The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is seeking public input to determine the priority of minimum flows and levels (MFLs) establishment for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District as well as the establishment of water reservations. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise this schedule each year.

The District will hold a virtual public meeting Aug. 24 at 5 p.m. Members of the public can join the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting via Teams, please click here. Use of the Chrome browser is recommended for best compatibility with Teams.

To join the meeting by telephone only, dial (786) 749-6127 and when prompted enter the conference ID: 875-792-902#.

A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources or environment. A water reservation defines a quantity of water set aside from the water use permitting process for the protection of fish and wildlife or public health and safety. The District’s Governing Board establishes MFLs and reservations as part of achieving the balance between meeting water needs and sustaining Florida’s natural systems.

The adopted minimum flows and levels priority list and schedule for 2021 is available on the District’s website here. The draft 2022 list will be published on the site following the Governing Board’s Aug. 23 meeting. The revised schedule will be considered for approval at the Board’s October meeting.

Written comments on the draft priority list and schedule may be submitted to Doug Leeper, MFLs Program Lead, at doug.leeper@watermatters.org or to 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL, 34604 no later than Sept. 7.

For more information, please contact Doug Leeper at (352) 269-5863.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Highlands County.

The District will provide a virtual public comment now through Sept. 30, at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Jack Creek Watershed. The website will present preliminary data for flood prone areas and the public will have the opportunity to submit comments. 

After addressing the public comments, information will be finalized and presented to the District’s Governing Board for approval to use the data for regulatory purposes. This information is not currently being incorporated into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs); however, it may be used in future DFIRM updates.

The information which identifies areas prone to flooding can be used by local governments 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/Floodplain or call the District at (352) 796-7211, ext. 4297.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of a 4,357-acre conservation easement over a portion of the approximately 16,315-acre Carlton Horse Creek Ranch. The acquisition is in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of State Lands (DSL). DSL will negotiate a conservation easement over the remaining 11,958 acres.

Horse Creek Ranch is located across both Hardee and DeSoto counties, in the southwest corner of Hardee County and the northwest corner of DeSoto County. The acquisition provides several benefits for preservation and protection of water and water-related resources by protecting approximately 11 miles of Horse Creek, which is a major tributary to the Peace River. The conservation easement area consists of approximately 76 percent uplands and 24 percent wetlands.

“This is a chance to save one of the largest functional pieces of the Peace River Watershed,” said Charles Lee, Director of Advocacy for Audubon Florida. “When you look at a satellite image to the north and south, it’s the only place that has a shot of staying natural. It’s rich in wildlife and water resources.”

Horse Creek Ranch sits entirely within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and is a critical property in an area being proposed for future phosphate mining. This acquisition meets all four of the District’s Areas of Responsibility, which are water supply, water quality, flood control and natural systems. In addition, the project is consistent with the Governor’s direction for protecting Florida’s springs, waterbodies and natural systems.

The parcel is being purchased for $13,780,593.75 with funds realized from the sale of District surplus properties. Acquisition of Horse Creek Ranch is consistent with the District’s Florida Forever Workplan and is consistent with the Florida Forever Act. The property has been utilized for cattle ranching and other agricultural activities and owned by the Doyle Carlton family for many years.

“The Southwest Florida Water Management District has been fair and professional throughout this process,” said Doyle Carlton. “My family and I feel very strongly that this agreement will be beneficial to all involved, and, most importantly, the land and water resources will be protected forever.”

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted to decrease property taxes by adopting a proposed rolled-back millage rate of 0.2260 mill for the fiscal year 2023 budget.

The millage rate is 10.8% lower than the current fiscal year adopted millage rate of 0.2535 mill, a savings to taxpayers of approximately $15.5 million.

For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $22.60 a year, or about $1.88 per month.

The total fiscal year 2023 proposed budget for the District is $212.9 million and includes $91.8 million for Cooperative Funding Initiatives and District grants.

Through these cooperative funding partnerships, District funds will be leveraged resulting in a total regional investment of $168 million for sustainable alternative water supply development, water quality improvements, and other water resource management projects. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

The District will hold a tentative budget hearing on Sept. 6 at 5:01 p.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301.

The Governing Board will vote on the final budget on Sept. 20 at 5:01 p.m., at the Tampa Service Office.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, July 26, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North.

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.”

Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding fully vaccinated people, wearing masks and social distancing will be optional at the meeting.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017.

That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns July through September on the Prairie Shell Creek Tract in Charlotte County.

Prairie Shell Creek is located at 3081 Duncan Road (U.S. Highway 17), Punta Gorda. 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.