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Your Questions Answered
May 2022
Q: What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season?
A: Year-round, the District operates 85 water-control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s… Read more
May 2023
Q: What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season?
A: Year-round, the District operates 84 water control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s structures to ensure they… Read more
March 2023
Q: Why is it important to use best practices when visiting rivers and springs?
A: The District has found direct links between river recreational use and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled vegetation and eroded riverbanks and sand point bars. Also, numerous trees have been damaged from climbing and rope swinging. Over time, these actions can have negative long-term… Read more
Your Questions Answered
September 2020
Homeowners in Florida know the scorching heat can wreak havoc on lawns and landscapes, which can increase your yard irrigation and your water bill. That’s why Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ is gaining in popularity. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Senior Communications Coordinator Katherine Munson explains what Florida-Friendly Landscaping really means and the benefits it provides.… Read more
1. Summary
Students will complete a unit on fresh waterways and the native life that lives there. They will complete computer research, make observations and collect data, graph data collected, and complete a STEAM project on the natural filtration systems in Florida, mainly focusing on swamplands. They will then compete the Myakka Mysteries field trip. At the Myakka River State Park, students will explore the Myakka River and the surrounding wetlands,… Read more
Drawdowns in aquifer levels in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), due primarily to groundwater withdrawals, have contributed to lowered lake levels in the Ridge Lakes area which extends roughly 90 miles along the center of the state in… Read more
October 2023Q: What kind of recreation opportunities does the District offer?A: There are thousands of acres of recreational lands throughout the District and access to most of them is free to visitors. If you are into biking, birding, boating, camping, canoeing and paddling, equestrian activities, fishing, hiking or hunting, there’s something for everyone on the nearly 70 properties. Several District properties offer picnic facilities, and… Read more
District actions regarding issuance or denial of a permit, petition or qualification for exemption, only become closed to future legal challenges if third parties have been properly notified and no third party objects within a specific period.Noticing of Agency ActionNotification of third parties is provided through publication of certain information in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties where the proposed activities are to occur. Publication of… Read more
Your Questions Answered
September 2018
Q: Why is the Withlacoochee River experiencing flooding again this year?
A: Throughout the spring and summer, above average rainfall has saturated soils and filled wetlands and swamps that are no longer able to store additional rainfall.
Q: Is river flooding a normal occurrence?
A: The Withlacoochee River naturally floods when it’s… Read more
Springs »
Your Questions Answered
April 2019
April is Springs Protection Awareness Month, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District is committed to protecting the more than 200 springs within the District. To raise awareness about the importance of these natural treasures, Chief Environmental Scientist Dr. Chris Anastasiou answers some commonly asked questions about our springs.
Q: What is a spring?
A:… Read more
Springs »
April 2023
Q: What is a spring?
A: A spring occurs when groundwater that is under pressure flows through natural cracks in the aquifer and creates a natural opening in the ground. The pressure causes the water to flow from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. Our groundwater is the result of seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground and into the aquifer. Springs can occur as an individual vent but more often as… Read more
Your Questions Answered
July 2019
The Withlacoochee River is one of the longest and most scenic rivers in the state. As Florida’s third largest river that winds through eight counties, there are many myths about this mighty river. Mark Fulkerson, Ph.D., P.E., Senior Professional Engineer, clarifies some common misconceptions about this 160-mile waterway.
Q: Why does the Withlacoochee River run north? Don’t most rivers flow… Read more
Springs »
Your Questions Answered
April 2022
Q: What is a spring?
A: A spring occurs when groundwater that is under pressure flows through natural cracks in the aquifer and creates a natural opening in the ground. The pressure causes the water to flow from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. Our groundwater is the result of seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground and into the aquifer. Springs can occur as an… Read more
Drawdowns in aquifer levels in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), due primarily to groundwater withdrawals, are affecting rates of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan aquifer along the coast, especially in the Most Impacted… Read more
This project will investigate the recharging of excess surface water, treated to primary drinking water standards, into the Upper Floridan aquifer more than 1,000 feet below the land’s surface. The recharged water has the potential to help improve groundwater levels and reduce the rate of saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico in the SWUCA’s Most Impacted Area.SWUCA Recovery and Natural System ImprovementIn 2017, the District conducted a feasibility study at… Read more
Your Questions Answered
May 2019
The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and the Southwest Florida Water Management District is preparing for a heightened risk of severe rain events, flooding and storm damage. Jerry Mallams, Operations & Land Management Bureau Chief, explains how the District works to prepare for the storm season by minimizing flood risks throughout the 16-county region.
Q: What… Read more
Geohydrologic DataGeohydrologic data includes aquifer test data, geohydrologic profile data (water level, slug test, and water quality), stratigraphic data, lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and geohydrologic well site reports and summaries. The Environmental Data Portal (EDP) is the District’s official database of groundwater and surface water levels, flows, water quality, and atmospheric data such as rainfall, wind direction, and temperature. The EDP also provides… Read more
There are a variety of different programs that FARMS supports including:
- Well Back-Plugging The Well Back-Plugging Program addresses water quality problems that result from agricultural users pumping poor water quality from deep zones of the Upper Floridan aquifer. This program is implemented throughout the SWUCA but primarily focuses on the Shell… Read more
The District is one of five regional agencies directed by state law to protect and preserve water resources within its boundaries. Established in 1961 to operate and maintain several large flood protection projects, the District’s responsibilities have expanded to include managing water supply and protecting water quality and the natural systems — rivers, lakes, wetlands and associated uplands.
Origin and Evolution
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (… Read more