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Frank Gargano was appointed ombudsman of the Southwest Florida Water Management District in November 2023. Gargano responds to public inquiries about District policies and practices. He provides information, answers questions and facilitates dispute resolution when issues arise between the public and staff. Gargano has more than 25 years of experience. Gargano earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental science and policy from the University of South Florida. Gargano…

Visitors to the District’s headquarters and service offices are greeted by Florida-friendly landscaping, thanks to the work of proactive staff at each office. Several of the tradesworkers who help maintain the landscaping have taken additional training to learn about Florida-friendly landscaping™ practices, including plant selection and fertilizer ordinances. In addition, the staff also works with Extension agents and other experts when they have a question. “The…

This information is here to assist grantees during grant implementation.

• Grantees will complete and submit this Final Documentation and Report before May 8, 2026: 

 

• Sample pre-posttest questions by topic - Use our collection of sample questions by topic to create a pre-posttest…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) ombudsman responds to public inquiries about District policies and practices. When issues arise between the public and the District, the ombudsman acts independently of the District to assist the public by:

• Providing information
• Answering questions
• Facilitating dispute resolutions
• Investigating concerns
• Maintaining confidentiality

Please note: If the matter is in…

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…

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…

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…

Spend a day with your family and friends in the great outdoors. Many District properties offer picnic facilities. Check the individual property for specific information about picnicking on that tract and the level of amenities provided. In addition, the District has three spacious and modern pavilions available for your next large group picnic. Make a reservation below:   While enjoying the picnic facilities, please follow all rules outlined in the…

 Lemon Bay extends about 13 miles long and is separated from the Gulf of America by Little Gasparilla Island and Manasota Key. It is designated by the State of Florida as an aquatic preserve and an Outstanding Florida Waterway among other recognitions. The Lemon Bay area is bustling with live creatures, such as eagles, pinfish, pelicans,…

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, contact this office…

Sawgrass Lake Park was designed for people interested in observing and learning about nature. The Sawgrass Lake project began in 1972 to provide flood protection to the city of Pinellas Park. A water-control structure was built to facilitate drainage canal improvements and to maintain desirable water level fluctuations in Sawgrass Lake and the surrounding swamp. The District retains responsibility for operating the water-control structure. The lake and swamp system also…

 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 near Lake Hamilton and passes…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows report for the Upper Peace River,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows report for the Upper Peace River,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows repor…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows report for the Upper Peace River,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows report for the Upper Peace River,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows report for the Upper Peace River, along with the…