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Water plays an important role in our lives. Because we live in a state surrounded by so much water, we often forget about the importance of conservation.All of us can become better at saving water. Have your class pledge to save at least 10 gallons of water per day by using the pledge to the right and we will send you a free conservation challenge kit! Each kit includes a class set of:
- Water Conservation pledge cards
- "Save Water We Do!" stickers
- "…
February 2023
Q: What is Florida-Friendly Landscaping™?
A: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ is a set of nine guiding principles which help protect natural resources and preserve Florida’s unique beauty. A Florida-friendly landscape is beautiful yet saves water and protects the environment too.
Q: What are the nine guiding principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™?
A: The nine guiding principles of Florida-…
August 2025Q: What is flooding and why does it occur?A: Flooding is the inundation of water onto normally dry land. It occurs when water bodies such as lakes, rivers, or wetlands rise from excessive rainfall. Although flooding is a natural phenomenon, it can cause substantial damage to homes and businesses, create safety risks, and disrupt everyday life.Q: How does the District help prevent flooding?A: The…
March 2025Q: Why does fertilizing my lawn responsibly matter?A: More than 1,000 new residents move to Florida daily, many of whom take pride in maintaining beautiful lawns along with long-time Floridians. However, fertilizers contain nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which, in excess amounts, can harm Florida’s natural water systems. Excess nutrients from fertilizers can wash into lakes, rivers, springs, estuaries and other water…
Fixing leaks and installing a few inexpensive water-saving devices in your home could save up to 20,000 gallons of water each year.If you use utility or county water, your efforts could cut your monthly water and sewer bill in half. Unless your house was built after 1995, you probably have pre-conservation era plumbing that guzzles water. Fixing leaks and replacing old plumbing fixtures with water-saving models are two easy ways to conserve water and save money at the same…
Your Questions Answered
December 2019
Florida’s climate makes it ideal for growing a wide variety of crops, which makes the state’s agricultural industry one of the strongest in the country. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) believes working with the agricultural community to conserve water through our Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems or FARMS program is essential to help ensure future water supplies.…
December 2024Q: What is FARMS?A: The Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS program for short, is designed to serve as an incentive to the agricultural community to promote water quantity, water quality and natural systems BMPs to conserve groundwater use and protect water quality in the springs. The program is an agricultural cost-share reimbursement program that reduces groundwater withdrawals from the Upper…
February 2026Q: Is there a rainy season and dry season in central Florida?|A: Yes, rainfall is seasonal. Our summer rainy season is a four-month period from June through September, with average rainfall of about 7.8 inches each month. About 60 percent of our average annual rainfall is received during that time. The higher rainfall results in rising water levels in aquifers, lakes, rivers and springs. Our…
April 2024Q: What is Florida-Friendly Landscaping™? A: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ is a set of nine guiding principles which help protect natural resources and preserve Florida’s unique beauty. A Florida-friendly landscape is beautiful yet saves water and protects the environment too.Q: What are the nine guiding principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™? A: The nine guiding principles of Florida-Friendly…
Your Questions Answered November 2020Q: What are seagrasses? A: Seagrasses are flowering plants that colonized the ocean some 70 to 100 million years ago. Seagrasses have leaves, flowers, seeds and roots. Unlike land plants, seagrasses do not have strong stems to hold themselves up. Instead they are supported by the buoyancy of the water surrounding them. Another unique characteristic of…
August 2023Q: What is FARMS?A: The Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS program for short, is designed to serve as an incentive to the agricultural community to promote water quantity, water quality and natural systems BMPs to conserve groundwater use and promote resource sustainability. The program is an agricultural cost-share reimbursement program that reduces groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan…
The Mini-FARMS Program promotes agricultural water quality and water quantity best management practices (BMPs) and provides overall water resource benefits to agriculture properties. The Mini-FARMS Program works with and provides a mechanism for enrollment in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) adopted agricultural BMPs program, through a Notice of Intent (NOI) to implement BMPs. Through the Mini-FARMS Program, the District will reimburse…
June 2025Q: What are seagrasses? A: Seagrasses are flowering plants that have leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots. Unlike land plants, seagrasses do not have strong stems to hold themselves up. Instead, they are supported by the buoyancy of the water surrounding them. Another unique characteristic of seagrasses is that they are “halophytes,” meaning they only grow in saltwater. Of the…
Your Questions Answered
January 2020
The Weeki Wachee River has been a popular site for recreational activities for many years. Recently, both public and private stakeholders agreed to take a closer look at what steps should be taken now to ensure the waterway is protected for years to come. Randy Smith, Natural Systems & Restoration Bureau Chief for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, explains the results of the recently…
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…
Learn From the Experts
Through the Speakers Bureau, professional staff share their knowledge and expertise with a wide variety of audiences. Programs are presented at no charge within the District’s 16-county area.
Topics
Some of the most frequently requested topics are:
“Get Outside!”
The District and its partners acquire conservation lands to protect the region’s water…
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…
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…
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…