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To help achieve its mission, the District promotes behaviors that conserve and protect water resources. Social research can provide information that helps staff design programs that more effectively lead to sustainable behaviors.
Not only can social research be used for designing more effective programs, but it can also be used for evaluating those programs. A survey conducted before an educational campaign, for instance, can set a benchmark for what people know, believe… Read more
Highlights
- The lower half of the river is part of the more than 31,000-acre Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water
- Located in Citrus County
- 190-square-mile springshed
- Ecological shifts in the river caused by sea level rise, coupled with the decline of spring discharge primarily… Read more
Your Questions Answered
March 2019
Q: What are stormwater ponds and why do we need them?
A: A stormwater pond is designed to collect and manage runoff from rainwater. When rainwater lands on rooftops, parking lots, streets, driveways and other hard surfaces, the rainfall that doesn’t soak into the ground (stormwater runoff) flows into your neighborhood stormwater pond through grates, pipes, shallow swales or… Read more
Wetlands »
Your Questions Answered
November 2019
We often receive questions from the public about wetlands and why they are important. Tasha Dailey is certified as a Professional Wetland Scientist by the Society of Wetland Scientists and explains why wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment.
Q: What is a wetland?
A: A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where… Read more
Highlights
- Home to the fourth largest spring in the state of Florida, Rainbow Springs
- Discharges an average of 493 million gallons of water per day into the Withlacoochee River
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water and an Aquatic Preserve
- Located in Marion and Citrus counties
- 73-square-mile watershed
Highlights
- Homosassa Springs is the headwaters of the Homosassa River and is known as the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park
- The park serves as a rehabilitation center and refuge for orphaned or injured manatees.
- Located in Citrus County
- 270-square-mile springshed
Your Questions Answered
July 2020
Every year, millions of people visit public conservation lands purchased by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) and its partners to protect Florida’s water resources. Ellen Morgan Morrison, the District’s Operations and Land Management Assistant Bureau Chief explains more about District owned and managed lands and how the public can enjoy these properties.
Q: Why does… Read more
Highlights
- Charlotte Harbor is Florida's second largest open water estuary at 270 square miles
- Generally considered one of the most productive estuarine ecosystems in southwest Florida
- Designated an "Estuary of National Significance" in 1995
- Includes Charlotte, Lee, and a portion of Sarasota County
- 4,400-square-mile watershed
Highlights
- Lake Tarpon is the largest freshwater lake in the Tampa Bay area
- 2,534 acres of surface area
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water and a Fish Management Area
- Located in Pinellas County
- 52-square-mile watershed
- Decline in water quality due to highly urbanized watershed inputs
- Imbalanced fish… Read more
Highlights
- Tidally influenced Kings Bay is the headwater of Crystal River
- Hydrologically unique springs system comprised of more than 30 springs
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water
- Located in Citrus County
- 364-square-mile watershed
- Kings Bay forms the largest, natural warm-water refuge for the Florida Manatee in the United States.
White Papers
White papers are authoritative reports or guides that help identify or solve a problem. White papers educate readers and help people make decisions. The District uses white paper research to synthesize research regarding barriers and benefits associated with target behaviors that influence water conservation and water quality. These white papers include programs that have been implemented promoting these behaviors along with strategy suggestions.… Read more
Florida law requires establishment of minimum flows and levels of water bodies to prevent significant harm associated with water withdrawals.Program overviewFlorida law (Chapter 373.042, Florida Statutes) requires the state water management… Read more
Rainfall summaries are available as spreadsheets for downloading to your computer. Summaries are tabulated by specific geographic areas, such as county or drainage basin boundaries, for that portion of the geographic area within SWFWMD boundaries. Each page within a spreadsheet shows period-of-record rainfall totals in inches (based on area-weighted average values) for 1915 through the previous calendar year by month, wet season, dry season, calendar year, or water year.… Read more
Daily Rainfall UpdateThe rainfall data below provide a summary of daily and month-to-date rainfall totals at 125 locations in the District. The Rainfall Data Collection Sites map shows the locations of the measurement stations and the Daily Rainfall Data chart shows rainfall accumulations in inches. (Click any image to view full size.) … Read more
The Southwest Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with Hillsborough County, completed the largest habitat restoration project ever done in the history of Tampa Bay.
Project Background
Since 2009, the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program has been working to design and construct the largest coastal restoration project ever performed for Tampa Bay. This project is a cooperative effort between SWIM and the Hillsborough County… Read more
AGMOD is a computer program used in our water use permitting process to calculate supplemental irrigation, crop establishment, cold protection and other irrigation water uses.
The program is our main tool for allocating agricultural and recreational irrigation quantities. In addition, AGMOD has been used in the 30-year Needs and Sources Study, Water Resources Assessment Project (WRAP), District Regional Water Supply Plan, and as an alternative method for estimating annual… Read more
Highlights
- Lake Panasoffkee is the third largest lake (4,820 acres) in west central Florida
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water
- Located in Sumter County
- Loss of lake area due to sedimentation
- Loss of desirable habitat for fisheries
- … Read more
The ROMP Objectives
- Provide information about the groundwater systems within the District.
- Monitor saltwater intrusion along the coast.
- Identify areas of poor groundwater quality.
- Install wells for water level and water quality monitoring.
WUPs require submittal of an application form that is dependent upon the annual average quantities requested and one or more supplemental forms. Choose the appropriate application form and include the appropriate supplemental form(s).
Application Forms
To renew or modify or apply for a new water use permit
(Form LEG-R.100.00; Rule 40D-2.101(1) – May 19, 2014)
(Form LEG-R.035.02; Rule 40D-2.331(2)(b) – May 19, 2014)
To transfer a water use permit… Read more