CRUCIAL COMPONENTS OF
FLORIDA'S WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Over the years the State of Florida has developed a comprehensive,
equitable and eminently workable system for managing water. The
system's success can be traced directly to certain key elements.

These crucial components are:

1. The state is divided into regional water
management districts with district boundaries
that are non-political, being based on natural
hydrologic basins.

2. Each district is controlled by a governing board
of non-paid, lay citizens with the ability to hire
its own independent staff and to retain its own
consultants.

3. The governing boards are relatively large,
independent, collegial boards whose members
are appointed by the Governor in compliance
with statutorily mandated residency
requirements.

4. The districts are not state agencies, but rather
are special, multi-county taxing districts, each
with an independent funding source.

5. Any areas within a district may be designated by
the district governing board as subdistricts or
basins under control of basin boards appointed
by the Governor.


1.2.5