Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through September on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve and Chito Branch Reserve.

The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near Thonotosassa. Approximately 500 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. 

Chito Branch Reserve is located west of County Road 39 and east of Boyette Road near Lithia. Approximately 100 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. 
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year. 

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through September on Starkey Wilderness Preserve, Conner Preserve and Cypress Creek Preserve.

Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and south of State Road 52. Approximately 700 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. 

Conner Preserve is located south of State Road 52 and west of Ehren Cutoff. Approximately 700 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Cypress Creek Preserve is located east of Ehren Cutoff, one mile south of State Road 52. Approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. 
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year. 

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through September at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota County.

Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract are located west of North Port, east of the Myakka River, and north and south of Interstate 75. Approximately 600 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. 

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. 
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year. 

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.

Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order remains in effect Districtwide

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to extend one-day-per-week watering restrictions again for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties until September 1. This also includes the existing water shortage order currently in effect for Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Manatee, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Lake counties; the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Lee County.

The District Governing Board declared a Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order in November 2023 and voted to extend that order in February.

Despite having Districtwide above-average rainfall during the winter months (Nov.-Jan.), we still have a Districtwide 12-month rainfall deficit of about 7.4 inches (based on data through May). The 12-month rainfall total through May in the Northern Region of the District matches the historical average, while it is below average in the Southern and the Central regions, which includes the Tampa Bay area. June rainfall through June 19 is near the historical average in the Southern Region of the District, while it is below average in the Northern and Central regions. Additionally, Tampa Bay Water’s 15.5-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir is still approximately 12.5 billion gallons below its capacity.

As a reminder, the Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order does not change allowable watering schedules for most counties, however, it does prohibit “wasteful and unnecessary” water use and twice-per-week lawn watering schedules remain in effect except where stricter measures have been imposed by local governments. Residents are asked to check their irrigation systems to ensure they are working properly. This means testing and repairing broken pipes and leaks and fixing damaged or tilted sprinkler heads. Residents should also check their irrigation timer to ensure the settings are correct and the rain sensor is working properly.

Once-per-week lawn watering days and times are as follows unless your city or county has a different schedule or stricter hours in effect (Citrus, Hernando and Sarasota counties, and the cities of Dunedin and Venice, have local ordinances that remain on one-day-per-week schedules):

• If your address (house number) ends in...
• ...0 or 1, water only on Monday
• ...2 or 3, water only on Tuesday
• ...4 or 5, water only on Wednesday
• ...6 or 7, water only on Thursday
• ...8 or 9*, water only on Friday

            * and locations without a discernible address

• Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties under two acres in size may only water before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties two acres or larger may only water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
• Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) is allowed any day and any time.

The order also requires local utilities to review and implement procedures for enforcing year-round water conservation measures and water shortage restrictions, including reporting enforcement activity to the District.

For additional information about the Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order, visit the District’s website WaterMatters.org/Restrictions. For water conserving tips, visit WaterMatters.org/Water101.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, June 25 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. 

To view the Governing Board meeting online, 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.

Public comment will be taken only at the meeting location. Public input for issues not listed on the published agenda will be heard shortly after the meeting begins.

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

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is prohibiting campfires and other sources of open flames on District conservation lands in conjunction with numerous county burn bans and dry conditions.

Lack of rainfall this spring has made grasses and other light vegetation extremely dry and volatile, increasing the potential for wildfires. Burning is thereby prohibited on these District properties with camping until sufficient rains occur and county burn bans are lifted:

• Cypress Creek Preserve
• Deep Creek Preserve
• Flying Eagle Preserve
• Green Swamp East – Hampton Tract
• Green Swamp East Tract
• Green Swamp West Tract
• Lake Panasoffkee
• Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve
• Potts Preserve
• Serenova Tract
• Upper Hillsborough Preserve 

In addition, the District is asking campers and other outdoor enthusiasts to take the following precautions when on District lands:

• Be careful with gas lanterns, gas stoves and anything that can be a source of ignition for a wildfire.
• All vehicles must stay on designated roadways or trails. Avoid driving vehicles on roads with tall, dead grass.
• Vehicle catalytic converters get very hot and can quickly ignite dry brush or other vegetation like pine needles or dead leaves. Avoid parking vehicles in areas of dead grass, brush or other vegetation. Park in areas with little or no vegetation or over low “green” vegetation.
• Dispose of smoking materials properly; do not toss them on the ground.
• Carry a shovel and fire extinguisher in your vehicle.

The District also asks that if people see a fire while on a District land, please call 911. For updates on District land restrictions, visit WaterMatters.org/Recreation.

The District owns and manages approximately 460,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands for water resource and natural systems protection.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect officers for the 2024-2025 term. 

Michelle Williamson was elected chair of the Governing Board. Williamson represents Hillsborough County and is the operations manager of G&F Farms. Williamson was appointed to the Governing Board in August 2016 and reappointed in December 2020. 

John Mitten was elected vice chair of the Governing Board. Mitten represents Hernando and Marion counties and is the franchise owner of Chick-fil-A in Spring Hill. Mitten was appointed to the Governing Board in October 2020. 

Jack Bispham was elected secretary of the Governing Board. Bispham represents Manatee County and is the owner and operator of Red Bluff Plantation. Bispham was appointed to the Governing Board in November 2019 and was reappointed in May 2021.

Ashley Bell Barnett was elected treasurer of the Governing Board. Bell Barnett represents Polk County and is a former educator and community advocate. Bell Barnett was appointed to the Governing Board in December 2020 and was reappointed in August 2023.

The officers will assume their positions for the 2024-2025 term 24 hours before the June Governing Board meeting.

Governing Board members are unpaid, citizen volunteers who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The Governing Board sets policy for the District, whose mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and ensure the public’s water needs are met.