Many South Floridians know that our climate has two seasons: wet and dry. South Florida officially entered the dry season on October 17, 2021—four days later than the historical median date of October 13. Did you know that the 2021 wet season provided an average amount of rainfall in South Florida? 

What We Know About the 2021 Wet Season

We’re celebrating Bat Week (Oct. 24-31, 2021) this week by focusing on some of our wildlife conservation and survey efforts to better understand bat populations in South Florida. Did you know that Florida has 13 resident species of bats? Of these 13 resident species, eight species of bats call South Florida home. 

Did you know that the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has one of the nation's largest invasive plant management programs? SFWMD battles over 80 species of non-native, invasive plants including Brazilian pepper, and floating and submerged aquatic vegetation such as hydrilla and water hyacinth.  

Florida is known for its lush subtropical climate, desirable temperatures and seasonal rainfall – but at almost any point during the year, we can quickly go from deluge to drought. Did you know that native plants are naturally resilient and better equipped to withstand South Florida’s wet and dry seasons? Using native plants in your landscaping is one fundamental way to turn hobby gardening into habitat restoration. 

Managing water and keeping an eye on the weather go hand-in-hand in South Florida. This is because the Everglades and, more broadly, South Florida are rain-driven ecosystems -- nearly all of the surface water we manage comes from rainfall that falls within the District's boundaries. Did you know that meteorology helps guide some of our most important water management decisions? 

Everglades restoration and protection of our water resources are critical to our way of life in Florida. Did you know you can be a part of our important work and get a great looking license plate on your vehicle?

So far, in 2021... 

Did you know that the Big Cypress Basin (BCB) is one of the two legislatively-set basins within the South Florida Water Management District's 16-county region? The Big Cypress Basin includes a network of over 140 miles of canals and 35 water control structures, while providing flood protection in Collier County. 

Did you know that Gardner-Cobb Marsh is the largest District property near the Kissimmee Upper Chain of Lakes? The Gardner-Cobb Marsh consists of 11,000-acres of land nestled in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes watershed between Cypress Lake, Lake Hatchineha and Lake Kissimmee. Gentle slopes in elevation of mere inches results in a rolling landscape that produces a contrast in natural communities. Swamps, pine flatwoods and wet prairie are the dominant habitats found here, and in the fall and spring they burst with an array of wildflowers. 

The South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently celebrated the completion of the Kissimmee River restoration, one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in the world. While providing excellent navigation and flood control benefits, the previous channelization of the river left the ecosystem with major negative consequences for native birds and wildlife. The restoration effort restored more than 40 square miles of the river floodplain ecosystem, 44 miles of the historic river channel and 20,000 acres of wetlands.