The "Works of the District" include the canal and levee rights of way of the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project and related Water Conservation Areas along with the works of the Big Cypress Basin and other canal and rights of way in which the District has acquired a property interest. The District staff has the responsibility to protect the District's ability to utilize the "Works of the District" for the purposes for which they were acquired, while providing for other appropriate compatible public uses.
Today, the South Florida Water Management District "Works of the District" includes more than 2,000 miles of canals and levees, more than 60 pumping stations, and more than 2,200 water control structures.
In managing District lands, the Right of Way staff priorities include protecting the District's interests through permitting, compliance monitoring, and enforcement subject to the District's Right of Way Rule 40E-6. For more information select the Right of Way Link to the left.
RECREATION MANAGEMENT
An important part of Land Management is providing and encouraging public recreational activities on District lands, as long as they are compatible and consistent with the primary purposes for which the lands were acquired. Over the years the District has expanded public recreational use opportunities on land purchased with public dollars. Generally compatible nature-based activities associated with recreation on District lands include, but are not limited to hiking, birding, wildlife viewing, biking, boating, canoeing, hunting, fishing, equestrian use and camping.
The District's Public Recreational Access and Use Policy (adopted by the Governing Board in March of 2004) is a commitment to plan, manage, and promote public use of District lands.
Land uses available for recreational use that are managed by the District generally fall into four category types; rights-of-way, water resource management project lands (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Northern Everglades, Everglades program, and others), conservation lands (Save Our Rivers), and interim lands (future project lands). These land types are quite unique in the types of projects implemented, environmental character, and the District programs involved. For more information see the Recreation Link to the left.
MANAGEMENT OF DISTRICT ACQUIRED LANDS AND MITIGATION AREAS
The Florida Legislature authorizes the water management districts to acquire lands necessary for water management, water supply, and the conservation and protection of water resources. The Land Stewardship program is responsible for the planning and management of the South Florida Water Management District lands, including project lands, and conservation lands, the implementation and administration of mitigation banks and regional offsite mitigation areas, and recreation on District lands. The project lands component of the Land Stewardship Program is responsible for managing those properties acquired by the District for future Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and other restoration projects until the land is needed for construction. These lands will ultimately be used as stormwater treatment areas, surface water reservoirs, groundwater recharge areas, and/or buffer lands between the Everglades and other sensitive areas and urban development. These lands are specifically acquired or designated for environmental enhancement, restoration or preservation purposes, and generally, they are not proposed for recreational or other public uses except on a limited basis that is consistent with their future use. District conservation lands are acquired to protect and enhance water resources by buffering critical flow-ways from urban development and by maintaining large wetland areas for aquifer recharge and additional storage of surface water. Land Stewardship's primary focus on these lands is in restoring and maintaining their ecological function so that they are able to provide the benefits for which they were acquired. Major functions of the conservation lands component of the Land Stewardship Program include hydrologic/habitat restoration, exotic plant and animal control, prescribed burns, public use, environmental education, and mitigation. In accordance with the Florida Statutes Chapter 373.1395, lands acquired by the District shall be managed to "ensure a balance between public access, general public recreational purposes, and restoration and protection of their natural state and condition".For more information see the Land Stewardship Link to the left.
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
The Vegetation Management staff is responsible for managing nuisance and invasive exotic vegetation throughout the District. The District manages invasive exotic aquatic and terrestrial plants in canals and on levees of the C & SF Project, public lakes and rivers, the water conservation areas, stormwater treatment areas (STAs), interim lands (lands slated for either STAs, Everglades restoration projects or water preserve areas) and on public conservation lands. Vegetation management operations are conducted by staff located at the District's seven regional field stations, Big Cypress Basin and by Vegetation Management staff located in the main headquarters office in West Palm Beach. Most of the vegetation management is outsourced through the Vegetation Management Division and includes herbicide application contractors, mechanical removal contractors, and use of biological controls such as plant specific insects and herbivorous fish. The implementation of a vegetation management program is necessary to ensure the continued use and function of the region's water resources and preservation of South Florida's conservation lands.
Land Acquisition
Vegetation & Land Mgmt
