Integrated Water Resources Management-South Florida's Experience

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a process through which a new paradigm for management and governance of water resources can be implemented to ensure sustainability of natural resources. The State of Florida has been proactive in the implementation of IWRM principles, primarily through the creation of five Water Management Districts (WMDs) and other state agencies. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the largest WMD, is an agency of the State of Florida that has primary responsibility for management of water resources in a 16-county region that extends from just south of Orlando to Florida Bay. The agency's mission today is to manage and protect water resources of the region by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems, and water supply. This paper discusses how IWRM principles have been implemented for sustainability of water resources in South Florida while meeting the future needs of the agricultural, environmental and urban sectors. In particular, the emphasis on environmental restoration and protection, a key strategic objective in IWRM, is elaborated through the presentation of two large-scale water resources projects currently being implemented.