WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS
The Department of Environmental Protection is involved in managing the quality and quantity of water through its relationship with the state's five water management districts (WMD) Northwest Florida WMD, Suwannee River WMD, St. Johns River WMD, South Florida WMD and Southwest Florida WMD, and the adoption and implementation of The Florida Water Policy and The Florida Water Plan.
Northwest Florida WMD | Suwannee River WMD |
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St. Johns River WMD |
Southwest Florida WMD |
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South Florida WMD |
Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, gives the Department "general supervisory authority" over the districts and directs the Department to delegate water resources programs to them where possible.
Pursuant to these delegations, the districts are authorized to administer flood protection programs and to perform technical investigations into water resources. The districts are also authorized to develop water management plans for water shortages in times of drought and to acquire and manage lands for water management purposes under the Save Our Rivers program. Regulatory programs delegated to the districts include programs to manage the consumptive use of water, aquifer recharge, well construction and surface water management.
As part of their surface water management programs, the districts (except for Northwest) administer
the Department's stormwater management program. This law also increases the districts' contacts
with local governments by directing the districts to help with the development of the water elements
in local government comprehensive plans.
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