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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

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

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
• …

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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

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. Below are the most recent documents needed to apply the WAP in the current year. These documents should be reviewed prior… Read more

Wild hogs may be infected with pseudorabies, leptospirosis or swine brucellosis. Check with your veterinarian about the transmission of pseudorabies to your dogs. Humans may contact leptospirosis and swine brucellosis by handling and dressing wild swine; however, the incidence is not likely. When harvesting a hog, the following protective measures should be taken:

1. Use disposable rubber gloves while field dressing the animal
2. Be…

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Whether you are a casual viewer or an avid birder working on your life birding list, bird-watching opportunities abound on all District lands. Sites with the best bird-watching opportunities are part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and are listed in the column on the right side of this page. Maps of the west coast portion of the trail can be obtained from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site at… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offers this page as a means of providing our partners and cooperators our logotype and seal.We’ve organized files based on the file formats typically preferred by home/office software and professional graphics software. Please contact our webmaster for… Read more

There are more than 200 documented springs throughout the District. However, most individual springs cluster around 16 groups of springs, five of which are classified as first-magnitude groups based on the amount of water they discharge. While recognizing the need to manage all springs, the District places a priority on the five first-magnitude spring groups: Rainbow, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Homosassa, Chassahowitzka, and Weeki Wachee. These spring groups, located in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) ombudsman responds to public inquiries about District policies and practices. When issues arise between the public and the District, the ombudsman acts independently of the District to assist the public by:

• Providing information
• Answering questions
• Facilitating dispute resolutions
• Investigating concerns
• Maintaining confidentiality

Please note: If the matter is in… Read more

The Withlacoochee River is one of Florida’s wondrous waterways, one of the few rivers in the world flowing south to north. It is 160 miles long, starting in the Green Swamp and winding through eight different counties before discharging into the Gulf of America.

 The name Withlacoochee is derived from a Creek Indian word meaning Little Big Water, a likely description of the high and low fluctuations the river naturally experiences.As you travel… Read more

Frank Gargano was appointed ombudsman of the Southwest Florida Water Management District in November 2023. Gargano responds to public inquiries about District policies and practices. He provides information, answers questions and facilitates dispute resolution when issues arise between the public and staff.Gargano has more than 25 years of experience. Prior to being appointed ombudsman, he was the agency’s Government and Community Affairs regional manager and field… Read more

Spend a day with your family and friends in the great outdoors. Many District properties offer picnic facilities. Check the individual property for specific information about picnicking on that tract and the level of amenities provided. In addition, the District has three spacious and modern pavilions available for your next large group picnic. Make a reservation below:   While enjoying the picnic facilities, please follow all rules outlined in the… Read more