▁districts , ▁with ▁expanded ▁respons ib ilities ▁for ▁regional ▁water ▁resource ▁management ▁and ▁environmental ▁protection . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁vot ers ▁approved ▁a ▁constitution al ▁am end ment ▁giving ▁the ▁districts ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁le vy ▁property ▁tax es ▁to ▁help ▁fund ▁these ▁activities . ▁All ▁five ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁water ▁management ▁districts ' ▁boundaries ▁are ▁determined ▁by ▁waters h eds ▁and ▁other ▁natural , ▁hydro logic ▁and ▁ge ographic ▁features . ▁ ▁Today , ▁the ▁South ▁Florida ▁Water ▁Management ▁District ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁and ▁largest ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁five ▁water ▁management ▁districts . ▁ ▁A ▁book ▁detail ing ▁the ▁first ▁forty ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Florida ▁Water ▁Management ▁District ▁titled ▁" In to ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Dec ade " ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Thomas ▁E . ▁H user . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁Com pre h ensive ▁Ever gl ades ▁Rest oration ▁Plan ▁began ▁to ▁und o ▁some ▁e cos ystem ▁damage ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁C & SF ▁Project . ▁ ▁Local ▁Sp ons or ▁The ▁SF W MD ▁is ▁the ▁designated ▁local ▁spons or ▁for ▁the ▁Central ▁and ▁Southern ▁Flo od ▁Control ▁Project ▁( C & SF ▁Project ) ▁— known ▁as ▁the ▁Flo od ▁Control ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 8 — p urs u ant ▁to ▁ ▁§ ▁ 3 7 3 . 1 0 3 ( 2 ), ▁Florida ▁Stat utes . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁The ▁regional ▁water ▁management ▁system ▁– ▁with ▁nearly