Providing the District’s Mission and Protecting the Public During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As part of its ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is implementing several safety precautions to keep the public informed on the District's operations.

Dedicated to Our Mission

SFWMD remains  dedicated to its core mission of  safe guarding and restoring  South Florida's water resources and ecosystems, protecting communities from flooding, and meeting the region's water needs while connecting with the public and stakeholders. Executive Director Drew Bartlett signed an Emergency Order  to support the continuity of District operations while responding to this public health emergency.

During this time, SFWMD  is taking several proactive measures  to ensure the health and safety of our staff, stakeholders and members of the public. All official travel has been suspended for SFWMD employees and is limiting in-person meetings.

Buildings Closed to the Public

All SFWMD offices, including field stations, services centers, and the SFWMD headquarters in West Palm Beach are  closed to the public  until further notice.  Most SFWMD staff are  working remotely and additional health protocols are in place for all facilities and operations. The District’s main switchboard remains operational between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (561) 686-8800. You can also write to us using the Ask Us button at the top of our website.

Enjoying Florida's Natural Resources

During this time,  consider safely enjoying the natural wonders that Florida has to offer while embracing social distancing. All SFWMD-managed public lands are currently open to the public for individuals. We encourage you to visit one of our many recreation sites, but all visitors must practice social isolation and avoid gathering in groups of 10 or more.

For more recreational opportunities, public access lands managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are still currently open to the public.

Camping

The majority of District-managed camping areas are now open as of June 5, 2020. The following camping areas remain closed:

The District is working to open the remaining campgrounds. All campers and all recreation area visitors must continue to practice social distancing and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Re-Opened Recreation Sites

The South Florida Water Management District announced that it will reopen the remainder of closed District-managed lands beginning May 4, 2020 at noon. Visitors must practice social distancing, including limiting group sizes to 10 or less and staying six feet apart from other visitors.

As of May 4, 2020, the following District-managed lands have been reopened:

A-1 Flow Equalization Basin
Allapattah Flats
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park
Baltic Road
Blanket Bay Slough
Blind Creek
Bluff Hammock Management Unit
Boney Marsh Management Unit
Catfish Creek
Chandler Slough
Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW)
Cornwell Marsh
DuPuis Management Area
Everglades & Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area
Frog Pond
Gordy Road Recreation Area
Halpatiokee Regional Park
Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area
Hickory Hammock Wildlife Management Area
Horse Creek
Huckleberry Island
Hungryland Wildlife and Environmental Area
Intercession City
Istokpoga Boating Facility
Johnson Island
KICCO
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Lake Kissimmee: Bird Island
Lake Kissimmee: Drasdo
Lake Kissimmee: Eastshore and Westshore
Lake Kissimmee: Gardner-Cobb Marsh
Lake Kissimmee: Lightsey
Lake Kissimmee: Rabbit Island
Lake Kissimmee: Strum Island
Lake Marion Creek
Lake Russell
Lakeside Ranch

Lower Reedy Creek
Loxahatchee River/Cypress Creek Management Area
Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area
MICCO Landing
Miller/Wild Property
No Name Slough
North Fork St. Lucie River
Oak Creek
Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area
Pal-Mar East/Nine Gems
Paradise Run
Queen's Island
Reedy Creek
Riverbend Park
Rough Island North and South
S-65E Impoundment
Seaboard Marsh
Shingle Creek
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
Snell Creek
Southern Glades
Spruce Bluff
Starvation Slough
Stormwater Treatment Area 1 East
Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West
Stormwater Treatment Area 2
Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4
Stormwater Treatment Area 5/6
SUMICA
Taylor Creek
Telex Marsh
Ten Mile Creek
Three Scrub Sites
Tibet-Butler Preserve
Turkey Hammock
Upper Reedy Creek
Water Conservation Area 1
Water Conservation Areas 2 and 3
Yates Marsh

Updates about other SFWMD-managed properties will be announced to the public as they develop.

Navigation

Due to lake conditions, locks on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee are temporarily closed. SFWMD will continue to closely monitor water levels  on Lake Okeechobee to determine if other locks should be closed. Closures will be announced to the public through email and posted on this page.

The following locks are temporarily closed for safety:

Martin County: S-135 boat lock, J&S Fish Camp
Okeechobee County: G-36 boat lock, Henry Creek
Glades County: S-127 boat lock, Buckhead Ridge and S-131 boat lock, Lakeport

Also on the north shore, the operating hours for the S-193 boat lock at Taylor Creek in Okeechobee County are Saturdays and Sundays between 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. The S-193 lock will close entirely if Lake Okeechobee is below 11 feet NGVD.

Locks will resume normal operations when the lake is at least 12.5 feet NGVD.

Public Meetings

SFWMD continues to hold public meetings online to support our mission for strong participation and engagement. Any changes to upcoming meetings, including electronic meeting details, postponements and cancellations, will be posted on our Meetings Calendar.

Learn More About COVID-19

SFWMD will continue to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of its staff and members of the public. To learn more about COVID-19 and how to prevent its spread, please refer to the Florida Department of Health.