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March 14, 2025The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is committed to providing a website accessible to the public, regardless of disability. To further this commitment, the District uses a web scanning service to assist with website accessibility and optimization. The District follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, level AA technical standard, and is currently working toward achieving… Read more
As bureau chief of the Engineering & Project Management (EPM) Bureau at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Scott Letasi is responsible for the District’s cooperative funding initiative program and District initiatives projects specifically related to the District’s flood protection area of responsibility. The EPM Bureau develops surface water models in the Watershed Management Program and implements the District’s Structures Capital Improvement Program… Read more
As bureau chief of Information Technology, Tom Hughes is responsible for leading and managing the District’s Information Technology Bureau. The bureau works closely with internal and external customers to provide a comprehensive set of information technology services that support the District’s mission to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and ensure the public’s water needs are met. These activities include the management of the hardware, software and data that… Read more
Mission StatementOur mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and ensure the public’s water needs are met.Core Values
- Service Excellence
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Self Management
- Professional Integrity
- Professional and Technical Excellence
Southwest Florida Water Management District
- Springs in West-Central Florida
- Recreation on District Land
- Lower Floridan Aquifer Exploration
- Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs)
- …
The District is initiating an update to its Land Use Rules to allow for improved efficiency, protection of its resources and uniformity among other water management districts.
A virtual workshop will be held Tuesday, December 1 at 5:30 p.m. Find out more »
The District will be accepting public comment below on the draft Land Use Rules
update through December 7.… Read more
Manatees »
Springs are the most important wintering site for threatened manatees on Florida’s West Coast, as they provide thermal refuge when the Gulf of America’s temperature drops below 68 degrees. The springs in Kings Bay remain at a constant 72 degrees year-round. At colder temperatures, manatees may suffer from cold stress or hypothermia as they do not have a thick layer of blubber for protection. If cold weather persists, manatees may not leave the warmth of the springs for days… Read more
Camping »
Whether you enjoy camping with modern amenities or you prefer to camp in the backcountry, the beauty of Florida’s wilderness is waiting to be experienced.Types of Camping on the DistrictPrimitive Camp AreasPrimitive campsites are provided for campers with tents. Only personal vehicles are allowed in the campsites. Primitive campsites are generally equipped with picnic tables, fire rings and/or grills and usually have portable toilets available for use by campers. Campsites… Read more
Every day the invasion continues. People are mostly to blame — we import plants from all over the world, planting them here in Florida. It might be because we think they’re useful, or maybe we just think a plant is pretty. Because these plants are new on the scene, Florida’s environment isn’t used to them.
Some plants can’t adapt to their new surroundings so they die off. Many new plants grow, but stay right where we put them. But some new plants love it here — they go to… Read more
View Statewide Forms »
All 62-330, F.A.C. Statewide Environmental Resource Permitting (SWERP) forms can be accessed and downloaded from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) website. To access these forms, please visit the … Read more
Program OverviewFlorida-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. The University of Florida’s Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) Program provides science-based education on how to create a… Read more
The District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains at Level 2 activation and EOC staff continue to closely monitor Tropical Storm Debby. All District offices are scheduled to be open Monday, Aug. 5.Please contact your supervisor if you are unable to work due to an extenuating circumstance from the storm.Staff should exercise caution for downed trees and power lines or localized flooding and follow any road closures. Always avoid driving through waters of unknown depth.… Read more
The Southwest Florida Water Management District manages controlled burns on its lands. Which are carefully planned burns used to manage forests. These controlled fires reduce wildfire risks by reducing excess vegetation, improving wildlife habitats and promoting new plant growth. The District ensures safety and efficiency in these operations, balancing ecological benefits with public safety. Fire in FloridaFire is one of the dominant forces that shape… Read more
Septic tanks contribute up to 40% of the current nitrogen pollution in the District's five first-magnitude springs. If you have a septic system, it’s important to have the system inspected regularly and maintained as necessary.How do septic tanks impact springs?Wastewater from traditional or damaged septic tanks can leach into the ground, causing nitrates to enter the aquifer. When this happens, the nitrates eventually reach the spring, which results in… Read more
The sandy coastal beaches of the Gulf of America attract many vacationing visitors. As part of these coastal beaches, the Southern Coastal watershed stretches 60 miles along the southern part of central Florida’s gulf coast. Visitors to the watershed will encounter the culture of Sarasota’s art community, the shark teeth-covered beaches of Venice and the fish-filled waters of Charlotte Harbor. In between these locations are some of Florida’s most productive estuaries,… Read more
This year, the District is scheduled to adopt minimum flows for Horse Creek and Charlie Creek, two tributaries to the Peace River.Public WorkshopA virtual public workshop is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 25, 2023, to present the draft minimum flows plan for Horse Creek and Charlie Creek and give the public an opportunity to provide comments or ask questions. The workshop is open to the public and participants may join online by using the link… Read more
The Peace River watershed is home to an extraordinary assortment of plants and animals. Some are common; some are extremely rare.Coreopsis, the state wildflower, is widespread. Its delicate yellow blooms brighten the riverbanks year-round. The riverbanks are also lined with palmettos, cypress, water locust, sweet gum, cabbage palm and live oak. Some of the trees have dark, muddy skirts. These are the high-water marks of the seasonal floods. Nearing the estuary, red,… Read more
These plans were developed with a diverse group of stakeholders to improve water quality in the Shell and Prairie Creek watersheds.
- Fifth Biannual Performance Monitoring Summary - September 2012–September 2014
- …
In 2005, the District revised the original Wetland Assessment Procedure (WAP), which was originally developed in 1999 to collect ecologic data in hundreds of monitored wetlands. The 2005 revision is the current version of the WAP. Tampa Bay Water, the District, and several other agencies use the WAP as part of their overall resource monitoring program.
Archival documents, presentations, and data related to the WAP will be added to this page. Interested parties should… Read more