Water District (SWFWMD) online public workshop, Ranking Water Bodies: August 26, 5:30 pm

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (district) is holding an online public workshop, Ranking Water Bodies, to seek public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) will be determined for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers within the district. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise this schedule each year.

The meeting will be held on August 26, 5:30-6:30 pm at https://bit.ly/39knER3. Use of the Chrome browser is recommended for best compatibility with Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting by telephone only, dial 1-786-749-6127 and when prompted enter the conference ID: 765 147 391#.

The workshop will provide an important opportunity for local governments, residents and the public to be part of the scheduling of minimum flows and levels for priority water bodies. A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources or environment. The district’s Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the balance between meeting water needs and sustaining Florida’s natural systems.

The adopted minimum flows and levels priority list and schedule for 2019 is available here: https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/sites/default/files/medias/documents/2019%20MFLs%20Priority%20LIst%20and%20Schedule%20from%20the%202020%20Consolidated%20Annual%20Report.pdf.

The draft 2020 list will be published on the site following the Governing Board’s August meeting. The revised schedule will be considered for approval at the Board’s meeting in October.

For additional information, please contact Doug Leeper at 1-800-423-1476, extension 4272.

Written comments on the draft priority list and schedule may be submitted, no later than Sept. 23, to:
Doug Leeper, MFLs Program Lead. Email: doug.leeper@watermatters.org. U.S. Postal Service: 2379 Broad St.; Brooksville, Florida 34604