Public Invited to Help Develop Floodplain Information for Portions of Hernando and Pasco Counties

News Release

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Hernando and Pasco Counties' Squirrel Prairie and Pithlachascotee River Headwaters watersheds. Most of the currently available floodplain information is 10 to 30 years old and is outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.

Residents living in the Squirrel Prairie and Pithlachascotee River Headwaters watersheds are invited to attend an open house on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 anytime between 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. at the District's headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.

District and county representatives will present preliminary floodplain information, explain the basis behind the findings, and gather additional information that may be used to identify areas that are flood prone. After addressing public comments, floodplain information will be finalized and presented to the District's Governing Board for authorization to use the data for regulatory purposes.

The floodplain information will be used by the counties for land use and zoning decisions, to help manage development in and around floodplains and wetlands, to reduce flood risks, to preserve land and water resources, and for emergency planning. It will also provide valuable information to the public for decisions about purchasing and protecting property.

For more information or to find out which watershed you live in, please visit "WaterMatters.org/FloodRisk/":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/emergency/floodriskprojects/. You can also call the District at (352) 796-7211, ext. 4297.