Water Resources for Florida Agriculture
The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) offers both regulatory and non-regulatory, incentive-based programs to help the agriculture community in their efforts to be good stewards of our regional water resources. The resources include rivers, lakes, springs, groundwater, estuaries and wetlands.
The District shares regulatory responsibilities with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and other state and local governments. The District also partners with many agencies, organizations and interest groups to provide financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers.
Agricultural Assistance Team
The District's "Ag Team" is available to help agricultural operations needing assistance with water use (WUPs) and environmental resource (ERPs) permits, compliance issues, best management practices, cost share and other matters. The Ag Team helps to simplify and streamline the permit process and helps ensure that growers are able to comply with total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) established by FDEP.
Ag Team Contact Information
Phone 386.362.1001 or 800.226.1066 (FL only) or use the
Contact Us form to reach a member of the Ag Team.
Cost-Share Programs
The District is committed to the protection of our water resources and ecology of North Florida.
The intent of the District's Agricultural cost-share programs is to offer funding assistance to agricultural producers, through an application and ranking process, to implement projects that increase irrigation efficiency and water conservation and assist with nutrient management technology.
The District has recently partnered with FDEP to assist producers with implementing the Suwannee River and the Santa Fe River BMAPs. New cost-share items include:
- Irrigation Retrofits and Advanced Irrigation Controllers – Suwannee BMAP
- Fertigation Systems – Suwannee BMAP
- Dairy Wastewater Improvements – Suwannee and Santa Fe BMAP
- Nursery Retrofits – Santa Fe BMAP
More information about agricultural cost-share in BMAP areas
Press Release (PDF, 43KB)
The following is a summary of anticipated results from previously approved cost-share funds:
| Fiscal Year 12/13 Anticipated Results Funded by the District & BMAP Cost-Share Funds: |
| Funds: |
$2,438,300 obligated |
| Total irrigation systems to retrofit: |
164 |
| Total water savings: |
~9.3 million gallons per day.* |
| Total nitrogen reduced: |
1,360,000 pounds.* |
| Fiscal Year 13/14 Anticipated Results Funded by the District & BMAP Cost-Share Funds: |
| Funds: |
$921,575 obligated |
| Total irrigation systems to retrofit: |
67 |
| Total water savings: |
~3.87 million gallons per day.* |
| Total nitrogen reduced: |
268,000 pounds.* |
| Fiscal Year 14/15 Anticipated Results Funded by the District & BMAP Cost-Share Funds: |
| Funds: |
$467,390 obligated |
| Total irrigation systems to retrofit: |
19 |
| Total water savings: |
~1.1 million gallons per day.* |
*based on estimations, as of January 15, 2015
For information about about cost-share programs within the District, please view our
cost-share page.
Permits
Water Use Permits (WUPs) are required for any agricultural water withdrawals or diversions. Visit our
Water Use Permit page for more information.
Persons may qualify for a General Water Use Permit by Rule if certain criteria are met such as: if the average daily use is less than 100,000 gallons per day, maximum daily capacity is less than 1,000,000 gallons per day, water is withdrawn from a single well less than 8 inches in diameter, and the water is not transported across water management district boundaries. (See
Chapter 40B-2.041, F.A.C. for all criteria.)
Environmental Resource Permits (ERPs) are required for poultry operations, culverts, construction of barns and sheds, and other
agriculture and forestry activities. Visit our
Environmental Resource Permit page for more information.
Best Management Practices
Best management practices (BMPs) are practical, cost-effective actions that agricultural producers can take to benefit water quality and water conservation while maintaining or even enhancing agricultural production. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) develops and adopts BMPs for different types of agricultural operations.
Basin Management Action Plans/BMAP Cost Share
Online resources from other water management districts: