District land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population.

Feral hogs, which are not native to Florida, can cause damage with their broad snouts and can leave an area looking like a plowed field. They also prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock and humans. Additionally, hogs may facilitate the spread of exotic plant species by transporting seeds and/or providing germination sites through rooting.

The District has a three-phased hunting system. The first two phases of hunts will have separate registration processes. The single top producer from each Phase 1 and Phase 2 hunt will be asked to participate in hog management activities for Phase 3.

All hunts will adhere to the hog-dog format. No still hunts will be available. The program works like this:

Phase 1 Hunts

• Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Oct. 4, 2022.
• Includes five hunts that occur November through December 2022.
• A $75 nonrefundable fee must be paid for each permit.
• Permits are transferable.
• The top producer of each Phase 1 hunt with no rule violations will be placed on the District’s “top producer” list and will be awarded participation in the District’s Phase 3 hunts, free of charge.

Phase 2 Hunts

• Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 13, 2022.
• Includes five hunts that occur January through February 2023.
• A $75 nonrefundable fee must be paid for each permit.
• Permits are transferable.

• The single top producer of each Phase 2 hunt with no rule violations will be placed on the District’s “top producer” list and will be awarded participation in the District’s Phase 3 hunts, free of charge.

Phase 3 “As-Needed” Management Hunts

• Includes management hunts that may occur March through October 2023.
• Only those registrants that qualify as “top producers” following the Phase 1 and 2 hunts will be contacted to take part in management hunts during this period.
• Management hunts offered to “top producers” will be free of charge and nontransferable.
• All Phase 1 and Phase 2 top producers, without rule violations, will be offered participation on a minimum of four management hunts occurring March through October 2023.

The District-managed properties will be temporarily closed to the public during the hog hunts. Only permitted hunters will be allowed access.

Prospective hunters can purchase permits for Phase I hunts beginning at 9 a.m. Oct. 4 on the District’s WaterMatters.org/HogHunts. Permits will be available on a first come, first serve basis until they are sold out. The cost is $75 for each permit. A complete list of hunts with locations and dates is also available online.

This is the 14th consecutive year for the hunts. Last year’s hunts removed 656 hogs on nine different tracts of land throughout the District.

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Ian 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 event.

The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region. 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:

• Monitor water levels and operate its water control structures 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.
• Direct the safe use of the District’s recreational facilities such as campgrounds.
• Elevate to a Level 1 Full Activation, when necessary.

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.

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board adopted a $211.7 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2023, including approximately $90.6 million for the Cooperative Funding Initiative 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 FY2023 budget include:

• $41.5 million for development of alternative water supplies to ensure an adequate supply of water resources for all existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses.

• $18.7 million for springs initiatives to improve springs and spring-fed rivers and to improve water quality and clarity as well as restore natural habitats.

• $18.3 million for Watershed Management Program plans to support floodplain management decisions and initiatives, and address potential and existing flooding problems.

Through cooperative funding partnerships, District funds are typically matched up to 50% and will result in a total regional investment of more than $165 million for sustainable alternative water supply development, water quality improvements and other water resource management projects.

For the 11^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 42.5%. The adopted FY2023 millage rate is 0.2260 mill, 10.8% lower than the current fiscal year which will help lessen the tax burden for Florida residents by saving taxpayers approximately $15.5 million in property taxes.

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 fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 3 p.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North.

A public hearing on the FY2023 budget is scheduled for 5:01 p.m. at the Tampa Service Office.

To view the Governing Board meeting and the public hearing on the FY2023 budget 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.

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

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, St. Johns River Water Management District and South Florida Water Management District have scheduled a virtual joint public meeting Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. to solicit stakeholder input on each District’s annual update of their priority list and schedule for the establishment of minimum flows and water levels as well as water reservations.

To join the virtual meeting, please pre-register at the following link:

https://sfwmd-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_g2Z7youUSU2yKVIdoBfSMA

Once registered, you will receive an email with the Zoom webinar information.

This workshop is being held to promote consistent water resource planning in the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) area. The CFWI encompasses five counties: Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and southern Lake. Through the CFWI, the three water management districts are working collaboratively with other agencies and stakeholders to implement effective water resource planning, including water resource and supply development and management strategies to protect, conserve and restore our water resources.

For more information, please contact Doug Leeper at 1-352-269-5863.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Aug. 23, 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 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.