The Southwest Florida Water Management District (or SWFWMD, pronounced as "swiftmud" based on the word acronym), is one of five regional agencies directed by

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

state law State law refers to the law of a federated state, as distinguished from the law of the federation of which it is a part. It is used when the constituent components of a federation are themselves called states. Federations made up of provinces, cant ...

to protect and preserve

water resources Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slight ...

. Established in 1961 the agency operates and maintains several large properties and

flood protection Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water levels ...

projects, sometimes with other agencies. The District's responsibilities have expanded to include managing

water supply Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Thes ...

and protecting

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

and the natural systems —

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s and associated uplands.The District's stated mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks and ensure the public’s water needs are met.

Area of jurisdiction

The District encompasses approximately in all or part of 16 counties in west-central

including

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

Citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...

, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando,

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Albania * Dukagjin Highlands Armenia * Armenian Highlands Australia *Sou ...

, Hillsborough,

Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

Levy Levy, Lévy or Levies may refer to: People * Levy (surname), people with the surname Levy or Lévy * Levy Adcock (born 1988), American football player * Levy Barent Cohen (1747–1808), Dutch-born British financier and community worker * Levy ...

Manatee Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus ''Trichechus'') are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living species ...

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...

, Pasco,

Pinellas Pinellas is the name of a peninsula located roughly halfway down the west coast of Florida. It forms the western boundary of Tampa Bay and comprises the bulk of Pinellas County. There is a city named Pinellas Park in south Pinellas. The peninsula ...

Polk Polk may refer to: People * James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States * Polk (name), other people with the name Places *Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois * Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Polk, Missouri ...

Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...

, and

Sumter Sumter may refer to: People Given name * Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist * Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general Surname * Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer * Shavonda E. Sumter ( ...

counties, serving a population of more than 5 million people.

Administration and funding

A 13-member Governing Board oversees District activities. Members are unpaid

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

s appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the state Senate to four-year terms to set policy and administer the budget. The Board chooses an executive director who is approved by the state Senate. The executive director oversees a diverse staff of professionals, including

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

s, attorneys,

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

s and administrators. Funding comes from voter-approved

ad valorem An ''ad valorem'' tax (Latin for "according to value") is a tax whose amount is based on the value of a transaction or of property. It is typically imposed at the time of a transaction, as in the case of a sales tax or value-added tax (VAT). An ...

property tax A property tax or millage rate is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or net wealth, taxes on the change of ownership of property through inheri ...

es, along with state and

federal funding In the United States, federal assistance, also known as federal aid, federal benefits, or federal funds, is defined as any federal program, project, service, or activity provided by the federal government that directly assists domestic governme ...

such as the state's Florida Forever Program. While there is a legislative limit on the

tax levy A tax levy under United States federal law is an administrative action by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under statutory authority, generally without going to court, to seize property to satisfy a tax liability. The levy "includes the power ...

of 1 mill ($1 for each $1,000 of assessed land value), actual tax levies have been less than the maximum.

Public areas

Every year, about 2.5 million people visit public conservation lands acquired by the District and its partners to protect Florida's water resources. Properties in the district include: *

Alafia River Reserve The Alafia River Reserve is a recreation area and water conservation area managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District in Mulberry, Florida, Polk County, Florida. It covers and is located at 4872 Indian Oak Drive in Mulberry, Flori ...

in Polk County *

Annutteliga Hammock Annutteliga Hammock is a park and preserve in Weeki Wachee, Florida, Hernando County, Florida's the Brooksville Ridge and protects groundwater recharge Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic process, where ...

in Hernando County *

Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve is located in northwest Hillsborough County, Florida and is managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The area is located at 18102 Ramblewood Road in Lutz, Florida and offers hiking opport ...

in Hillsborough County *

Brooker Creek Preserve Brooker Creek Preserve is located in Pinellas County, Florida, owned by the Pinellas County government and the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and managed by the Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources Department. It encompa ...

in Pinellas County *

Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park is a Florida State Park, composed of islands and land that surrounds Charlotte Harbor. It is part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and protects the Gasparilla Sound/ Charlotte Harbor, Cape ...

in Charlotte County * Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps in Citrus County *

Chito Branch Reserve The Chito Branch Reserve is located in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, and is part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District landholdings. It was acquired by the District in 2001, and is . It is located at 11254 Browning Road i ...

in Hillsborough County *

Circle B Bar Reserve The Circle B Bar Reserve is an area of protected lands in Polk County, Florida. Comprising at 4399 Winter Lake Road (SR 540) near Lakeland, it is managed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), which co-owns it with the Southwe ...

in Polk County *

Cliff Stephens Park Cliff Stephens Park is in Pinellas County, Florida. It is managed as part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District The Southwest Florida Water Management District (or SWFWMD, pronounced as "swiftmud" based on the word acronym), is one ...

in Pinellas County *

Conner Preserve Conner Preserve is a natural area in central Pasco County, Florida, preserved for water management since 2003. The landscape includes steep sandhill ridges, marshes, cypress sloughs and pine flatwoods and is "part of a wildlife habitat corridor env ...

in Pasco County *

Cypress Creek Preserve Cypress Creek Preserve is a park in Pasco County, Florida at 8720 Pump Station Road in Land o' Lakes, Florida. According to the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) the land was purchased to provide flood protection and as a pub ...

in Pasco County * Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County *

Edward Medard Park and Reservoir Edward Medard Park and Preserve, originally known as Pleasant Grove Reservoir Park, is located south of Plant City, Florida, on Turkey Creek, Florida, Turkey Creek Road in Hillsborough County, Florida. The park just north of Durant, Florida was t ...

in Hillsborough County * Edward W. Chance Reserve Coker Prairie and Gilley Creek tracts in Manatee County * Flying Eagle Preserve in Citrus County * McGregor Smith Boy Scout Reservation in Citrus County * Withlapopka Community Park in Citrus County *

Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is a 110,000 acre preserve in the four-corner area of Lake County, Pasco County, Polk County and Sumter County, east of Dade City, Florida. It includes a 36-mile section of the Withlacoochee River and offers hikin ...

in Pasco, Sumter, Lake and Polk counties * Colt Creek State Park in Polk County * East Tract in Sumter, Lake and Polk counties * Hampton Tract in Polk County *

Little Withlacoochee Tract Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Little (album), ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt *Little (film), ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's nov ...

in Lake County *

West Tract West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...

in Pasco County * Half Moon-Gum Slough in Sumter County * Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County * Jack Creek in Highlands County *

Lake Marion Creek Horseshoe Scrub Tract A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

in Polk County *

Lake Panasoffkee Lake Panasoffkee is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,551 at the 2010 census. History Early inhabitants Boggy Island was an autonomous black Seminole village that was settled by Centr ...

in Sumter County * Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal in Pinellas County * Little Manatee River Lower Tract in Hillsborough County * Little Manatee River Southfork Tract in Manatee County * Little Manatee River Upper Tract in Hillsborough County *

Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated about five miles south west of Dursley, eig ...

in Hillsborough County *

Deer Prairie Creek Preserve Deer Prairie Creek Preserve is a natural area with of trail in unincorporated Sarasota County, Florida, USA, around along the Myakka River. History The land was acquired between 2000 and 2004 through a partnership between Sarasota County’ ...

Flatford Swamp Preserve Flatford is a small hamlet close to East Bergholt in Suffolk. It is most famous for Flatford Mill, Willy Lott's Cottage and Bridge Cottage, immortalised in the paintings of John Constable. Access by road Flatford is accessible by Road from Eas ...

, and

Myakka Prairie Tract Myakka City (also Myakka) is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in southeastern Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. It lies along Florida State Road 70, State Road 70 near the city of Bradenton, Florida, ...

on the

Myakka River (big water) , image = Myakka River.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = Myakka River in El Jobean , image_alt = , map = Myakkarivermap.png , map_size = 200px , map_caption ...

in Sarasota, Manatee, and Sarasota counties *

Myakka State Forest The Myakka State Forest is in the U.S. state of Florida. The forest is located on the southwest coast, in North Port. See also *List of Florida state forests Florida's state forests are state forests overseen by the Florida Forest Service. Th ...

in Sarasota County * Panasoffkee Outlet in Sumter County *

Potts Preserve Potts Preserve is an property protected by the Southwest Florida Water Management District in Inverness, Florida (Citrus County). Wetlands in the preserve "play a role in both the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and the Withlacoochee River (Florida), ...

in Citrus County * Prairie/ Shell Creek in Charlotte County * RV Griffin Reserve in DeSoto County *

Sawgrass Lake Park Sawgrass may refer to: * Saw grass, a common name of some species of plants in the genus ''Cladium'' *Sawgrass, Florida, a town in the United States *Sawgrass Country Club, a private golf and tennis club located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida *Saw ...

in Pinellas County * Schultz Preserve in Hillsborough County *

Starkey Wilderness Preserve Starkey Wilderness Preserve is a public recreation and nature conservation area located in Pasco County, Florida. The park includes a system of hiking, bicycling, and equestrian trails, cabins and primitive camping sites, and picnic areas. It is n ...

, Serenova Tract and Anclote River Ranch Tract in Pasco County *

Tampa Bypass Canal The Tampa Bypass Canal and Palm River are a flood bypass operated by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The canal includes several concrete flood control structures and was constructed during the 1960s and 1970s. Its purpose is to re ...

in Hillsborough County *

Terra Ceia Preserve Frog Creek Terra Ceia Preserve (also known as Frog Creek and Terra Ceia State Park) is a preserve located in Manatee County, Florida north of Palmetto. The preserve is maintained and co-owned by Southwest Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and Flo ...

in Manatee County * Terra Ceia Preserve State Park in Manatee County * Two Mile Prairie in Citrus County * Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco and Polk counties * Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County * Withlacoochee River Park in Pasco County *

Wysong Park Wysong is a surname. Notable people with the name include: *Biff Wysong (1905–1951), American professional baseball pitcher *David Wysong (born 1949), American politician *Dudley Wysong (1939–98), American professional golfer *James Wysong, Am ...

in Sumter County

References

External links

Official website

Water Management Districts
at Florida Department of Environmental Protection {{authority control Water management authorities in the United States State agencies of Florida Water in Florida 1961 establishments in Florida Government agencies established in 1961 Organizations based in Hernando County, Florida Brooksville, Florida