Description: Water Management Districts in Florida are mandated by the Florida Statutes to ensure adequate supply of water and water resources for all citizens and natural features, provide protection and improvement of natural systems and water quality, and minimize harm to water resources. Water Management Districts have the regulatory authority for well construction, drilling, and abandonment decisions. For permitting and planning purposes Northwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has designated areas where water supply and quality are at a disadvantage compared to the current and future demand. In Water Resource Caution Areas special permitting rules apply for withdrawal of water from both ground and surface water resources for consumptive use permitting. These areas include coastal areas of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties and the upper Telogia Creek drainage basin in Gadsden County (Rule 40A-2.802 Florida Administrative Code). These are areas where fresh water resources are currently experiencing significant shortage of supply or will experience reduction in supply in the future due to natural or man-made causes, e.g. salt water intrusion, mineralization, upcoming of lower quality of water, contamination from human activity etc.(Section 40A-2.801 FAC). Special permitting rules apply for these areas details about which can be found in the RULES OF THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT CHAPTER 40A-2, FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE at http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/permits/rules/ch40a2.pdf