District Resiliency

Ensuring the Region’s Water Resources and Ecosystems Resiliency Today and in the Future

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is strongly committed to addressing the impacts of sea level rise, extreme rainfall, and other changing conditions affecting water resources and the environment. The District’s resiliency efforts focus on advancing scientific data assessment and research needs to ensure that planning and adaptation strategies are founded on the best available science, robust technical analysis, and risk-informed decision making.

In addition, the resiliency program is developing and implementing comprehensive District-wide resiliency goals to mitigate and adapt to the challenges facing the District’s infrastructure and core functions from sea level rise, extreme rainfall and other changing hydrologic and climate conditions. These efforts are carried out in collaboration and cooperation with regional, state and federal agencies, local and tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, universities, and citizens throughout Central and Southern Florida.

The SFWMD is also making significant infrastructure adaptation investments needed to continue to successfully fulfilling its mission: safeguarding and restoring South Florida’s water resources and ecosystems, protecting communities from flooding, and ensuring an adequate water supply for all of South Florida’s needs. Working to ensure the region’s water resources and ecosystems resiliency, now and in the future, is part of everything the District does.

Actions​

• Resiliency and Flood Protection
• Resiliency and Water Supply ​​
• Resiliency and Ecosystem Restoration

Resiliency Coordination Forum

The South Florida Resiliency Coordination Forum​ is a fact-finding forum to promote regional coordination and collaboration between the South Florida Water Management District, local, state, federal, and tribal partners on water management initiatives related to resiliency. The forum hosts proactive discussions to engage project partners, leverage technical knowledge, exchange of information, and foster a constructive environment to discuss tangible asset-level solutions and support decision-making.

Water and Climate Resilience Metrics

The Water and Climate Resilience Metrics effort is advancing data analyses and scientific approaches to track and document trends in observed water and climate data. These efforts support the assessment of current and future climate conditions to inform operational decisions and resiliency planning.

Regional Consistency in Adaptation Planning

The SFWMD is advancing tools, techniques, and models to support local and regional vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning. This includes continuous implementation of the Flood Protection Level of Service (FPLOS) Program, Water Supply Planning, and Ecosystem Restoration efforts.

​Sea Level Rise and Flood Resiliency Plan

The SFWMD Sea Level Rise and Flood Resiliency Plan compiles a list of priority projects and strategies to ensure water management infrastructure and water resources can effectively adapt to sea level rise and flooding, while increasing community, economic, and ecosystem resiliency in South Florida​.

SFWMD 2025 Annual Consolidated Report on Flood Resiliency

The South Florida Water Management District’s (SFWMD) 2025 Annual Consolidated Report provides the status of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and SFWMD’s Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Flood Resiliency Study. It includes a summary of findings in the SFWMD Sea Level Rise and Flood Resilience Plan, in accordance with Section 373.1501(10)(a), Florida Statutes.

Central and Southern Florida Flood Resiliency Study​

The SFWMD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are partnering to advance Central and Southern Florida Flood Resiliency Study under Section 216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 and Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. The study is conducted alongside other planning efforts and implementation of priority projects, including Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Resilient Florida Program

The Resilient Florida Program, led by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), is a key initiative designed to address the impacts of flooding and sea level rise across the state. With funding from this program, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is currently implementing a series of resilience projects.

What You Can Do

• Submit Flood Observations
• Keep the Canal Right of Ways Clear​
• Consider Green Infrastructure​
• Conserve Water Resources​
• Help to Improve the Water Quality in your Neighborhood​
• Monitor and Reduce your Carbon Footprint​​