The Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close today, but the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) continues to play an important role in water management for our communities all year long. Did you know SFWMD meteorologists, water managers, engineers and control room staff monitor weather conditions and water levels 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? 

Using state-of-the-art technology, the SFWMD team determines the optimal operation of hundreds of water control structures located throughout the District’s 16-county region.  

As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, we are especially grateful for our talented team of employees, past and present, for their service to the citizens of South Florida. Did you know the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has employees working from Orlando to the Florida Keys to safeguard and restore South Florida's water resources and ecosystems, protect our communities from flooding, and meet the region's water needs?

Did you know the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) uses cutting-edge Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to monitor and protect water resources? This week, we’re celebrating GIS Day on Nov. 17, 2021 by focusing on the highly specialized GIS equipment we use to gather, analyze and map geographic data. GIS technology is a powerful tool used around the world to make informed decisions that impact the future. 

Many South Floridians know that our climate has two seasons: wet and dry. South Florida officially entered the dry season on October 17, 2021—four days later than the historical median date of October 13. Did you know that the 2021 wet season provided an average amount of rainfall in South Florida? 

What We Know About the 2021 Wet Season

We’re celebrating Bat Week (Oct. 24-31, 2021) this week by focusing on some of our wildlife conservation and survey efforts to better understand bat populations in South Florida. Did you know that Florida has 13 resident species of bats? Of these 13 resident species, eight species of bats call South Florida home. 

Did you know that the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has one of the nation's largest invasive plant management programs? SFWMD battles over 80 species of non-native, invasive plants including Brazilian pepper, and floating and submerged aquatic vegetation such as hydrilla and water hyacinth.  

Florida is known for its lush subtropical climate, desirable temperatures and seasonal rainfall – but at almost any point during the year, we can quickly go from deluge to drought. Did you know that native plants are naturally resilient and better equipped to withstand South Florida’s wet and dry seasons? Using native plants in your landscaping is one fundamental way to turn hobby gardening into habitat restoration. 

Managing water and keeping an eye on the weather go hand-in-hand in South Florida. This is because the Everglades and, more broadly, South Florida are rain-driven ecosystems -- nearly all of the surface water we manage comes from rainfall that falls within the District's boundaries. Did you know that meteorology helps guide some of our most important water management decisions? 

Everglades restoration and protection of our water resources are critical to our way of life in Florida. Did you know you can be a part of our important work and get a great looking license plate on your vehicle?

So far, in 2021...