A Brief History

The "seeds" for the creation of the SFWMD were planted in the late 1940s � by hurricanes, flood and drought � which led to losses of human life and property. Today, the agency's responsibilities include regional flood control, water supply and water quality protection as well as ecosystem restoration.

The region's subtropical extremes � combined with efforts to safely populate this "new frontier" � led the U.S. Congress to adopt legislation creating the Central and Southern Florida Project (C&SF) in 1948.

In 1949, the Florida Legislature created the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District (C&SF FCD), the predecessor to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), to manage the huge project being designed and built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

In 1972, with the Florida Water Resources Act (Chapter 373), the state created five water management districts, with expanded responsibilities for regional water resource management and environmental protection. In 1976, voters approved a constitutional amendment giving the districts the authority to levy property taxes to help fund these activities.

All five of the state's water management districts' boundaries are determined by watersheds and other natural, hydrologic and geographic features.

Map and links to all Florida's WMDs

From the 1980s through the present, newer state legislation further defined and expanded the responsibilities of water management districts, and their relationships with state agencies like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Community Affairs and the Governor's office as well as the Florida Legislature.