Southwest Florida Water Management District

The 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for the Southwest Florida Water Management District provides clear direction for managing water resources. Its mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and meet public water needs, guided by four core goals: Water Supply, Water Quality, Natural Systems, and Flood Protection. The plan details 12 Strategic Initiatives, 10 Core Business Processes (including Resiliency), and regional priorities to ensure long-term water sustainability and flood protection across its four planning regions.

The Governing Board Meeting agenda for February 24, 2026, primarily covered routine matters under the Consent Agenda. Key items included the approval of the 2026 Consolidated Annual Report, which details minimum flows and levels, capital improvements, and strategic plans. Consent items also involved the approval of a Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) project with Oak Ridge Fish Hatchery, Inc., to offset groundwater usage. Additionally, the Board was asked to approve amendments to utility easements with Tampa Electric Company concerning overhead and underground transmission lines along the Little Manatee River Corridor and Tampa Bypass Canal, respectively. Other general counsel items included approval of a Consent Order for permit violations, an Interagency Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation for mitigation, authorization to initiate litigation regarding the Edward Medard Reservoir Toe Drain Replacement Project, and delegation agreements for Well Construction Permitting with several counties. Rulemaking to amend the Florida Administrative Code to promote reclaimed water use was also on the agenda.

The Governing Board meeting agenda includes several key areas for discussion and action. The Consent Agenda covers items such as the Surface Water Improvement and Management Program Priority Water Body List, the sale of an easement to Tampa Electric Company, a Water Use Permit for the Polk County BOCC / Northeast Regional Utility Service Area, and the release of Conservation Easements related to Cooper Creek Phase 5. Discussions in the Finance/Outreach & Planning Committee will focus on the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2027. The Resource Management Committee agenda includes action items related to the Fiscal Year 2027 Cooperative Funding Process and the 2025 Regional Water Supply Plan. Other items include reports on hydrologic conditions and a discussion on affirming Governing Board Committee actions.

The Governing Board Meeting agenda included several key items. The Consent Agenda featured authorizations for equipment disposal, approval of a Governing Board Policy on Investments, a cooperative funding initiative policy deviation request for FY2027, and various actions related to conservation easements and water use permits across Polk, Manatee, and Hillsborough Counties. The agenda also covered authorization for an administrative complaint regarding environmental resource violations in Charlotte County. The meeting included a recognition of former Governing Board Member Rebecca Smith, discussions on budget transfers, the draft Sarasota Bay SWIM Plan, and the 2025 Central Florida Water Initiative Regional Water Supply Plan. Action items also involved considering water shortage orders and affirming prior Governing Board Committee actions.

The meeting agenda covers several key areas, including committee reports and discussions. The Consent Agenda includes the approval of the 2026 Consolidated Annual Report, various amendments to easements related to Tampa Electric Company for parcels in Hillsborough County, an easement agreement for a replacement well site in Pasco County, and multiple reports from the General Counsel concerning a Consent Order regarding permit violations, an Interagency Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation, authorization to initiate litigation for the Edward Medard Reservoir Toe Drain Replacement Project, approval of Well Construction Permitting Delegation Agreements with several counties, rulemaking to amend a Florida Administrative Code rule regarding reclaimed water, partial release of a Conservation Easement in Pasco County, and approval of a Settlement Agreement for the Gully Branch Upland Restoration Project. Discussions are also scheduled for cooperative funding initiatives and hydrologic conditions.