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The St. Johns River Water Management District ("SJRWMD") is one of five Florida
Florida

Florida is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the northeast....
 water management
Water management

Water management is the practices of planning, developing, distribution and optimum utilizing of water resources under defined water polices and regulations....
 districts that is responsible for managing groundwater
Groundwater

Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil porosity spaces and in the fractures of lithologic formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water....
 and surface water
Surface water

Water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean is called surface water, as opposed to groundwater or atmospheric water....
 resources in Florida. SJRWMD covers an 18-county region in northeast and east-central Florida and employs approximately 700 people at offices in Palatka, Jacksonville, Altamonte Springs and Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida

Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,116 on 1 July 2007; it is the most populous city in the county....
. The district's headquarters is located in Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida

Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S....
.

five water management districts were established in 1972 by Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, as independent special districts and were empowered by the electorate in 1976 to assess ad valorem tax
Ad valorem tax

An ad valorem tax is a tax based on the value of real estate or personal property.An ad valorem tax is typically imposed at the time of a transaction , but it may be imposed on an annual basis or in connection with another significant event ....
es to fund the management of the state’s water resources, and related land resources, to benefit the citizens and the environment.






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The St. Johns River Water Management District ("SJRWMD") is one of five Florida
Florida

Florida is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the northeast....
 water management
Water management

Water management is the practices of planning, developing, distribution and optimum utilizing of water resources under defined water polices and regulations....
 districts that is responsible for managing groundwater
Groundwater

Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil porosity spaces and in the fractures of lithologic formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water....
 and surface water
Surface water

Water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean is called surface water, as opposed to groundwater or atmospheric water....
 resources in Florida. SJRWMD covers an 18-county region in northeast and east-central Florida and employs approximately 700 people at offices in Palatka, Jacksonville, Altamonte Springs and Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida

Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,116 on 1 July 2007; it is the most populous city in the county....
. The district's headquarters is located in Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida

Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S....
.

History

The five water management districts were established in 1972 by Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, as independent special districts and were empowered by the electorate in 1976 to assess ad valorem tax
Ad valorem tax

An ad valorem tax is a tax based on the value of real estate or personal property.An ad valorem tax is typically imposed at the time of a transaction , but it may be imposed on an annual basis or in connection with another significant event ....
es to fund the management of the state’s water resources, and related land resources, to benefit the citizens and the environment. Each water management district is administered by a Governing Board composed of citizens appointed by the Governor and approved by the Florida Senate
Florida Senate

The Florida Senate is part of the Florida Legislature of government for the state of Florida. There are 40 members in the senate. Generally, Senators in odd-numbered districts are elected in years divisible by four , and Senators in even-numbered districts are elected alongside elections for Florida's statewide offices....
. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Department of Environmental Protection

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the Florida government Government agency charged with Environmental protection....
 has general supervisory authority over the water management districts.

Function

SJRWMD’s hydrological activities include:
  1. regulating the consumptive use of surface water and groundwater,
  2. regulating the construction and maintenance of stormwater
    Stormwater

    Stormwater is a term used to describe water that originates during precipitation events. It may also be used to apply to water that originates with snowmelt or runoff water from overwatering that enters the stormwater system....
     management systems that serve developed properties in order to protect water quality
    Water quality

    Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance can be assessed....
     and prevent flooding,
  3. regulating the construction of water wells and the licensure of water well contractors,
  4. conducting water supply planning,
  5. conducting research on water resource issues,
  6. buying and managing land for water management purposes, and
  7. operation of flood control
    Flood control

    In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished processing....
     structures for federal projects.


Scope

The counties which are entirely within the SJRWMD are: Brevard
Brevard County, Florida

Brevard County is a County#United States located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population is 534,359....
, Clay
Clay County, Florida

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 140,814. The United States Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 178,899 ....
, Duval
Duval County, Florida

Duval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 778,879. The United States Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 849,159 ....
, Flagler
Flagler County, Florida

Flagler County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 49,832. The United States Census Bureau 2009 estimate for the county is 95,500, its 66.7% growth since the 2000 Census making it the fastest-growing county in the United States by percentage of 2000 population....
, Indian River
Indian River County, Florida

Indian River County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 112,947. The United States Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 128,594 ....
, Lake
Lake County, Florida

Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. With a Census-estimated population of 290,435 in 2006, it is the 23rd fastest-growing county in the United States....
, Marion
Marion County, Florida

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The United States Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 316,183. Its county seat is Ocala, Florida....
, Nassau
Nassau County, Florida

Nassau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 57,663. The United States Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 64,747 ....
, Okeechobee
Okeechobee County, Florida

Okeechobee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 35,910. According to 2005 U.S. Census estimates, its population had grown to 39,836.....
, Orange
Orange County, Florida

Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 1,066,113....
, Osceola
Osceola County, Florida

Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The United States Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045 , making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States....
, St. Johns
St. Johns County, Florida

St. Johns County is located in northeastern Florida. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 123,135. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population as of 2005 at 161,521....
, Seminole
Seminole County, Florida

Seminole County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and part of the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the central part of Florida between Orlando, Florida to the south and DeLand, Florida/Daytona Beach, Florida to the north....
 and Volusia
Volusia County, Florida

Volusia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The United States Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 496,575 . Although Daytona Beach, Florida is Volusia County's best-known city, its county seat is DeLand, Florida, and its most populous city is currently Deltona, Florida....
. Partial counties include: Alachua
Alachua County, Florida

Alachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The United States Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida, Florida....
, Baker
Baker County, Florida

Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,259. The United States Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 25,203 ....
, Bradford
Bradford County, Florida

Bradford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,088. The 2005 United States Census Bureau estimate for the county was 28,118 ....
 and Putnam
Putnam County, Florida

Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 70,423. The United States Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 73,568 ....
.

The major river of the district is (obviously), the St. Johns River
St. Johns River

The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida, stretching 310 miles from Indian River County, Florida to the Atlantic Ocean in Jacksonville, Florida in Duval County, Florida....
. The two major tributaries are Econlockhatchee River
Econlockhatchee River

The Econlockhatchee River means winding river of turtles and is a north-flowing blackwater river of the St. Johns River that flows through Orange County, Florida, Seminole County, Florida, and Osceola County, Florida counties....
s and the Ocklawaha River
Ocklawaha River

The 110 mile long Ocklawaha River flows north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek language for "muddy"....
. Minor tributaries include the Wekiva River
Wekiva River

The Wekiva River is a 30 mile river starting in two separate fresh water Spring in Central Florida and ending in the St. Johns River. One springs is at Kelly Park otherwise known as Rock Springs Run State Reserve and the other is Wekiwa Springs State Park....
, Doctors Lake
Doctors Lake

Doctors Lake is a body of water located off the St. Johns River in Clay County, Florida. Despite its name, it is not a true lake, as it is actually an inlet, openly connected to the St....
, Black Creek
Black Creek

Black Creek may refer to:...
, Trout River
Trout River

Trout River may refer to:* Trout River, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Trout River , a tributary of the St. Johns River* Trout River , a tributary of the Upper Iowa River...
 and a dozen other smaller bodies.

Issues

Potable water has been a problem in the western US since the mid-1950s, but was not an obvious issue in Florida, where lakes, springs and rivers seem to be everywhere. When the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. The first park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1971. The park saw an estimated 17 million visitors in 2007, making it the most visited theme park in the world....
 opened in 1971 near Orlando
Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a major city in Central Florida, United States and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Florida. It is also the principal city of Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, the floodgates of development opened wide. Growth in central Florida has created demand for water that may soon exceed the available supply of groundwater. The St. Johns River Water Management District must ensure that there is water for all citizens, but also must protect water supplies. The FDEP is working with the district to reach the best outcome.

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