proceeds from the sale of land may only be used to purchase lands meeting the Districts land acquisition goals or debt service associated… Read more

Details The Lake Hancock Outfall Treatment Project involves constructing a 1,000-acre treatment wetland to improve water quality leaving the lake. The wetland treatment system will be built on part of the 3,500-acre parcel of land formerly known as Old Florida Plantation. Water will flow through large areas of wetland vegetation where nutrients… Read more

Do you know where your drinking water comes from? You might have poured it from a tap or bought it at the store, but it had to come from somewhere before that. Any guesses? The ocean? That would be a good guess because the oceans contain most of earth’s water, about 97%! But would you drink a glass of seawater? No! The salt would make you sick. We need fresh water. Not just any fresh water though. Did you know most of the world’… Read more

As Subtropical Storm Nicole approaches Florida, the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is monitoring the storm for potential emergency operations. It is important for staff to stay informed as the storm could potentially bring tropical storm force wind gusts and significant rainfall as early as Wednesday. We will make every effort to communicate information to employees in the following ways:

• Internal Communications Emails: …

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View Statewide Forms » All 62-330, F.A.C. Statewide Environmental Resource Permitting (SWERP) forms can be accessed and downloaded from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) website. To access these forms, please visit the … Read more

The initiative was designed to better understand the dynamics of the river and watershed, identify how alterations have affected the system, and evaluate alternatives to better manage the water resources. STATUS UPDATE: A peer review of the Withlacoochee River Model was completed in 2020. This peer review concluded that the model results and conclusions are accurate and can be relied upon for resource management and understanding of this complex river… Read more

As Tropical Storm Ian approaches Florida, the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has activated to Level 2 and has begun preparing for potential emergency operations. It is important for staff to stay informed as the storm could potentially bring tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall as early as Wednesday. Staff with District vehicles should begin to top off fuel daily in anticipation of the storm. We will make every effort to communicate information… Read more

Water utilities can reduce per capita water use and maintain revenues by using water-conserving rate structures. Your water management district can provide information and tools to help utilities accomplish these goals.Why Use Rates to Conserve?In many areas of Florida, water supplies are stressed as growth fuels new demand for water. To ensure a sustainable water supply, utilities are tapping alternative sources including conservation. The pricing of water is one way to… Read more

Details The Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project involves replacing the P-11 Water Conservation Structure that was built in 1963. The new structure will allow the District to maintain higher lake levels, increasing the elevation from 98.7 feet above sea level to 100 feet (NGVD 29). The proposed normal operating level of 100 feet was determined to be the approximate historical level… Read more

The District is facilitating an independent scientific peer review of wetland-based criteria for establishing minimum water levels to prevent significant harm caused by water withdrawals. Overview The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is holding an independent, scientific peer review of wetland-based criteria for use in establishing minimum wetland and lake levels beginning in May 2022. A minimum level is the level of groundwater in an aquifer… Read more

The Homosassa River is another spring fed river beginning at Homosassa Springs. This short, slow-moving tidal river flows eight miles from the headsprings to where it meets the Gulf of America in Citrus County.The river is a mixture of fresh water from the headsprings and salt water from the Gulf of America. The tidal influence makes the river home to both freshwater and saltwater fish. Some of the freshwater fish you'll find in the Homosassa River include Bluegill,… Read more

The District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is at Level 2 activation and EOC staff are closely monitoring Invest 97L. It is forecasted to become a tropical depression over the weekend and early next week over the eastern Gulf of America near the Florida Peninsula. Though still developing, the storm has the potential to bring significant rainfall to our area.We will notify staff of any potential storm preparations or office closures as more information becomes available… Read more

 A tributary is a small stream or river that flows into a larger one. The Peace River is fed by many tributaries.Saddle CreekIn the northern portion of the watershed, Upper Saddle Creek originates in the Green Swamp and flows into Lake Hancock, the largest lake in the watershed. Lower Saddle Creek drains out of Lake Hancock before it meets Peace Creek and forms the Peace River northeast of Bartow.  Peace CreekPeace Creek originates… Read more

The 2010 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) is an assessment of projected water demands and potential sources of water to meet these demands in the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) from 2010 through 2030. The RWSP consists of an executive summary and four geographically based volumes that correspond to the District’s four designated water supply planning regions (Northern, Tampa Bay, Heartland and Southern). The RWSP provides a framework for future… Read more

Federal flood maps — used to assess flooding risks — are being updated for our area with your help and input. Why These Maps Need Updating This national effort of map modernization will produce more reliable flood risk data and in a digital format. This new format will enable communities to overlay and analyze new flood data with street layouts, demographics, infrastructure and evacuation routes. It also provides more timely access to update maps as flood risks change… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) considers feral hogs an invasive exotic species. Hogs negatively impact wetlands and other habitats by “rooting” up the soil while searching for food. They prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock and humans. Additionally, hogs may facilitate the spread of exotic plant species by transporting seeds and/or providing germination sites through… Read more

Regular irrigation maintenance is important to reduce water waste and help create a healthy environment for your landscape. Look for Broken or Misdirected Sprinkler Heads Sprinkler heads can accidently be knocked during lawn maintenance or from a passerby. Look for these signs of a broken or misdirected sprinkler head.

• Water is shooting into the air or not spraying correctly. 
• Water is pooling around the base of a sprinkler head. 
• …

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