Fla. Stat. 373.073
Governing board

(1)(a)

The governing board of each water management district shall be composed of 9 members who shall reside within the district, except that the Southwest Florida Water Management District shall be composed of 13 members who shall reside within the district. Members of the governing boards shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate at the next regular session of the Legislature, and the refusal or failure of the Senate to confirm an appointment creates a vacancy in the office to which the appointment was made. The term of office for a governing board member is 4 years and commences on March 2 of the year in which the appointment is made and terminates on March 1 of the fourth calendar year of the term or may continue until a successor is appointed, but not more than 180 days. Terms of office of governing board members shall be staggered to help maintain consistency and continuity in the exercise of governing board duties and to minimize disruption in district operations.Commencing January 1, 2011, the Governor shall appoint the following number of governing board members in each year of the Governor’s 4-year term of office:
In the first year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint four members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and appoint three members to the governing board of each other district.
In the second year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.
In the third year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.
In the fourth year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.

For any governing board vacancy that occurs before the date scheduled for the office to be filled under this paragraph, the Governor shall appoint a person meeting residency requirements of subsection (2) for a term that will expire on the date scheduled for the term of that office to terminate under this subsection. In addition to the residency requirements for the governing boards as provided by subsection (2), the Governor shall consider appointing governing board members to represent an equitable cross-section of regional interests and technical expertise.

(1)(a)

The governing board of each water management district shall be composed of 9 members who shall reside within the district, except that the Southwest Florida Water Management District shall be composed of 13 members who shall reside within the district. Members of the governing boards shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate at the next regular session of the Legislature, and the refusal or failure of the Senate to confirm an appointment creates a vacancy in the office to which the appointment was made. The term of office for a governing board member is 4 years and commences on March 2 of the year in which the appointment is made and terminates on March 1 of the fourth calendar year of the term or may continue until a successor is appointed, but not more than 180 days. Terms of office of governing board members shall be staggered to help maintain consistency and continuity in the exercise of governing board duties and to minimize disruption in district operations.

(b)

Commencing January 1, 2011, the Governor shall appoint the following number of governing board members in each year of the Governor’s 4-year term of office:In the first year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint four members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and appoint three members to the governing board of each other district.In the second year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.In the third year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.In the fourth year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.

For any governing board vacancy that occurs before the date scheduled for the office to be filled under this paragraph, the Governor shall appoint a person meeting residency requirements of subsection (2) for a term that will expire on the date scheduled for the term of that office to terminate under this subsection. In addition to the residency requirements for the governing boards as provided by subsection (2), the Governor shall consider appointing governing board members to represent an equitable cross-section of regional interests and technical expertise.

1. In the first year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint four members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and appoint three members to the governing board of each other district.
2. In the second year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.
3. In the third year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.
4. In the fourth year of the Governor’s term of office, the Governor shall appoint three members to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and two members to the governing board of each other district.

(2)

Membership on governing boards shall be selected from candidates who have significant experience in one or more of the following areas, including, but not limited to: agriculture, the development industry, local government, government-owned or privately owned water utilities, law, civil engineering, environmental science, hydrology, accounting, or financial businesses. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general or special law to the contrary, vacancies in the governing boards of the water management districts shall be filled according to the following residency requirements, representing areas designated by the United States Water Resources Council in United States Geological Survey, River Basin and Hydrological Unit Map of Florida—1975, Map Series No. 72:Northwest Florida Water Management District:
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Perdido River Basin-Perdido Bay Coastal Area-Lower Conecuh River-Escambia River Basin” hydrologic units and that portion of the “Escambia Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic unit which lies west of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Blackwater River Basin-Yellow River Basin-Choctawhatchee Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic units and that portion of the “Escambia Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic unit which lies east of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Choctawhatchee River Basin-St. Andrews Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic units.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Lower Chattahoochee-Apalachicola River-Chipola River Basin-Coastal Area between Ochlockonee River Apalachicola Rivers-Apalachicola Bay coastal area and offshore islands” hydrologic units.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Ochlockonee River Basin-St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers and coastal area between Aucilla and Ochlockonee River Basin” hydrologic units.
Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.
Suwannee River Water Management District:
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Aucilla River Basin” hydrologic unit.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Coastal Area between Suwannee and Aucilla Rivers” hydrologic unit.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Withlacoochee River Basin-Alapaha River Basin-Suwannee River Basin above the Withlacoochee River” hydrologic units.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Suwannee River Basin below the Withlacoochee River excluding the Santa Fe River Basin” hydrologic unit.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Santa Fe Basin-Waccasassa River and coastal area between Withlacoochee and Suwannee River” hydrologic units.
Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.
St. Johns River Water Management District:
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Marys River Basin-Coastal area between St. Marys and St. Johns Rivers” hydrologic units.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Johns River Basin below Oklawaha River-Coastal area between the St. Johns River and Ponce de Leon Inlet” hydrologic units.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Oklawaha River Basin” hydrologic unit.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Johns River Basin above the Oklawaha River” hydrologic unit.
One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Coastal area between Ponce de Leon Inlet and Sebastian Inlet-Coastal area Sebastian Inlet to St. Lucie River” hydrologic units.
Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.
South Florida Water Management District:
Two members shall reside in Miami-Dade County.
One member shall reside in Broward County.
One member shall reside in Palm Beach County.
One member shall reside in Collier County, Lee County, Hendry County, or Charlotte County.
One member shall reside in Glades County, Okeechobee County, Highlands County, Polk County, Orange County, or Osceola County.
Two members, appointed at large, shall reside in an area consisting of St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties.
One member, appointed at large, shall reside in an area consisting of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, Osceola, Okeechobee, Polk, Highlands, and Orange Counties.
No county shall have more than three members on the governing board.
Southwest Florida Water Management District:
Two members shall reside in Hillsborough County.
One member shall reside in the area consisting of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.
Two members shall reside in Pinellas County.
One member shall reside in Manatee County.
Two members shall reside in Polk County.
One member shall reside in Pasco County.
One member shall be appointed at large from Levy, Citrus, Sumter, and Lake Counties.
One member shall be appointed at large from Hardee, DeSoto, and Highlands Counties.
One member shall be appointed at large from Marion and Hernando Counties.
One member shall be appointed at large from Sarasota and Charlotte Counties.

(a)

Northwest Florida Water Management District:One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Perdido River Basin-Perdido Bay Coastal Area-Lower Conecuh River-Escambia River Basin” hydrologic units and that portion of the “Escambia Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic unit which lies west of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Blackwater River Basin-Yellow River Basin-Choctawhatchee Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic units and that portion of the “Escambia Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic unit which lies east of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Choctawhatchee River Basin-St. Andrews Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic units.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Lower Chattahoochee-Apalachicola River-Chipola River Basin-Coastal Area between Ochlockonee River Apalachicola Rivers-Apalachicola Bay coastal area and offshore islands” hydrologic units.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Ochlockonee River Basin-St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers and coastal area between Aucilla and Ochlockonee River Basin” hydrologic units.Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.
1. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Perdido River Basin-Perdido Bay Coastal Area-Lower Conecuh River-Escambia River Basin” hydrologic units and that portion of the “Escambia Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic unit which lies west of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.
2. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Blackwater River Basin-Yellow River Basin-Choctawhatchee Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic units and that portion of the “Escambia Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic unit which lies east of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.
3. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Choctawhatchee River Basin-St. Andrews Bay Coastal Area” hydrologic units.
4. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Lower Chattahoochee-Apalachicola River-Chipola River Basin-Coastal Area between Ochlockonee River Apalachicola Rivers-Apalachicola Bay coastal area and offshore islands” hydrologic units.
5. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Ochlockonee River Basin-St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers and coastal area between Aucilla and Ochlockonee River Basin” hydrologic units.
6. Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.

(b)

Suwannee River Water Management District:One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Aucilla River Basin” hydrologic unit.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Coastal Area between Suwannee and Aucilla Rivers” hydrologic unit.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Withlacoochee River Basin-Alapaha River Basin-Suwannee River Basin above the Withlacoochee River” hydrologic units.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Suwannee River Basin below the Withlacoochee River excluding the Santa Fe River Basin” hydrologic unit.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Santa Fe Basin-Waccasassa River and coastal area between Withlacoochee and Suwannee River” hydrologic units.Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.
1. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Aucilla River Basin” hydrologic unit.
2. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Coastal Area between Suwannee and Aucilla Rivers” hydrologic unit.
3. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Withlacoochee River Basin-Alapaha River Basin-Suwannee River Basin above the Withlacoochee River” hydrologic units.
4. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Suwannee River Basin below the Withlacoochee River excluding the Santa Fe River Basin” hydrologic unit.
5. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Santa Fe Basin-Waccasassa River and coastal area between Withlacoochee and Suwannee River” hydrologic units.
6. Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.

(c)

St. Johns River Water Management District:One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Marys River Basin-Coastal area between St. Marys and St. Johns Rivers” hydrologic units.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Johns River Basin below Oklawaha River-Coastal area between the St. Johns River and Ponce de Leon Inlet” hydrologic units.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Oklawaha River Basin” hydrologic unit.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Johns River Basin above the Oklawaha River” hydrologic unit.One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Coastal area between Ponce de Leon Inlet and Sebastian Inlet-Coastal area Sebastian Inlet to St. Lucie River” hydrologic units.Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.
1. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Marys River Basin-Coastal area between St. Marys and St. Johns Rivers” hydrologic units.
2. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Johns River Basin below Oklawaha River-Coastal area between the St. Johns River and Ponce de Leon Inlet” hydrologic units.
3. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Oklawaha River Basin” hydrologic unit.
4. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “St. Johns River Basin above the Oklawaha River” hydrologic unit.
5. One member shall reside in the area generally designated as the “Coastal area between Ponce de Leon Inlet and Sebastian Inlet-Coastal area Sebastian Inlet to St. Lucie River” hydrologic units.
6. Four members shall be appointed at large, except that no county shall have more than two members on the governing board.

(d)

South Florida Water Management District:Two members shall reside in Miami-Dade County.One member shall reside in Broward County.One member shall reside in Palm Beach County.One member shall reside in Collier County, Lee County, Hendry County, or Charlotte County.One member shall reside in Glades County, Okeechobee County, Highlands County, Polk County, Orange County, or Osceola County.Two members, appointed at large, shall reside in an area consisting of St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties.One member, appointed at large, shall reside in an area consisting of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, Osceola, Okeechobee, Polk, Highlands, and Orange Counties.No county shall have more than three members on the governing board.
1. Two members shall reside in Miami-Dade County.
2. One member shall reside in Broward County.
3. One member shall reside in Palm Beach County.
4. One member shall reside in Collier County, Lee County, Hendry County, or Charlotte County.
5. One member shall reside in Glades County, Okeechobee County, Highlands County, Polk County, Orange County, or Osceola County.
6. Two members, appointed at large, shall reside in an area consisting of St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties.
7. One member, appointed at large, shall reside in an area consisting of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, Osceola, Okeechobee, Polk, Highlands, and Orange Counties.
8. No county shall have more than three members on the governing board.

(e)

Southwest Florida Water Management District:Two members shall reside in Hillsborough County.One member shall reside in the area consisting of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.Two members shall reside in Pinellas County.One member shall reside in Manatee County.Two members shall reside in Polk County.One member shall reside in Pasco County.One member shall be appointed at large from Levy, Citrus, Sumter, and Lake Counties.One member shall be appointed at large from Hardee, DeSoto, and Highlands Counties.One member shall be appointed at large from Marion and Hernando Counties.One member shall be appointed at large from Sarasota and Charlotte Counties.
1. Two members shall reside in Hillsborough County.
2. One member shall reside in the area consisting of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.
3. Two members shall reside in Pinellas County.
4. One member shall reside in Manatee County.
5. Two members shall reside in Polk County.
6. One member shall reside in Pasco County.
7. One member shall be appointed at large from Levy, Citrus, Sumter, and Lake Counties.
8. One member shall be appointed at large from Hardee, DeSoto, and Highlands Counties.
9. One member shall be appointed at large from Marion and Hernando Counties.
10. One member shall be appointed at large from Sarasota and Charlotte Counties.

Source: Section 373.073 — Governing board, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0373.­073 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

373.012
Topographic mapping 373.013
Short title 373.016
Declaration of policy 373.019
Definitions 373.023
Scope and application 373.026
General powers and duties of the department 373.033
Saltwater barrier line 373.036
Florida water plan 373.037
Pilot program for alternative water supply development in restricted allocation areas 373.042
Minimum flows and minimum water levels 373.043
Adoption and enforcement of rules by the department 373.044
Rules 373.046
Interagency agreements 373.047
Cooperation between districts 373.056
State agencies, counties, drainage districts, municipalities, or governmental agencies or public corporations authorized to convey or receive land from water management districts 373.069
Creation of water management districts 373.073
Governing board 373.076
Vacancies in the governing board 373.079
Members of governing board 373.083
General powers and duties of the governing board 373.084
District works, operation by other governmental agencies 373.085
Use of works or land by other districts or private persons 373.086
Providing for district works 373.087
District works using aquifer for storage and supply 373.088
Application fees for certain real estate transactions 373.089
Sale or exchange of lands, or interests or rights in lands 373.093
Lease of lands or interest in land and personal property 373.096
Releases 373.099
Execution of instruments 373.103
Powers which may be vested in the governing board at the department’s discretion 373.106
Permit required for construction involving underground formation 373.107
Citation of rule 373.109
Permit application fees 373.113
Adoption of rules by the governing board 373.114
Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission 373.116
Procedure for water use and impoundment construction permit applications 373.117
Certification by professional engineer 373.118
General permits 373.119
Administrative enforcement procedures 373.123
Penalty 373.129
Maintenance of actions 373.136
Enforcement of regulations and orders 373.139
Acquisition of real property 373.145
Information program regarding hydrologic conditioning and consumption of major surface and groundwater sources 373.146
Publication of notices, process, and papers 373.149
Existing districts preserved 373.171
Rules 373.175
Declaration of water shortage 373.185
Local Florida-friendly landscaping ordinances 373.187
Water management district implementation of Florida-friendly landscaping 373.199
Florida Forever Water Management District Work Plan 373.200
Seminole Tribe Water Rights Compact 373.0363
Southern Water Use Caution Area Recovery Strategy 373.0397
Floridan and Biscayne aquifers 373.0421
Establishment and implementation of minimum flows and minimum water levels 373.0465
Central Florida Water Initiative 373.0466
Central Florida Water Initiative Grant Program 373.0691
Transfer of areas 373.0693
Basins 373.0695
Duties of basin boards 373.0697
Basin taxes 373.0698
Creation and operation of basin boards 373.1131
Consolidated action on permits 373.1135
Small business program 373.1175
Signing and sealing by professional geologists 373.1391
Management of real property 373.1395
Limitation on liability of water management district with respect to areas made available to the public for recreational purposes without charge 373.1401
Management of lands of water management districts 373.1501
South Florida Water Management District as local sponsor 373.1502
Regulation of comprehensive plan project components 373.1725
Notice of intent by publication

Current through Fall 2025

§ 373.073. Governing board's source at flsenate​.gov