The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five Florida water management districts responsible for managing groundwater and surface water resources in an 18-county region in northeast and east-central Florida. The District covers 12,283 square miles, or 23 percent of Florida. District offices are located in Palatka (headquarters), Jacksonville, Apopka and Palm Bay. Established in 1972 by Florida law as independent special districts, the districts were empowered by the electorate in 1976 to assess ad valorem taxes to fund the management of the state's water resources and related land resources to benefit people and the environment. The District's work focuses on its core missions — water supply, water quality, natural systems, and flood protection. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has general supervisory authority over the water management districts.