South Florida Water Management District

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South Florida Water Management District
District overview
Formed1949 (1949)
Preceding District
  • Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District
Jurisdiction16 counties in Florida:
Parent DistrictFlorida Department of Environmental Protection
Websitesfwmd.gov
Footnotes
[1]

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is a regional governmental district that oversees water resources from

Southern Florida. It is the largest water management district in the state, managing water needs for 7.7 million residents. A key initiative is the restoration of America's Everglades – the largest environmental restoration project in the nation's history. The District is also working to improve the Kissimmee River and its floodplain, Lake Okeechobee
and South Florida's coastal estuaries.

The district's governing board consists of Chauncey Goss, Scott Wagner, Ron Bergeron Sr., Carlos E. Martinez, Cheryl Meads, Charlette Roman, Jay Steinle, and Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch.

History

In 1947, after years of drought, the state was deluged by rainfall averaging 100 inches along the lower east coast, almost twice the norm. Much of the ground was saturated when two hurricanes hit the state late in the year, and flooding throughout the region was devastating. Florida asked the federal government for a master plan to tame nature's excesses. In 1948, the U.S. Congress adopted legislation creating the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project. Construction began the next year and continued over 20 years as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the massive flood control plumbing system stretching from just south of Orlando to Florida Bay.

In 1949, the Florida Legislature created the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, the predecessor to the South Florida Water Management District, to manage the C&SF Project. In 1972, with the Florida Water Resources Act (Chapter 373), the state created five water management districts, with expanded responsibilities for regional water resource management and environmental protection. In 1976, voters approved a constitutional amendment giving the districts the authority to levy property taxes to help fund these activities. The boundaries of all five of the state's water management districts are determined by watersheds and other natural, hydrologic, and geographic features. The South Florida Water Management District is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts.

A book detailing the first forty years of the South Florida Water Management District titled "Into the Fifth Decade" was written by Thomas E. Huser.[2]

In the year 2000, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan began to undo some ecosystem damage caused by the C&SF Project.

Local Sponsor

The SFWMD is the designated local sponsor for the

Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 80–858—known as the Flood Control Act of 1948—pursuant to § 373.103(2), Florida Statutes.[3]

Operations

The regional water management system – with nearly 2,000 miles of canals and more than 2,800 miles of levees/berms, 69 pump stations, 645 water control structures, and more than 700 culverts – helps to protect regional water supplies and provide flood control.

Weather extremes dramatically affect South Florida's water supply and flood protection actions. In response, the District actively operates and maintains the water management system promotes water conservation, and works with communities to develop alternative water supplies.

Programs

The South Florida Water Management District manages many programs, including a controversial

water farming program, which results in minimal returns for taxpayers and would be much cheaper on state-owned land.[4]

Public areas

Many of the lands protected by the District are open to the public for recreational use.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Who We Are". South Florida Water Management District. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  2. ^ http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/historical/fcd5decades/fcd5decades.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ Gaston, Doug (November 27, 2020). "Everglades Restoration Takes Three Big Steps Forward". audubon.org.
  4. ^ Pittman, Craig (December 9, 2015). "Florida taxpayers pay ranchers millions to hold water back from Lake Okeechobee". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times.

External links

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