The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county. 

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in its northern region:

• Brooksville Elementary School - Amanda Cunningham-Rud (Hernando)
• Bushnell Elementary School - Jessica Hamilton (Sumter)
• Central High School - Rachel Kingdom (Hernando)
• Dunnellon Elementary School - Nancy Garvin (Marion)
• Inverness Middle School - Deanna Hadley (Citrus)   
• Lake Panasoffkee Elementary School - Ashley Davin (Sumter)
• South Sumter High School - Thomas Allison  (Sumter)
• South Sumter Middle School - Tiffany Ward (Sumter)
• Webster Elementary School - Christiane Horn (Sumter)
• Wildwood Intermediate School - Morgan Hansen (Sumter)
• Williston Elementary School - Ashley Hart (Levy)
• Wyomina Park Elementary School - Beth Lazar (Marion)

Grants are available to support water education programs and activities that are   focused on water cycle basics, freshwater or estuarian ecosystems, water quality and water conservation. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county. 

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Highlands County:

• Avon Park High School - Shelby Ball
• Memorial Elementary School - Maggie Valles
• Park Elementary School - Krystal Brown
• Sun ’n Lake Elementary School - Shonda Zimmerman

Grants are available to support water education programs and activities that are focused on water cycle basics, freshwater or estuarian ecosystems, water quality and water conservation. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county. 

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Hillsborough County:

• Bailey Elementary School - Tara Vaughn      
• Heritage Elementary School - Jean Josephson         
• Knights Elementary School - Caylee J Thompson
• McDonald Elementary School - Judy Der
• Oak Park Elementary School - Kaylin Schemmel
• Plant City High School - Hayley Mollmann     
• Shaw Elementary School - Jennifer Gross
• South County Career Center - Ryan Johnson-Lerch
• Tampa Bay Technical High School - Julie Sackles   
• Wharton High School - Christi Atkinson
• Wilson Middle School - Jerry John Comellas

Grants are available to support water education programs and activities that are focused on water cycle basics, freshwater or estuarian ecosystems, water quality and water conservation. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county. 

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Polk County:

• Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary School - Kelly Stentz 
• Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred - Heather Matousek       
• Hillcrest Elementary School - Nicole Goodman         
• Janie Howard Wilson Elementary School - Betty Finnell       
• Jewett School of the Arts - Juliana Downing-Walker 
• Polk Avenue Elementary School - Melissa Kelly       
• Snively Elementary School - Johnna Bryant
• South McKeel Academy - Cheryl Jacques     
• Spook Hill Elementary School - Cynara Appling        

Grants are available to support water education programs and activities that are focused on water cycle basics, freshwater or estuarian ecosystems, water quality and water conservation. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

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 October through December on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County. 

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 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.

QR Codes Added for Most Up-to-Date Property Details

The Southwest Florida Water Management District published its new, free recreational guide highlighting nearly 70 properties. With its new sleeker design, users can scan QR codes to discover specific up-to-date details about each property.

There are thousands of acres of recreational lands throughout the District and access to most of them is free to visitors. The new recreation guides also allow users to take notes, learn about various volunteering opportunities and discover more about the District’s different conservation lands.

With 30 unique campgrounds across the District, including back country, primitive and equestrian-styled sites, making a reservation is also free and simple through the District’s recreation website. In addition, the recreation website features georeferenced maps, which visitors can download to be used with map apps that require no cell service.

Outdoor lovers also can check out the new Water Matters Podcast found on the District’s recreation webpage or major podcast platforms. The podcast features Felicia Nudo, land manager, who discusses what it’s like to experience the recreational side of the great outdoors on District lands.

To download or order the free recreation guide, make a free camping reservation, listen to the podcast, or learn more about the District’s recreational opportunities, visit WaterMatters.org/Recreation.

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board adopted a $224.8 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2024, including approximately $92.4 million for Cooperative Funding Initiatives and District grants for water resources projects.

The budget reflects the District’s commitment to protect Florida’s water resources and to improve Florida’s economic vitality. Some of the key initiatives in the District’s FY2024 budget include:

• $65.2 million for development of alternative water supplies to ensure an adequate supply of water resources for all existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses.

• $17.8 million for Watershed Management Program plans to support floodplain management decisions and initiatives, and projects to address potential and existing flooding problems.

• $17.1 million for the management and improvement of critical flood control and water conservation structures, canals, culverts and levees.

• $6.6 million for springs initiatives to improve water quality and clarity of springs and spring-fed rivers as well as restore their natural habitats.

Through cooperative funding partnerships, the District will leverage funds for a total regional investment of more than $175 million for sustainable alternative water supply development, water quality improvements and other water resource management projects. 

For the 12^th year in a row, the District’s Governing Board has adopted a millage rate equal to or less than the rolled-back millage rate, for a cumulative rate reduction of 48%. The adopted FY2024 millage rate is 0.2043 mill, 9.6% lower than the current fiscal year which will help lessen the tax burden for Florida residents by saving taxpayers more than $13.9 million in property taxes. 

For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $20.43 a year, or about $1.70 per month. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024.