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About SWFWMD - SWFWMD website
The mission of the Southwest Florida Water Management District is to manage the water and water-related resources within its boundaries. Central to the mission is maintaining the balance between the water needs of current and future users while protecting and maintaining the natural systems that provide the District with its existing and future water supply. (read more...)
2009-2014 Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan communicates the District’s forward perspective to address our fast-growing region’s water resource priorities. The Plan is updated annually in order to assess the success of efforts, and to efficiently modify strategies and priorities as necessary to fulfill the District’s mission to provide a sustainable water supply, while restoring and protecting the environment. (read more... )
2009-2013 Strategic Plan
(read more...)
2005 District Water Management Plan
The 2005 District Water Management Plan (Plan) was accepted by the Governing Board in July 2005 and represented the second five-year update of the District’s "comprehensive plan." The Plan serves as a guide to the District in carrying out all its water resource management responsibilities, including those for Water Supply, Flood Protection, Water Quality and Natural Systems, and also reflects the District’s Management Services support activities. The State’s five water management districts (WMDs) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are charged with meeting this challenge and addressing the unique water resource issues of the various regions of the state. (read more...)
Organization
The Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District is the agency head.
Organization Chart
Governing Board
An 11-member Governing Board establishes policies for the entire 16-county District. The Governing Board represents a wide cross section of interests, including agricultural, recreational, business, industrial, urban, rural and the public. Board members are unpaid citizen volunteers appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. They serve four-year terms. Each member also serves as the ex officio chair of a Basin Board. The Governing Board also appoints the District’s Executive Director, who directs all District activities. The Florida Senate confirms this candidate. (Governing Board Members)
The Board meets on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of every month, unless otherwise announced. Its duties include directing a wide-range of programs, initiatives, and actions, to carry out the District’s duties and responsibilities under Chapter 373, F.S. and several delegated portions of Chapter 403, F.S.
Florida Statutes - TITLE XXVIII NATURAL RESOURCES; CONSERVATION, RECLAMATION, AND USE
Chapter 373 WATER RESOURCES
View entire Chapter
Governing Board Meeting Calendar
Governing Board Meeting Minutes
Basin Boards
The Governing Board has designated eight Basin Boards within the District as described in Section 40D-1.107, Florida Administrative Code. Basin Board members are unpaid citizen volunteers appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. They serve three-year terms. Each of the Basin Boards includes one person from each county within the basin, and there must be at least three members on each board. Each Basin Board has at least one of the 11 members of the District’s Governing Board that serves as the Basin Board’s chair ex officio. Basin Boards are responsible for identifying water resource concerns and problems within their respective areas and adopting budgets to address and fund the resolution of such concerns. (read more...)
Basin Boards are important to efficient water resource management. They allow planning to take place for each Basin, which conforms to trends being established by state and federal agencies. And they also provide a vehicle to enhance environmental protection efforts that look at entire watersheds, including the land, water, and plants and animals within them. The Basin Boards, through their annual planning process, identify key issues and establish priorities in their Basins in four areas of responsibility: water supply, flood protection, water quality, and natural systems.
View a map of the District and Basins
The District actually has nine basins. Eight of them have Basin Boards. The ninth basin is the Green Swamp, headwaters for four major rivers. Because of its hydrologic significance for a large portion of the District, the Green Swamp Basin is administered directly by the Governing Board.
Our eight Basin Boards provide guidance for local programs that are specific to the basins they protect.
Alafia River - Represents the southern half of Hillsborough County and a southwestern portion of Polk County (covers 684 square miles in southern Hillsborough County and portions of western Polk County. The major rivers in the basin are the Alafia and the Little Manatee, which feed into Tampa Bay).
Coastal Rivers - Represents coastal regions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties (includes 809 square miles in the coastal areas of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. The region includes coastal wetlands and gulf coastal lowlands, with several significant springs).
Map of the Coastal Rivers Basin
Hillsborough River - Represents Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties (covers an area of 742 square miles that includes portions of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties. The Hillsborough River is a significant source of drinking water for the city of Tampa and Tampa Bay Water, and fresh water for Tampa Bay).
Manasota - Represents all of Manatee and Sarasota counties (covers an area of 1,318 square miles, entirely within Manatee and Sarasota counties. The Myakka River and Sarasota Bay are the principal water features of the basin).
Northwest Hillsborough - Represents northwest Hillsborough County (includes an area of just 157 square miles within the northwest part of Hillsborough County, but covers 73 lakes).
Peace River - Represents all of DeSoto and Hardee, and portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Polk counties (covers an area of 3,030 square miles that include portions of Polk, Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands and western Charlotte counties. As the name suggests, the basin’s most significant water features are the Peace River and its tributaries, and Charlotte Harbor, where the Peace River meets the Gulf of Mexico).
Pinellas-Anclote River - Represents all of Pinellas, and a portion of Pasco counties (covers 369 square miles and is the most densely populated area in the District. The basin includes all of Pinellas County and a small portion of Pasco County south of the Anclote River. This basin imports much of its fresh water from Pasco County).
Withlacoochee River - Represents portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and Sumter counties (at 2,000 square miles, is the second largest of the District’s basins. Within the basin are portions of Pasco, Sumter, Hernando, Citrus, Marion and Levy counties. As the name suggests, the Withlacoochee River, with headwaters originating in the Green Swamp, is the area’s principal water feature).
Map of the Withlacoochee River Basin
Basin Board Meeting Calendar
Basin Board Meeting Minutes
Advisory Committees
Advisory Committee members serve as liaisons with the District, maintaining communication with members of their organizations and conveying input from these organizations to the District. In addition, Advisory Committees serve as an education extension of the District by helping to disseminate information and by advising and assisting the District in its education and outreach programs. The Committees provide two-way communication between the District and the constituencies they represent. Advisory Committees are valuable resources to the District and the input they provide helps to ensure the District is meeting its responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner.
Committees obtain input on District programs, projects and related resource management issues.
Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC)
Purpose
Committee Members
Board Policy
Public Supply Advisory Committee (PSAC)
Purpose
Committee Members
Board Policy
Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC)
Purpose
Committee Members
Board Policy
Green Industry Advisory Committee (GIAC)
Purpose
Committee Members
Board Policy
Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
Purpose
Committee Members
Board Policy
Well Drillers Advisory Committee (WDAC)
Purpose
Committee Members
Board Policy
Advisory Committee Meeting Calendar
Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Additional information of interest
Florida River Flow Patterns and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation
Aquifer Resource Weekly Update
These reports provide information about the health of our water resources.
Annual Alternative Water Supply Report FY2005
Structure Operations Hydrologic Report
Structure status and hydrographs of select water bodies.
Various documents:
Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plans
Comprehensive Watershed Management (CWM) Plans
Watershed Management Program (WMP) Plans
Estimated Water Use Report Summary, 1998-2002
An annual summary and analysis of the 1.3 billion gallons of freshwater used daily in our area for agriculture, public and domestic self-supply, industry and mining, and recreation.
Highlights of 2006 Accomplishments and 2007 Goals
A summary of accomplishments and goals carrying out our mission while meeting expanding statutory responsibilities in Florida Statutes.
Highlights of 2004 Accomplishments and 2005 Goals
Water Conservation is a key link between balancing current and future water needs. Our conservation materials focus on resources for local businesses, industries, communities and individuals.
Permitting portal for Florida’s water management districts - SWFWMD
This portal is designed to direct you to the appropriate district’s Web site for obtaining information regarding the districts’ permitting programs, applying for permits, and submitting permit compliance information. The state’s five water management districts issue several types of permits. The three most common deal with how much water is used (consumptive use permits), the construction of wells (well construction permits), and how new development affects water resources (environmental resource permits).
Types of Permits - SWFWMD
The state’s five water management districts issue several types of permits. The three most common deal with how much water is used, the construction of wells, and how new development affects water resources.
Consumptive use or water use permits
The type of permit which authorizes water use is called a consumptive use permit (CUP) or a water use permit (WUP). This permit allows water to be withdrawn from surface and groundwater supplies for reasonable and beneficial uses such as public supply (drinking water), agricultural and landscape irrigation, and industry and power generation.
Well construction permits
Well construction permits are required prior to installation of a well. The permits ensure that wells are constructed by qualified contractors and meet rigid safety and durability standards.
Environmental resource permits
The Environmental Resource Permitting Program benefits Florida by preventing stormwater pollution to Florida’s lakes and streams and by protecting wetlands. Environmental resource permits (ERPs) were first required in 1995. They combine the former wetland dredge and fill permit issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the management and storage of surface waters permit issued by the water management districts. An ERP is needed to regulate activities such as dredging and filling in wetlands, construction of drainage facilities, stormwater containment and treatment, construction of dams or reservoirs, and other activities affecting state waters. Anyone proposing construction of new facilities, including governmental agencies, developers building new residential or commercial areas and anyone who wants to fill in wetlands, must have an ERP.
Weekly Notification of Permit Applications Received - SWFWMD
January 09, 2007 Posting
The following report, by county, contains information on permit applications that are currently under review by the Division of Resource Regulation. This report is updated on a daily basis. Applications will appear on the posting report for fourteen days. Serves as public notice of applications currently under review.
Permits and Rules - SWFWMD
As water managers, we assist permit applicants with timely and appropriate regulatory decisions that effectively protect and manage water and related natural resources.
SWFWMD - Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs)
2005 Priority List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels are updated annually. The Priority List is based on the importance of waters to the state or region, the existence of or potential for significant harm to the water resources or ecology of the state or region and includes those waters which are experiencing or may reasonably be expected to experience adverse impacts. The District intends to voluntarily undertake independent scientific peer review for all water body types on the Priority List.
Map and list of 45 recreational areas located in the SWFWM district |
