Florida water management history

District Governing Board members meeting
Indian River Lagoon National Estuary signing celebration
River Accord event on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville
Lake Apopka restoration dirt-turning ceremony
A large storage tank at a water supply plant
Staff looking at samples from the St. Johns River

Perspectives on the history of the St. Johns River Water Management District

Water management in Florida has a long history that has shaped and molded the Florida we know today. These pages give a glimpse into events in the state’s history that have helped form water management policy. Particular emphasis is given to the history of the St. Johns River Water Management District. This history is captured from many sources — journal notations made by explorers, state archives, official records of the district, and newspaper articles. When exact dates are known, they are listed; however, this history is not intended to be a complete listing of all events. Rather it is an overview of Florida’s water history.