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This project restored shoreline habitat to improve water quality in Kings Bay. Project Overview The District restored the shoreline around Hunter Springs Park. The City of Crystal River has integrated this District project into the redesign of the park.  The restored shoreline will benefit the Crystal River/Kings Bay spring system by creating habitat and improving water quality through reducing erosion and nutrients entering Kings Bay. Background…

Are stormwater systems designed to withstand a 100-year flood event? In some circumstances, permitted stormwater systems are designed to manage a 100-year, 24-hour rainfall event. In what is called a “closed” drainage basin, stormwater ponds must not only limit the rate of discharge to the pre-development 25-year, 24-hour rate, but they must also be designed to limit the volume of discharge to the pre-development 100-year, 24-hour…

In 2001, the District purchased the property surrounding the first-magnitude Weeki Wachee Spring from the City of St. Petersburg. The acquisition was in support of former Governor Bush's "Springs Initiative," under which strategies were established for the protection and restoration of Florida's springs, including placing them in public ownership. On November 1, 2008, the District entered into a lease agreement with the Florida Parks Service for their management of the…

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 …

The Tampa Bypass Canal (TBC) is a 14-mile waterway that connects the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve with McKay Bay. The canal provides flood protection for the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa by diverting floodwaters from the Hillsborough River. The canal is also a water supply source for the city of Tampa.

 The Floridan Aquifer System: A Vital Water SourceDid you know that the Floridan aquifer system stretches over 100,000 square miles and reaches into parts of Alabama, Georgia, and even South Carolina? The upper Floridan aquifer contains about one-fifth the amount of water in all the Great Lakes and is the main source of drinking water for northern and central Florida.What is an Aquifer?An aquifer is an underground layer of rock or…

 The property was acquired for protection of the area's groundwater recharge, as well as important surface water features and wetland habitats. The preserve's wetlands play a role in both the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and the Withlacoochee River systems, part of the Floridan aquifer's recharge/discharge system. Additionally, the site provides habitat to wildlife, including a small population of threatened Florida scrub-jays.

January 2026Q: Why should homeowners skip a week of irrigation in the winter?A: According to research by the University of Florida, grass only needs one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days in the winter. That means you can skip a week of irrigation in the cooler months. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it manually as needed. It’s important…

 The area is an ideal place where visitors, from school groups to master birders, can visit and explore some of central Florida’s flora and fauna found in a natural state that has had little modification by man. The area contains a variety of different habitat types with a wide diversity of plant life. These types include, but are not limited to, sandhills, flatwoods, oak hammocks, river swamp and cypress ponds. The characteristic cypress ponds that dot the landscape…

Your Questions Answered October 2020 If you received your property tax assessments recently, you may have noticed a line item from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District.) The District manages the water resources through a variety of activities that support water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Budget Manager Mike Cacioppo explains how your tax dollars…

The Florida black bear is the largest native land mammal in Florida. It is shy and secretive, hiding in dense vegetation and rarely seen in the wild. The Florida black bear has a shiny, black coat of long fur and a light brown nose and snout. Some black bears have white diamond-shaped patterns on their chests. The black bear has a short tail that is almost always hidden by its long fur, and long, sharp claws that help the bear climb trees or dig for food. Bears are…

 Aripeka Sandhills Preserve was acquired as part of the Weekiwachee Preserve on November 8, 2007. This was a joint acquisition with the District and Pasco County. Funding was provided by Penny for Pasco.The preserve is part of a regional system of conservation lands that extends up to Crystal River Buffer Preserve, preserving the southernmost coastal hardwood hammock in western Florida. As part of this large preserve, Aripeka Sandhills preserves important habitat…

Modified Phase II Water Shortage RestrictionsAlways refer to your city or county regulations first.Effective Date and Areas

• The District’s Modified Phase II one-day-per-week water shortage restrictions are in effect Feb. 8, 2026,…

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…

July 2024Q: What is an aquifer?A: An aquifer is a body of underground rock and/or sediment that stores water. The groundwater within an aquifer can fill the spaces between grains of sand and gravel, or it can fill the cracks and fissures in solid rock.Q: Are there different types of aquifers?A: In west-central Florida the groundwater system is comprised of three main aquifer units; the surficial aquifer, the…