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This summer the District coordinated restoration efforts on two tracts of District-owned land in Manatee County — the Little Manatee River Southfork Tract and the Edward W. Chance Reserve’s Gilley Creek Tract. Inmates Assist With Restoration Efforts at Gilley Creek Tract  Will VanGelder, District senior land manager, and Greg Taylor, District senior heavy equipment operator, supervised and assisted the inmates who worked on the restoration project. The…

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…

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…

Part of being a water superhero means fighting off the villains that threaten our water resources. That includes invasive plants that creep in and take over natural water habitats. What Makes a Plant Invasive? Invasive plants are non-native species that have been brought to Florida from around the world. Some non-native plants are harmless, but others can reproduce and spread rapidly, pushing out native plants and wildlife. When non-native plants…

 In 1539, the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto made his first New World landfall at the mouth of the Manatee River, where the fresh water of the river flows into the salt waters of Tampa Bay.Imagine the Spaniard’s amazement when he saw the giant wading birds and tangles of mangroves bordering the Manatee River. Braving the mosquitoes, no-see-’ums and snakes, de Soto and his army set up a campsite near a lush mangrove swamp, which visitors can still see today as…

Welcome to the WaterMatters Blog. This blog is a chronicle of news, issues and events happening at the Southwest Florida Water Management District. 

The following fact sheets provide information about District programs and projects.  District Water Control Structures  

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,…

District Volunteers Participate in Antiterrorism The Brooksville Airport looked as if chaos had broken out. Workers and equipment were stopped in the field while a plane with smoke coming out of the side sat stopped on the runway. Emergency and law enforcement personnel descended on the area. Despite what the scene may have looked like, it was only a test — a test for the Tampa Regional Domestic Security Task Force (RDSTF). Three Florida RDSTFs, Tampa, Orlando…

Cockroach BayThe Cockroach Bay Ecosystem Restoration Project represents one of the largest, most complex coastal ecosystem restoration projects ever completed for the Tampa Bay estuarine ecosystem.The land suffered from a number of environmental problems including habitat degradation, invasive plant infestation and poor water quality. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), Hillsborough County, the Tampa Port Authority and many other agencies and…

Updated February 2026 Section 373.036, F.S. requires the water management districts to prepare a "Consolidated Water Management District Annual Report” consisting of several reporting documents that had historically been submitted separately. The legislation requires the consolidated report to be submitted by March 1 of each year to the Governor, DEP, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. In addition, copies must be provided, “… to…

Pursuant to Section 112.3261, Florida Statutes, starting July 1, 2014, a person may not lobby a water management district until such person has registered with that district. A person wanting to lobby the Southwest Florida Water Management District is urged to read the full…

NEW Regulatory Inquiry Form: An easy way to directly connect with the appropriate permitting staff regarding your comments, questions or citizen complaints. Your submittal will be routed to appropriate staff, who will contact you back by phone or email with a response. You also have the option to remain anonymous.…

Advanced technology has reached nearly every single aspect of the District in one way or another throughout the organization’s history, most notably in the past two decades. “The technological changes during my tenure alone were like going from horse and buggy to putting a man on the moon in a very short period of time,” said Pete Hubbell, District executive director from 1988 to 1997. Information Resources In the early 2000s, the District’s operating system…

As bureau chief of Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP), Dave Kramer is responsible for setting goals and objectives for the bureau, developing and managing the budget and financial decisions, managing direct reports (ERP managers, chief environmental scientists, agricultural team staff) and executing environmental resource permitting and compliance. In addition, Kramer collaborates with other bureaus and divisions, serving as a member of the Senior Staff team,…

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…

Why is the Water Management Information System (WMIS) that provides Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP) functions, data and documents being replaced?Although, the existing system is functional, the process is challenging, and the product lifecycle is ending. Users of the system such as District staff, external consultants, and permittees often find system errors and inconsistent functionality. The completion of the ePermitting Modernization Project…

Stay Informed on Prescribed BurnsConducted by the Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictSign up for email and/or SMS alerts about scheduled prescribed burns in your selected region. Enter your contact details below and stay up to date! 🔒 Your information is secure and will only be used for notifications.

Take a journey down the Alafia River. Spanish explorers called it the Hunting River. Mocoso Indians called it River of Fire. It’s a historic water body with a prehistoric name that spans 25 miles long in west-central Florida. Let's get started on our excursion