Author: Jim Lamar

CARRABELLE – Representatives from the Northwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the city of Carrabelle celebrated on Thursday the completion of a project designed to protect water quality in Carrabelle Beach and Apalachicola Bay.

Thanks to nearly $3.7 million in funding from the District and DEP, the city of Carrabelle connected 142 homes in the Lighthouse Estates neighborhood to central sewer services.

The neighborhood is located along U.S. Highway 98 across from the public access to Carrabelle Beach in Franklin County.

“Eliminating this many septic tanks located so closely to Apalachicola Bay is an accomplishment worth celebrating,” said Lyle Seigler, Executive Director of the Northwest Florida Water Management District. “It is important work, which is why Governor DeSantis, the legislature, and DEP supported this project every step of the way. We applaud the leaders in Carrabelle and Franklin County who helped steer this project to completion.”

The Lighthouse Estates project was completed in two phases. The first phase, totaling $851,000, was funded by the District. The second phase, totaling approximately $2.8 million, was funded by the Department of Environmental Protection and federal grants.

The Williford Spring Recreation Site has been re-opened following site improvements to the swimming area.

In addition to Williford Spring, visitors can visit the adjacent Pitt/Sylvan Spring Recreation Area, which is located approximately 1 mile south of Williford Spring and can be accessed from Highway 20. Visitors may also visit Blue Spring Recreation Area, which is located approximately 2.5 miles east of Pitt Spring and can be accessed from Blue Spring North Road off Highway 20.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District announces the anticipated availability of funding to help communities across northwest Florida plan for and implement springs restoration and alternative water supply projects.

Projects recommended for award will be subject to approval of state and District Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgets and approval by the District’s Governing Board and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Deadline for the submission of applications is February 23, 2024.

For more information, please visit the District’s ‘Funding Programs’ page.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District has completed its 2023 Water Supply Assessment. Recommendations regarding regional water supply planning will be presented at the next Governing Board meeting, held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 14, at District Headquarters (81 Water Management Drive; Havana, FL 32333).

The 2023 Water Supply Assessment can be found here.

Database-driven portions of this website are temporarily unavailable. This includes the ePermit database used during the application process for wells permits, water-use permits, environmental resource permits, agricultural surface water project permits, and authorization for minor forestry works. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Because of drought and wind conditions in the area, campfire burning is prohibited on all lands managed by the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

Any updates to this status will be posted on the main page of the District’s website. Visitors can also check the Florida Forest Service at https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Wildland-Fire/Current-Wildfire-Information for updated information across the state.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District Strategic Water Management Plan (SWMP) presents the agency’s strategic priorities consistent with statutory areas of responsibility and identifies goals, strategies, success indicators, funding sources, deliverables, and milestones for the next five-year planning horizon.

The SWMP is reviewed and updated annually as needed based on progress of implementation as well as direction from the Governing Board and input from the public.

The proposed Fiscal Year 2023-24 Strategic Water Management Plan will be presented to the Governing Board for consideration October 12, 2023.

To review the draft version of the 2023-24 Strategic Water Management Plan, please click here.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District District announces the availability of funding to help communities across northwest Florida plan for and implement distributed wastewater projects benefitting waterbodies that are currently not attaining water quality standards. Projects recommended for award are subject to approval by the District’s Governing Board and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information on the program, please click here.

The public is invited to comment on the draft version of the District’s 2023 Water Supply Assessment.

The WSA provides a regional evaluation of water supply sources and projections of future demands for the 16 counties of northwest Florida. A draft version of the plan was created following public and technical workshops earlier this year. Public comments will be accepted until Oct. 6. For more information, please visit the Water Supply Assessments page.

HAVANA – The Northwest Florida Water Management District is hosting its first Operation Outdoor Freedom Fishing Event the weekend of October 17-19 within the Econfina Creek Water Management Area.

Veterans with service-related disabilities are eligible to participate in the free event, which provides fishing opportunities at sites on District lands.

The District looks forward to hosting up to six veterans and their assistants. If you are a veteran and would like to participate in this event, you can apply for the drawing with the Florida Forest Service at Operation Outdoor Freedom.

This event depends on donations from our local community businesses and individual sponsors to provide the meals and supplies to these well deserving veterans.  Tax deductible donations can be made online at Operation Outdoor Freedom Donation – Friends of Florida State Forests by selecting OOF Donation Category: NWFWMD OOF.

The District has hosted Operation Outdoor Freedom Hunts annually since 2014.