CAPE CORAL, Fla. - In order to protect groundwater in the Mid-Hawthorn Aquifer, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) declared a water shortage and issued mandatory irrigation restrictions today for a portion of Cape Coral and unincorporated Lee County. Landscape irrigation is limited to one day a week in the designated area for irrigation water supplied by private wells.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) today issued a Water Shortage Warning for Collier and Lee counties amid continuing dry conditions and increasing water supply concerns on the Southwest Coast.
Read the Declaration of Water Shortage Warning SFWMD 2023-062.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is encouraging our partners, stakeholders and the public to provide comments on the SFWMD's Draft 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.
The plan serves as a blueprint for achieving balanced regional water resource management. The SFWMD updates the Strategic Plan annually to highlight its work to continue advancing Everglades restoration, protecting communities from flooding, meeting the region’s water needs, and engaging the public and stakeholders over the next five years.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez announced the winners of the 2023 Florida Python Challenge®. This year, Florida had 1,050 participants from 35 states and Belgium remove 209 Burmese pythons from South Florida during the 10-day competition created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and partners to increase awareness about invasive species and the threats they pose to Florida’s ecology. This year’s winner removed 20 Burmese pythons, taking home a $10,000 ultimate grand prize.
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The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is temporarily closing SFWMD-managed lands in Collier, Lee and Polk counties today, Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 12 p.m. (noon) in preparation of Hurricane Idalia. All other SFWMD-managed lands remain open for public access at this time. Closed lands are expected to re-open as conditions warrant after the storm passes the region. |
Join the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for upcoming public meetings and events in the next three weeks. For a list of all upcoming meetings, check out our Meeting Calendar. Meeting agendas are available at least seven days in advance.
Meeting format varies for each meeting, and some meetings may be in-person only, virtual only, or a hybrid of both formats.
Take note of upcoming SFWMD public meetings
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is encouraging our partners, stakeholders and the public to provide written comments on the draft versions of Chapters 1, 2, 3 and Appendix A for the Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan Update.
The plan will assess current and projected water needs in the Lower East Coast Water Supply Planning Area through 2045. The planning area includes Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties as well as most of Monroe County and the eastern portions of Hendry and Collier counties.
“All of us at the South Florida Water Management District are saddened by the passing of former Governing Board Chairman Joe Collins. He served four years on the governing board including two as chairman. He had a deep love for Florida’s precious natural resources in addition to being a staunch defender of our taxpayer dollars. We are honored to have known Joe, to have worked with him, and to have called him a friend. We look forward to continuing down the path he helped pave to improve Florida's waters.”
-SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Chauncey Goss
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Fla. - Today, the South Florida Water Management District and the National Park Service completed an environmental restoration project in Everglades National Park that will increase the flow of clean, freshwater through the park. The Taylor Slough Flow Improvement Project will move more water south through to Florida Bay, where it is needed to balance salinity levels and promote ecological health.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announces that registration for the 2023 Florida Python Challenge® is now open. Participants this year will have the chance to win a share of more than $30,000 in prizes while removing invasive Burmese pythons from the wild. Starting today, those interested in participating in the 2023 Florida Python Challenge® can complete the required online training to compete in the 10-day competition which runs August 4–13, 2023. The competition is open to both professional and novice participants.
