Works of the District

Works of the District Rivers

Chapter 373 Florida Statutes (FS) gives the Suwannee River Water Management District (District) the authority to establish and enforce guidelines for construction within floodways and floodplains.

As established in 40B-4.3000, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), there are five works of the District rivers:

  • Alapaha
  • Aucilla
  • Santa Fe
  • Suwannee
  • Withlacoochee

Permitting Timeline

How to Apply

Pre-Application Meeting

Scheduling a pre-application meeting (“pre-app”) with the District staff is highly recommended. Pre-apps are free and can be performed at any time during the project design process. Pre-apps save time and often result in a quicker permit processing time. Project specifics, requirements and timelines can be discussed during this meeting. Staff will answer questions, offer suggestions, and propose alternatives to potential applicants. To schedule a pre-application meeting request, please download and fill out this form /DocumentCenter/View/18655/Pre-App-Form and email it to resourcemanagement@srwmd.org.

The best part is that it's FREE and SAVES TIME with the permitting process!

Submitting a WOD Permit

The E-permitting system has the Works of the District application. As with an environmental resource permit, all information documents and fees may be submitted using the E-permitting system.

A hard copy of the WOD application can be found here: /DocumentCenter/View/18101

Works of the District Permits

Click here and use the search button at the top of the page to check permit application status using the interactive map, application number, or owner name.

Works of the District (WOD) permitted activities may include, but are not limited to the following within the floodway:

Other activities including digging or filling, land clearing, land development, subdividing land, or removing vegetation within the floodway may also require a WOD permit. If the activity is not single-family or if the activity impacts wetlands, an ERP is also required in addition to the WOD permit. More information about wetlands can be found here: https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/DocumentCenter/View/18429/Wetlands.

To determine if your property of interest is in the floodway, please visit our District Flood Reporting website.

To view the complete list of rules regarding WODs, please visit 40B-4.

Please be advised that if your project is located along, adjacent to, or within a sovereign submerged land, as defined in Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) Chapter 18-21, Florida Administrative Code, a Sovereign Submerged Lands (SSL) authorization may be required. Most small or minor activities requiring a SSL authorization are handled and issued by the District. If you have questions about this permit, please call District staff at 386-362-1001, or contact FDEP.

  • Exemptions
    • Activities that qualify for this authorization meet the specific criteria set forth in rule 40B-4.1070, F.A.C. These activities cannot have wetland impacts and some may commence without written authorization from the District. If an applicant requests written verification of whether a project qualifies for an exemption, District staff can provide an exemption letter for a $100 permit fee.
  • WOD Noticed General
    • Activities that qualify for a noticed general authorization are usually small, cause minimal obstruction to the flow of the river, and meet the specific criteria set forth in subsection 40B-4.3010, F.A.C.
  • WOD General
    • Activities that qualify for a general authorization exceed the thresholds for a noticed general permit and meet the specific criteria set forth in subsection 40B-4.3010, F.A.C. 

Conditions of issuance for WOD permits can be found in subsection 40B-4.3030, F.A.C.

View Applications from the Last 30 Days

Interested in seeing applications received within the last 30 days? All applications can be found by performing a search in E-permitting. To view applications received within the last 30 days, visit the E-Permitting website and select the search tab.