Additional resources
Download Highlights of 2007 Accomplishments and 2008 Goals. A summary of accomplishments and goals carrying out our mission while meeting expanding statutory responsibilities in Florida Statutes.
Download Organization Chart (1 page; 52KB)
The District’s mission is maintaining the balance between the water needs of current and future users as well as protecting and maintaining natural systems.
Agency head
The Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District is the agency head. As set forth in Section 373.073, F.S., the Board members are appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, and serve staggered four-year terms. The Board meets on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of every month, unless otherwise announced. Its duties include directing a wide range of programs, initiatives, and actions, to carry out the District’s duties and responsibilities under Chapter 373, F.S. and several delegated portions of Chapter 403, F.S.
These programs include, but are not limited to, structural and non-structural flood control, regulatory programs, water conservation, water resource and supply development, associated data collection and analysis efforts, land acquisition, and education. The Governing Board employs an Executive Director who is charged with overseeing the day-to-day activities of the District.
District organization
The District functions through the following units. Each of these units carries out the District’s duties and responsibilities under Chapter 373, F.S. and the delegated portions of Chapter 403, F.S.
Basin Boards
The Governing Board has designated eight Basin Boards within the District as described in Section 40D-1.107, Florida Administrative Code. Basin Board members are appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, and serve staggered three-year terms. Basin Boards are responsible for identifying water resource concerns and problems within their respective areas and adopting budgets to address and fund the resolution of such concerns
Office of Executive Director
This office contains the Executive Office, Office of Inspector General, Office of General Counsel, Boards and Executive Services Department, Community and Legislative Affairs Department, Communications Department, and Ombudsman. The Office of Executive Director is responsible for monitoring legislation related to District areas of concern and is responsible for the overall management of the District and implementation of District policy, rules, plans, studies, and programs. This office also offers legal support to all departments, information services to the public, and communication with local governments and other governmental agencies. Additionally, this office coordinates planning efforts with local governments to integrate the water management district's activities with growth management activities. The District ombudsman is responsible for assisting the public in its dealings with the District.
Division of Resource Regulation
This unit contains the Brooksville, Tampa, Bartow, and Sarasota Regulation Departments, and the Regulation Performance Management Department. The six regulation departments process surface water, water use, and well construction permit applications as well as permitting compliance issues. The regulation departments’ duties include reviewing permit applications, monitoring permitted activities, enforcing District rules and permit conditions, and maintaining regulatory records for the District. The Records and Data Department provides administrative support for the permit application processing and record-keeping functions for regulatory, tracks permit conditions, coordinates and initiates compliance activities with other departments, provides regulatory support and manages the Water Shortage Coordination and Year-round Water Conservation Measures unit, issues well construction permits, maintains records of well construction permits and licensed well drillers, administers the licensing exam for well contractors and offers well contractor point-reduction workshops and well construction biannual seminars. The Technical Services Department provides technical and scientific expertise and training related to environmental, hydrogeologic, engineering, well construction, compliance matters and rulemaking. It also provides the official District interpretation of existing rules for any technical discrepancies.
Division of Resource Management
This unit contains the Land Resources Department, Resource Projects Department, Resource Data and Restoration Department, and Operations Department. This unit is responsible for acquisition and management of District lands and surveying services. This unit also collects and stores water and climatic data, monitors surface-water and groundwater quality, manages the program which monitors aquifer levels and the saltwater/freshwater interface, manages the program that assists property owners with plugging abandoned artesian wells, maintains the Geographic Information System and Aerial mapping program, provides environmental planning and assessment through engineering, hydrologic, and hydraulic research and analyses and investigations, provides water resource and environmental restoration projects, and supervises construction projects that focus on flooding, water quality, and natural systems protection, provides repair to water control and flood control structures and salinity barriers, and provides aquatic and exotic plant control. This unit administers the District’s implementation of the Surface Water Improvement and Management Program. This unit manages the Cooperative Funding Program and the New Water Source Initiative (NWSI) which are programs funded by the District and cooperators. The funds are used for projects which develop sustainable supplies of water.
Division of Management Services
This unit contains the Finance Department, General Services Department, Human Resources and Risk Management Department and the Information Resources Department. This unit is responsible for providing administrative support for the District in the area of finance and accounting, and contract administration, maintaining the District’s technical library, inventory center, records, and Districtwide facilities and vehicles, supporting District staff with visual, audio, and graphic services, administering the benefits program for District staff, assuring that human resource policy and procedures are in compliance with federal/state laws, assisting with preparation of classifications/descriptions of District staff positions, recruiting new staff, training of staff, maintaining employee relations, maintaining the District’s computer hardware, software, and telecommunications infrastructure, handling the District’s insurance and risk management and safety needs, including loss prevention and loss control.
Information
Permit and license applications
Permit applications and license applications may be obtained from the District’s Brooksville headquarters or any of the four District service offices. District Headquarters in Brooksville processes permit applications for activities in Hernando, Pasco, Citrus, Lake, Levy, Marion, and Sumter counties. The Bartow Service Office processes permit applications for activities in Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties. The Tampa Service Office processes permit applications for activities in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The Sarasota Service Office processes permit applications for activities in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. The Lecanto Service Office does not process permit applications, but does provide information and liaison to the public. Service offices publish notice or receipt of permit applications as required by Rule 40D-1.603, Florida Administrative Code. A service office may elect to post notice of receipt of general permit applications electronically. When such notices are published electronically, the service office will make a computer terminal available to the public at the service office for review of such notices.
District office information
District Headquarters
Southwest Florida Water Management District
2379 Broad Street
Brooksville, FL 34604-6899
(352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only)
TDD 800-231-6301
Southwest Florida Water Management District
Bartow Service Office
170 Century Boulevard
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 534-1448 or 1-800-492-7862 (FL only)
Southwest Florida Water Management District
Lecanto Service Office
3600 W. Sovereign Path - Suite 226
Lecanto, FL 34461-8070
(352) 527-8131
Southwest Florida Water Management District
Tampa Service Office
7601 US Highway 301 North
Tampa, FL 33637
(813) 985-7481 or 1-800-836-0797 (FL only)
Southwest Florida Water Management District
Sarasota Service Office
6750 Fruitville Road,
Sarasota, Fl 34240-9711
(941) 377-3722 or 1-800-320-3503 (FL only)
Public information and inspection of records
(1) All public records, as defined by Section 119.011(1), F.S., maintained by the District, and not otherwise exempt by law, may be copied or inspected at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions. Any member of the public wishing to inspect and copy District public records may contact any District employee who may have custody of the records. Upon receipt of a public records request, the District employee receiving the request will contact their Department Records Coordinator. The coordinator will determine the location and supervise the compilation of the records. Inspection and copying of District public records must be done at the office (Brooksville Headquarters, Tampa Service Office, Bartow Service Office, Sarasota Service Office, or Lecanto Service Office) where the records are located. All records will be provided in the form of media in which they are maintained (e.g. paper form, computer files, video tapes, audio tapes) and duplication of the records will be in the same media.
(2) Any person requesting to copy public records may bring their own means of duplication (e.g., computer disks and photocopier) to the District to duplicate the records. Otherwise, charges for duplication of District public records is prescribed by District Procedure 13-2. A copy of this policy may be obtained by calling (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only), extension 4053. Fees may be paid in cash, money order, cashier’s check or personal check. All fees must be paid in advance before the requested copies will be released to the requester.
(3) As prescribed by Section 119.07(1)(b), when the nature or volume of records requires extensive clerical or supervisory assistance by District personnel, or extensive use of information technology resources, the District may charge, in addition to the actual cost of duplication, a reasonable charge based on the cost incurred by the District in providing the service.
To inquire further about requesting public records, email the District’s Document Services Section or call (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only), extension 4053.
Agency Clerk
The Agency Clerk for the District is the Executive Director, David Moore, Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Agency Clerk’s duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Dating and filing all orders entered by the Board or the Executive Director;
2. Forwarding copies of all orders rendered after a proceeding affecting a substantial interest to the District’s official reporter which is located at the Brooksville headquarters;
3. Acting as the "Clerk of the Lower Tribunal" for purposes of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure;
4. Receiving and filing the original of any pleading (filing of legal documents) received by the District;
5. Transmitting all necessary files to the Division of Administrative Hearings upon transfer of a matter to the Division;
6. Appointing such deputy clerks as are necessary to perform any of the duties of the Agency Clerk; and
7. Performing such other duties as may be authorized by District Governing Board or District rules.
The Executive Director has appointed a number of Deputy Clerks to whom he has delegated many of the above duties.
Filing of legal documents
Any document required to be filed with the District may be filed by hand delivery, U.S. Mail (addressed to: Agency Clerk, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604), or by electronic transmission (facsimile) to the Agency Clerk at (352) 754-6874.
Documents filed with the Agency Clerk by electronic transmission (facsimile) are subject to the following requirements pursuant to Section 28-101.001, Florida Administrative Code:
1. A party who files a document by electronic transmission must represent that the original physically signed document will be retained by that party for the duration of the proceeding and of any subsequent appeal or subsequent proceeding in that cause, and that the party will produce it upon the request of other parties.
2. A party who elects to file a document by electronic transmission is responsible for any delay, disruption, or interruption of the electronic signals and accepts the full risk that the document may not be properly filed with the clerk as a result.
3. The filing date for an electronically transmitted document is the date the Agency Clerk receives the complete document.
Variances from or waiver of agency rules
Information concerning variances from or waivers of District rules may be obtained by calling (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only), extension 4498.
