South Florida Water Management District

🇺🇸 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.

☀️ 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 SFWMD.gov/News for the latest information on navigation through SFWMD structures and waterways.

🌾💪 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.

🐝🐝🐝 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 SFWMD.gov/Landscaping for information on Florida-friendly landscaping.

🐍 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 👉 SFWMD.gov/News Register here 👉 FLPythonChallenge.org

🏅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

💣🧨 3…2…1 Fire in the hole. ✅ That sound is called progress at the EAA Reservoir Project! @USArmy @USACEHQ @JaxStrong @ASACivilWorks @GovRonDeSantis

💦 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!

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

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: SFWMD.link/3QW8J9O

.@SFWMD Lead Project Manager Stacey Payseno is now providing an update on the Alternative Water Supply Funding Program. Tune in here: SFWMD.link/3QW8J9O

.@SFWMD Executive Director Drew Bartlett is presenting the Executive Director’s Report at today’s Governing Board Meeting. Listen to his update and watch the meeting live here: SFWMD.link/3QW8J9O

Congratulations to all of the employee recognition recipients and thank you for your service!

The Governing Board is now recognizing @SFWMD’s 45-Year Service Award recipient. ⭐️ Dennis Morrissey, Stationary Diesel Engine Operator/Mechanic-Lead

The Governing Board is now recognizing @SFWMD’s 35-Year Service Award recipients. ⭐️ Dana Winston-Pate, Human Resources Manager ⭐️ Mark Wilsnack, Section Leader – Hydraulic Design

Today’s Governing Board meeting is kicking off with employee recognitions: ⭐️ May 2026 Employee of the Month: Joshua Feltner, Senior Environmental Professional, Real Estate Bureau ⭐️ May 2026 Team of the Month: Future Flood Control Study Delivery Team

The May Governing Board Meeting has started. Tune in here: SFWMD.link/3QW8J9O

Starting soon: The @SFWMD May Governing Board Meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. 📺 Watch here: SFWMD.link/3QW8J9O 📝 Agenda & information here: SFWMD.gov/Meetings

Join us in-person or tune in online today starting at 9:00 a.m. for the May Governing Board Meeting. Visit SFWMD.link/49v5D2K to watch the meeting live.

👀 Wood you look at that! 🐦 Did you know the Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America? 🌳 This year-round Florida resident flourishes in pine flatwoods, sandhills, hammocks, mixed woods, cypress and hardwood swamps, and in urban and suburban habitats. 🎥 Watch as this persistent woodpecker searches for ants to eat in a cypress tree.