The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Alston Tract at Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Oct. 30 through Nov. 1.

Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 11 permits for these hunts have been sold.

The Alston Tract is located at 42144 Deems Road in Zephyrhills.

This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage being caused to the natural habitats.

The District only allows hogs to be controlled through hunts when the damage they cause exceeds unacceptable levels, and damage is occurring more frequently and with increasing severity.

Feral hogs live throughout Florida in various habitats, but prefer moist forests and swamps, as well as pine flatwoods. They are omnivorous and feed by rooting with their broad snouts, which can cause extensive damage to the natural habitats. In fact, they can leave an area looking like a plowed field.

Feral hogs are not native to Florida and are believed to have been introduced by explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. They can weigh more than 300 pounds and travel in herds of several females and their offspring.

For more information, please call the District’s Land Management section at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4466.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.

To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit WaterMatters.org and click on the “Live Video Stream” link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.

The meeting agenda and meeting materials are posted one week before the meeting, and can be found online at WaterMatters.org by clicking on the “Boards, Meetings & Events Calendar” link.

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials will deactivate the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) from a Level 2 to a Level 3 at 6 p.m. today. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during and after an emergency weather event. District officials had raised the activation level of the EOC Oct. 8 as Hurricane Michael moved through the Gulf of Mexico.

Level 3 activation is a general state of monitoring used during potential emergency weather events, including hurricane season. Level 3 is a monitoring–only activation level, and the EOC will:

• Place all District emergency personnel on standby, while the situation is monitored during normal business hours.
• Check equipment and resources to ensure all is ready if needed.
• Monitor water levels and operate water control structures on water bodies throughout the District’s 16–county area as needed.
• Maintain direct communications with the state EOC as needed.
• Ensure current emergency management information is distributed to all District staff.

The EOC also directs District field crews, responds to requests from the state EOC, and provides water resource updates to state and local emergency management agencies, the media and the general public. The District EOC will expand to include additional emergency personnel as the situation demands.

We tried everything we could to find a peaceful resolution, but the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) seems intent on fighting a legal battle.

The PRWC filed a legal challenge to a proposed permit that would allow the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (PRMRWSA) to withdraw additional quantities from the Peace River. An administrative law judge ordered all parties to meet in an effort to amicably resolve the litigation. The parties agreed to engage in mediation which was held on Oct. 8^th but were unable to reach an agreement. Now the focus of the parties turns to fighting a legal war rather than working together to develop water supplies.

That’s a missed opportunity and a shame. We have tried to focus on the real issue, developing water supplies, rather than wasting money on legal bills.

At the PRWC’s Sept. 19^th meeting, I asked the members to put their litigation on hold to give the parties time to explore a new water supply possibility for Polk County. We’ve been working with Hillsborough County on a regional water supply solution that could benefit all parties, including the PRWC. This is a regional effort that has great potential, but it requires everyone to come to the table. We need time to discuss options and work out details, but collaborative discussion is difficult while in a hail of legal claims and counterclaims.

And if the project didn’t prove feasible, the PRWC could have simply resumed its litigation.

On Oct. 3, members of the PRMRWSA voted unanimously to put litigation on hold to work out a solution. That same day, we held an informational meeting to discuss additional details about the project being considered. Hillsborough County, the city of Tampa, Tampa Bay Water and PRMRWSA representatives, among others, attended the meeting. Unfortunately, the only PRWC members to attend were two representatives from Davenport.

Prior to the mediation session, we sent a proposed stipulation for all parties to consider that would put all litigation on hold for 12 months to allow for the further development of the water supply project with Hillsborough County. The PRWC has not agreed to this proposal.

Despite the impasse at mediation, the District remains open to substantive discussions toward resolution. However, based on our experiences to this point, that doesn’t appear to be the path being taken by the PRWC. Without the litigation on hold, we have no choice but to focus all our resources on the legal permit challenge rather than the potential water supply project. We’ve been down this road before and we know how it ends – millions of dollars wasted in payments to attorneys without generating any new water supplies.

Now we all have to be prepared to open our checkbooks again and again. The only people who profit from water wars are people who are paid to fight water wars. And that’s not in the best interests of the taxpayers or ratepayers.

Brian J. Armstrong, P.G.

Executive Director

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Michael and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during, and after an emergency weather event.

The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region. Since we are at the end of the four-month rainy season, many of our lakes and waterways are at elevated levels, especially in the northern portion of the District. District staff are operating structures based on current and anticipated water levels.

Level 2 activation is utilized when a specific weather situation has reached a point where the District may be adversely affected. Level 2 is a partial activation, and the EOC will:

• Mobilize appropriate District emergency personnel to report to the EOC for
  8–12 hour shifts. The rest of the District remains at normal operating conditions.
• Monitor water levels and operate water control structures on water bodies throughout the District’s 16–county area as needed.
• Maintain direct communications with the state and affected county EOCs.
• Ensure current event information is distributed to all District staff.

The EOC also directs District field crews, responds to requests from the state EOC, and provides water resource updates to state and local emergency management agencies, the media and the general public. The District EOC will expand to include additional emergency personnel as the situation demands.

For the most updated information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has scheduled restoration work on the Orange State Canal located in Citrus County. The work is scheduled to take place from May 16 to June 15.

Boat access from the Withlacoochee River through the canal will not be available during the scheduled restoration work. Activity is scheduled to occur during daylight hours between Monday and Friday each week.

Restoration work on the Orange State Canal will focus on removing a sand bar in the canal, approximately one-half mile west of the Withlacoochee River. This sand bar, which has formed over the past several decades, currently limits the District’s ability to move water through the Floral City Structure, which is located on the canal near the Trails End road crossing.

The Orange State Canal was originally constructed in the late 1880s to transport citrus from Floral City to Lake Panasoffkee, where it was sent north by railroad. Today, the District uses the canal to convey water between the Withlacoochee River and the Tsala Apopka Chain-of-Lakes to enhance recreation and assist with flood protection.

For additional questions, please call the District at (352) 796-7211.

We're halfway through Water Conservation Month, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) encourages citizens to do their part to save water in and around their homes.

Here's more water saving tips to lower your monthly water bill and save hundreds of gallons of water:

• Ensure rain sensors are operating properly. Irrigating during or after significant rainfall is a major cause of outdoor water waste and can cost you money.
• Check that all irrigation spray nozzles, or sprinklers, are irrigating areas efficiently and effectively. Inspection and maintenance should be done regularly.
• Upgrade existing irrigation controllers to SMART technology, which can reduce irrigation use by up to 23% and put more money back in your pocket.
• Switch to WaterSense labeled products including indoor showerheads, bathroom facets and toilets to save hundreds of gallons of water a week.
• Consider updating appliances like dishwashers and washing machines to Energy Star rated products. This can significantly cut back your water use.

For more information about water conservation, please visit the District's website at WaterMatters.org/Conservation.

Why a Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Program is Key to Protecting our Springs
Guest Editorial

The Springs Coast is one of the most vibrant and dynamic regions in Florida, providing both economic and ecological benefit to the communities that call it home. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is the leading scientific agency on springs in the region with the mission of improving and restoring these natural treasures.

Over the years, these treasures have been affected both by the increase in people moving to the Springs Coast and visiting the springs as well as through the historical cycles of rainfall and droughts. Nitrogen concentrations also have increased in most springs throughout the District. Excess nitrate concentrations can be harmful to aquatic life and result in algae growth, which can reduce water clarity.

What many residents and visitors who love our springs may not know, is that septic tanks contribute 15 to 42 percent of the current nitrogen pollution in the District's five first-magnitude springs, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP.) Other nitrogen sources that affect our springs include agricultural operations, lawn fertilization, storm water runoff and wastewater treatment facilities.

This is a critical time for the future of our springs. That's why the District is working closely with DEP and our local government partners to implement projects to conserve and restore the ecological balance of our spring systems. The time is now to begin removing septic systems in priority areas within the springsheds. The District's Governing Board has committed to assist in funding this effort to protect and restore the spring systems as well as reduce the financial burden on the local communities.

Septic-to-sewer conversions would require the installation of transmission lines and, in some cases, upgrades to or the creation of wastewater treatment facilities. Obviously, this won't happen overnight and will need to be addressed in stages, starting in priority areas. The District's Governing Board also will require strong protections in contractual funding language and/or local ordinances to ensure that the benefits for any District-funded projects are not offset by the approval of new conventional septic systems in the springsheds.

Our local and state partners are vital in our efforts to improve and protect our springs. We appreciate their urgency to address septic systems in the springsheds to improve our beautiful springs for future generations. You can find more information about springs on our website at WaterMatters.org/Springs.

Brian J. Armstrong, P.G.
Executive Director
Southwest Florida Water Management District