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. The District focuses on its core missions of water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural resource protection through a variety of activities, including water quality and quantity monitoring, research and planning, regulatory activities and permitting, and land acquisition and management.