South Florida Water Management District

SFWMD is a regional govt. agency working to advance Everglades restoration, ensure water supply & provide flood protection to millions. RTs ≠ endorsements

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🔥➡️✅ Prescribed burn success!

💚 This week, the @SFWMD worked with the @MyFWC as they conducted a prescribed burn on the northern end of Lake Okeechobee. This beneficial burn targeted cattail, willow and other vegetation.

🌿 Prescribed burns are an important land management tool in South Florida.

🌱 They ensure ecosystem health and reduce the threat of wildfire.

🐟 They help improve habitat for fish, waterfowl, wading birds, and other wildlife populations.

🌾 They aid in controlling certain invasive vegetation.

🔔 Want to know when a prescribed burn is happening? Sign up here for notifications: https://t.co/a51NAbXjuB

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

✅ Successful Partnerships = Improved Natural Resources

✂️ Today, the @SFWMD joined Ducks Unlimited to celebrate another massive accomplishment for our water resources and ecosystems.

🤝 Multiple partners including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Palm Beach County, and Martin County also joined the celebration for the completion of the Cypress Creek Restoration Project.

💧 This important project hydrologically reconnects the Cypress Creek natural area to the Loxahatchee River by restoring historic flow ways and improving over 2,900 acres of wetlands and uplands.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

⏰ On June 2, 1949, the State Legislature created the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, the predecessor agency to the @SFWMD to manage the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project. 

🎉 Which means that today is our 77th anniversary and we are marking over seven decades of public service!

💧 In 1949, there were approximately 2 million people in South Florida, today there are over 9 million people!

🏅 The District operates and maintains one of the largest flood control and water management systems in the world. Central and Southern Florida’s comprehensive network of canals, levees, pumps and other critical infrastructure is vital to protecting water supplies and providing flood control throughout the region. While this network is entirely in South Florida (spanning from Orlando to the Florida Keys), it has a total combined length comparable to the distance from Florida to California!

👏 Established to serve Floridians, the District has overseen major environmental and water resource protection efforts and advanced numerous projects since its inception, including major Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects like the EAA Reservoir and STA, the Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir and the St. Lucie (C-44) Reservoir and STA.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🤝 Improving local flood protection 🤝

✂️ Today, @SFWMD Executive Director Drew Bartlett joined the Indian Trail Improvement District in Palm Beach County to celebrate the completion of the J.W. Corbett Levee Project. This is a multi-agency infrastructure effort designed to improve water management, and reduce flooding in the Acreage in western Palm Beach County and enhance hydrological restoration levels in the J. W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area.

🚧 The significance of this project reaches back to 2012 when Hurricane Isaac brought heavy rainfall to western Palm Beach County. What began as an emergency response to a devastating storm has now become a lasting investment in flood protection and regional resilience.

💧 The project included raising, widening and strengthening approximately 3 miles of earthen levee, the replacement of two existing gated culvert structures, as well as clearing, grubbing, and riprap installation. The project also enhances water-level monitoring capabilities in both J.W. Corbett and the Indian Trail Improvement District’s M-0 Canal through the installation of new stilling wells.

✅ Flood control in South Florida is a shared responsibility between the District, county and city governments, local drainage districts, homeowners associations and residents.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🎶 Are you ready for it?

⛺️ Special Use Licenses for June 1-December 31, 2026 will go live on the @SFWMD's website on Monday, June 1.

🐎 Special Use Licenses can be obtained at no cost. A Special Use License allows the public to engage in various recreational activities including camping, equestrian camping, camping with a RV or Travel Trailer and more on South Florida Water Management District property.

👉 The District will issue Special Use Licenses on a first-come, first-served basis when the area and facilities can accommodate the requested use and such use is consistent with the protection of natural resources.

🔗 Visit https://t.co/Fq9nOfiJbx to get started!☀️

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

⛺✨ No GPS. No Wi-Fi. Just a quiet day in the Everglades.

📸 This candid snapshot taken in 1959 shows a couple preparing a meal at a campsite in the Everglades.

💚 It's the perfect Florida adventure!

#America250FL

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🌀 The annual Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1!

✅ Today, the @SFWMD conducted its annual hurricane preparedness exercise to ensure our team is ready for any storms this season may bring. Now is the time for Floridians to prepare before a major storm is on the radar.

🏘️ There are many precautions that residents can take to prepare for hurricane season.

✅ Review your emergency plan.
✅ Refresh your disaster supply kit
✅ Check how you will receive weather alerts
✅ Find out who is responsible for drainage in your community. Visit https://t.co/VWH225MyBU.

Taking small steps now can make a big difference later!

🔗 Visit https://t.co/owAEGGwiAq to learn more.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🎉 Today, the Big Cypress Basin Board including Chair Charlette Roman and @SFWMD Executive Director Drew Bartlett celebrated a ribbon cutting for new infrastructure that will improve regional water management in Collier County.

The project has multiple benefits:
✅ Assists with providing flood protection for the residents and businesses of Collier County
✅ Improves emergency response capabilities
✅ Enhances water management infrastructure operations

The infrastructure strengthens communications and improves the reliability and resiliency of the flood control system in the region.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🌱Windmaxxing, workmaxxing, plantmaxxing!

🤝Today, South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Drew Bartlett and Hendry County Commissioner Ramon Iglesias joined the effort to plant approximately 50,000 Bulrush and Kissimmee grass plants in Lake Okeechobee.

👏 These plantings will help jumpstart the growth of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Lake Okeechobee and are part of the District’s low Lake Okeechobee level plan.

💧 SAV provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife, stabilizes shorelines and helps remove nutrients from the water.

✅ More SAV = A healthier, more resilient lake ecosystem.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🇺🇸 On Memorial Day, we remember and honor the heroes who have served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms. We appreciate these courageous men and women, today and always.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

☀️ Sun's out, boat's out! 🚤

⚠️🛟 Before you cast off this holiday weekend, review these important safety reminders:

✅ Wear a life jacket.
✅ Pay attention to your surroundings.
✅ Closely follow posted signs.
✅ Report emergencies and accidents to @MyFWC at 888-404-FWCC (3922)
✅ Never boat under the influence.
✅ Watch the weather and check the forecast regularly.

🔗 Visit https://t.co/owAEGGvKKS for the latest information on navigation through SFWMD structures and waterways.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🌾💪 We’re not willow-ing to let this invasive plant spread!

✨ Carolina willow might be persistent, but so are we. Our District team is hard at work managing dense willow growth in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW).

🌿 Invasive plants are harmful to our ecosystems, resulting in loss of habitat, alteration of hydrology, changes in natural fire conditions and degradation of public use areas.

🐊🦆 CREW lands provide important nesting and feeding habitat for alligators, waterfowl, and many other native species.

💚 Managing excessive willow growth helps maintain a healthy balance within the ecosystem and protect critical habitat for Florida’s wildlife.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🐝🐝🐝 These little workers are simply un-bee-lievable.

💛 This #WorldBeeDay, we're celebrating the essential pollinators who help keep our ecosystems balanced.

🌻 Native plants rely on bees to help them produce offspring (seeds and fruit) needed for their species to thrive and grow.

🏡 Residents can help by diversifying their home’s landscape by planting an array of foliage and flowers that help to encourage pollination.

🔗 Visit https://t.co/pUvhH0ddM5 for information on Florida-friendly landscaping.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🐍 New Florida Python Challenge drops this summer!

Are you in your Everglades era? Interested in removing invasive species? The 2026 Florida Python Challenge might just be the quintessential event you need to be a part of this summer.

Today, @SFWMD Governing Board Member “Alligator Ron” Bergeron along with Executive Director Drew Bartlett joined @MyFWC and @EvergladesNPS to announce the dates of the 2026 Florida Python Challenge!

The annual competition and conservation effort will take place July 10-19 and will allow both professional and novice participants to join in the effort to remove as many pythons as possible from across the Everglades ecosystem.

Good luck to all of the competitors! 🐍 🐍 🐍

Read more 👉 https://t.co/owAEGGvKKS
Register here 👉 https://t.co/vfGgvMVuSI

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

🏅Epic American greatness in action!

✅ 2,700 drilled holes
✅ 140,000 pounds of explosive material
✅ Moving nearly 270,000 cubic yards of earth
✅ Enough material to fill more than 80 Olympic-size swimming pools

🧨💣 As part of the ongoing construction at the critical EAA Reservoir Project, one of the largest controlled construction detonations ever conducted took place to advance this project.

💧 The EAA Reservoir Project, located south of Lake Okeechobee, will store over 78 billion gallons of water-larger than Manhattan-and deliver up to 470 billion gallons of clean water annually to the Everglades and Florida Bay. This project is designed to send more clean water south, restore ecosystems, and significantly reduce harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.

🗓 Construction completion of this project is targeted for the end of 2029.

@USArmy @USACEHQ @JaxStrong @ASACivilWorks @GovRonDeSantis

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

💣🧨 3…2…1 Fire in the hole.

✅ That sound is called progress at the EAA Reservoir Project!

@USArmy @USACEHQ @JaxStrong @ASACivilWorks @GovRonDeSantis

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

💦 During today's @SFWMD May Governing Board Meeting, Governing Board members continued their longstanding tradition of showcasing a ceremonial purple jacket to highlight the agency's ongoing efforts to encourage water reuse and recognize #WaterReuseWeek.

💜 The jacket is worn by one Governing Board member each year to represent the purple pipes that carry reclaimed water.

👏 This year, Governing Board Member Charlie Martinez passed the purple jacket to Governing Board Member Ben Butler. Congratulations Mr. Butler!

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

Today’s Governing Board Meeting has adjourned. Thank you for joining us.

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

Watch @SFWMD Chief District Engineer and Assistant Executive Director John Mitnik and @SFWMD Applied Sciences Bureau Chief Cassondra Armstrong provide a presentation on current water conditions and ecological conditions at today’s Governing Board Meeting. Watch here: https://t.co/PfpJgJzTdv

[South Florida Water Management District @SFWMD]

.@SFWMD Lead Project Manager Stacey Payseno is now providing an update on the Alternative Water Supply Funding Program. Tune in here: https://t.co/x27QexE5HV