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 now through December 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 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.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for the Lower Peace River in Charlotte and DeSoto counties.

In accordance with the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically, members of the public may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams through this link: https://bit.ly/2GjUvvv. The Google Chrome browser is recommended for best compatibility with Microsoft Teams. For telephone-only participation, dial 1-786-749-6127 and when prompted enter the conference ID: 838 375 52#.

Minimum flows are limits established by the District’s Governing Board, and required by state law, to protect flowing water bodies from significant harm caused by ground and surface water withdrawals.

The District’s experienced scientists use numerous tools to collect, develop and analyze data before recommending a minimum flow. Their work is then evaluated by an independent peer review panel. During the workshop, District staff will review the technical basis for the recommended minimum flows for the Lower Peace River. A draft 2020 report summarizing the recommended minimum flows is available for review and is posted at WaterMatters.org/documents-and-reports.

District staff anticipates presenting the recommended minimum flow for the Lower Peace River at the December Governing Board meeting, where the Governing Board may choose to initiate rulemaking for adoption of the minimum flow into District rules. Governing Board meetings are open to the public, and brief oral comments are permitted on meeting agenda items.

For more information regarding the recommended minimum flow, please contact Doug Leeper, MFLs Program Lead with the District’s Environmental Flows and Assessments Section at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4272.

Written comments regarding the minimum flows are also welcome. They can be submitted via mail or email no later than Nov. 30, 2020, to Doug Leeper, at 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604-6899 or doug.leeper@watermatters.org.

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

The District will provide a virtual public comment period now through Nov. 30 at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Mill 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.

Please note 8 a.m. start time

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 8 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. This meeting is open to the public however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be followed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

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.

If you would like to provide input and watch the meeting, please use the Zoom option rather than the traditional livestream. You will need to register in Zoom and receive information to connect as an attendee by clicking here to register. You will be taken to a page to complete information to help the District ensure you have an opportunity to speak on the correct agenda item. Each registration is unique for each connection. The District recommends using the Chrome browser and downloading the Zoom application for optimal performance.

A backup telephone only option is available if you have trouble connecting to the Zoom meeting. Call in toll free at 1-888-585-9008 or 657-220-3242, then enter conference room number 346-054-201. If possible, please use a landline for the best connection. Please do not use speakerphone or put your phone on hold.

The Chair will take a recess at the beginning of the meeting to ask if anyone from the public wishes to speak. During the recess, a staff member will take your name and the topic you wish to speak about through the question and answer option on Zoom. The staff member will create a blue card to be used by the Chair to call on you at the appropriate time during the meeting.

The meeting agenda and materials are posted one week before the meeting, and can be found online at WaterMatters.org by clicking on the “Go to District Calendar.”

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Elijah “Ed” Armstrong, III and John Mitten to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. Armstrong represents Pinellas County and Mitten represents Hernando and Marion counties.

Armstrong, of Dunedin, is an attorney with Hill Ward Henderson, P.A. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Maryland and his juris doctor from Vanderbilt University. Armstrong is appointed to a four-year term.

Mitten, of Brooksville, is the franchise owner of Chick-fil-A in Spring Hill and a Hernando County Commissioner. Mitten earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University. Mitten is appointed to a four-year term.

The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

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 manage the water and related resources of west central Florida to meet the needs of current and future water users while protecting the environment.

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 occur on Oct. 6, 2020, at 9 a.m.
• Includes six hunts that occur November through December 2020.
• A $75 nonrefundable fee must be paid for each permit.
• Permits are transferable.
• The top producer of each Phase 1 hunt 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. We no longer award free admission into Phase 2 for our top two producers of the Phase 1 hunt.

Phase 2 Hunts

• Registration will occur on Dec. 8, 2020, at 9 a.m.
• Includes six hunts that occur January and February 2021.
• A $75 nonrefundable fee must be paid for each permit.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer of each hunt of Phase 2 will be placed on the District’s “top producer” list and will be contacted between March and October 2021 to take part in feral hog management hunts on an as-needed basis, free of charge.

Phase 3 “As-Needed” Management Hunts

• Includes management hunts that may occur March through October 2021.
• 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 non-transferable.
• 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 2021.

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. 6 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 12th consecutive year for the hunts. Last year’s hunts removed 625 hogs on 13 different tracts of land throughout the District.

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board adopted a $183.5 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2021, including more than $65.7 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 FY2021 budget include:

• $20.9 million for development of alternative water supplies to ensure an adequate supply of water resources for all existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses.
• $15.9 million for springs initiatives to restore springs and spring-fed rivers to improve water quality and clarity as well as restore natural habitats.
• $26.3 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 $119 million for sustainable alternative water supply development, water quality improvements and other water resource management projects.

The adopted FY2021 millage rate is 0.2669 mill, 4.7% lower than the current fiscal year which will help lessen the tax burden for Florida residents by saving taxpayers approximately $6 million in property taxes. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $26.69 a year, or about $2.22 per month. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021.