One of five water management districts created by the Water Resources Act of 1972, the Northwest Florida Water Management District is charged with managing the water resources of the Florida panhandle. The District works to protect and manage the water resources in a sustainable manner that benefits both the people and natural resources across its 16-county region, pursuant to Chapter 373, Florida Statutes.

The District serves approximately 1.37 million residents and covers an 11,305 square mile area, including Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, Washington, and western Jefferson counties.