Governing Board Meeting to be Conducted Remotely (Note: 3 p.m. start time)

Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m. remotely.

A public hearing on the FY2021 budget is scheduled for 5:01 p.m. remotely.

In-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited in accordance with the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically. With the exception of the Governing Board chair, all other Board members will be participating remotely. Only staff that are necessary for the meeting will attend in person at the Brooksville Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.

To view the Governing Board meeting and the public hearing on the FY2021 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.

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

Subject
Special Updates

Public Invited to Provide Comments on Minimum and Guidance Levels for Cypress, Garden and Halfmoon Lakes in Hillsborough County

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is collecting public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Cypress, Garden and Halfmoon lakes in Hillsborough County.

In accordance with the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically, the District will provide virtual outreach now through Sept. 8 at WaterMatters.org/LakeMFLs. The webpage includes the draft technical reports, frequently asked questions and a comment card for each lake to submit virtually.

This virtual outreach is an opportunity for local government, residents and others to provide input regarding the proposed minimum and guidance levels. Information will be summarized and made available to the District’s Governing Board. At the Board’s October meeting, Board members will choose whether to recommend adoption of the minimum levels 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 proposed minimum levels or to submit written comments by email, please contact:

Cypress Lake – TJ Venning at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4242 or TJ.Venning@watermatters.org

Garden Lake – Mark Hurst at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4271 or Mark.Hurst@watermatters.org

Halfmoon Lake - Donna Campbell at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4236 or Donna.Campbell@watermatters.org

The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the District. Minimum flows are established to protect streams and rivers from impacts associated with ground water and surface water withdrawals, while minimum levels are established to protect lakes and wetlands. Minimum flows and levels serve as guidelines for the District’s permitting programs and for development of water resource projects.

 

 

Governing Board Elects New Officers

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect a new slate of officers for the 2020-2021 term.

Kelly Rice was elected chair of the Governing Board. Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties and is a small business owner involved in real estate, agriculture and health care. Rice was appointed to the Governing Board in September 2015.

Joel Schleicher was elected vice chair of the Governing Board. Schleicher represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties and has used his vast knowledge as a successful entrepreneur to challenge the status quo while giving back to the community via various organizations. Schleicher was appointed to the Governing Board in May 2017.

Rebecca Smith was elected secretary of the Governing Board. Smith represents Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and is the president and chief executive officer for both the A.D. Morgan Corporation, a construction firm, and WoofGang Solutions, LLC, a facilities management software solution company. Smith was appointed to the Governing Board in May 2017.

Jim Murphy was elected treasurer of the Governing Board. Murphy represents Polk County and has 30 years of experience in the fluid handling industry. He is a Florida Certified General Contractor and a member of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers. Murphy was appointed to the Governing Board in July 2017.

The new officers took office immediately following the August 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.

Subject
Governing Board

District Receives Funding from Florida Department of Environmental Protection for Two Wellfields in Polk County

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) received more than $2.4 million in funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to assist with aquifer testing, feasibility, and preliminary design for the planned Southeast and West Polk Lower Floridan Aquifer (LFA) wellfields in Polk County. The projects are cooperatively funded between the District and the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC). Traditional water sources are nearing their sustainable limits in Polk County and alternative water sources will need to be developed to meet the projected needs.

"Addressing water quantity challenges requires aggressively pursuing projects that will develop the water supply resources needed to meet our state's growing demand," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "DEP is proud to partner on these projects that will help ensure a safe and sustainable water supply for this region."

The Southeast LFA wellfield is planned for a location near the eastern boundary of the District in Polk County south of Highway 60. The water treatment facility site is north of Highway 60, and up to 15 wells will be spread along a 10-mile line south of the highway. The goal of this project is to use the brackish groundwater from the LFA in Southeast Polk County as an alternative water supply. The Southeast wellfield is a permitted supply, and after treatment through reverse osmosis, may deliver up to 30 million gallons per day (mgd) of high-quality drinking water to member governments of the PRWC.

The West Polk LFA brackish water treatment facility site is planned for a location within the City of Lakeland, south of Interstate 4, near the existing T.B. Williams water treatment facility site. The wellfield may have up to 19 wells within or near the city. The goal of this project is to utilize the brackish groundwater from the LFA in western Polk County as an alternative water supply. After treatment, the West Polk wellfield may deliver up to 15 mgd of high-quality drinking water to the member governments of the PRWC.

The District’s Governing Board has committed $65 million to incentivize the development of regional alternative water supplies within Polk County. To date, the District, FDEP and PRWC have provided more than $20 million in funding to assist with exploratory drilling, aquifer and water quality testing, and the conceptual and preliminary design stages of these projects.

The PRWC includes elected officials from 16 member governments, consisting of 15 municipalities and Polk County Government. Their role is to proactively identify alternative water resources and projects that ensure the future sustainability of the regional water supply.

 

Subject
Water Conservation

District Monitors Tropical Depression 13

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Tropical Depression 13 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 weather 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 water control structures on water bodies 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.

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

 

 

Subject
EOC

Governing Board Meeting to be Conducted Remotely

Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 9 a.m. remotely. In-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited in accordance with the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically. With the exception of the Governing Board chair, all other Board members will be participating remotely. Only staff that are necessary for the meeting will attend in person at the Brooksville 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.

If you would like to provide input and watch the meeting, please use the Zoom option rather than the traditional livestream. The livestream is slightly delayed, so it won’t be in sync with the audio. You will need to register in Zoom and receive information to connect as an attendee. Click here to register, which will take you 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.

If you would like to provide public input, the Chair may take a recess at the beginning of the meeting after asking 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 meeting materials are posted one week before the meeting, and can be found at WaterMatters.org by clicking on the “Go to District Calendar” link.

 

 

Subject
Special Updates

District to Hold Virtual Public Workshop on Ranking Water Bodies

The Southwest Florida Water Management District District) is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise this schedule each year.

Following the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the public meeting for the annual update of the District’s Minimum Flows and Levels Priority List and Schedule will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Aug. 26. The workshop will provide an important opportunity for local governments, residents and the public to be part of the scheduling of minimum flows and levels for priority water bodies. To join the meeting via Teams, please click here. You can also use this URL to join the meeting: https://bit.ly/39knER3. Use of the Chrome browser is recommended for best compatibility with Teams.

To join the meeting by telephone only, dial 1-786-749-6127 and when prompted enter the conference ID: 765 147 391#.

A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources or environment. The District’s Governing Board sets these limits 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 2019 is available on the District’s website here. The draft 2020 list will be published on the site following the Governing Board’s August meeting. The revised schedule will be considered for approval at the Board’s meeting in October.

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, Florida, 34604 no later than Sept. 23.

For more information, please contact Doug Leeper at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4272.

Subject
Special Updates

Public Invited to Help Identify Flood Prone Areas in the Pearce Drain/Gap Creek Watershed in Manatee County

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Manatee County. The District will provide virtual outreach now through Sept. 20 at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Pearce Drain/Gap 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.

 

Subject
Water Management
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