The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, March 23, at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. The meeting is open to the public however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be followed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and facemasks are required inside District buildings.

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 remotely, 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 at 1-888-585-9008 or 657-220-3242 (toll call), 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.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chair will ask if anyone from the public wishes to speak. A staff member will take your name and the topic you wish to speak about through the chat option on Zoom or the backup telephone option above. 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.”

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, launched the Weeki Wachee River Education Campaign to inform river visitors about the recreational best management practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts.

A recent ecologically based study found direct links between recreational use on the river and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled vegetation and eroded riverbanks and sand point bars. Also, numerous trees have been damaged from climbing and rope swinging.

The study showed that managing the types of activities on the river is just as important, if not more important, as managing the number of visitors.

The District recently launched WaterMatters.org/ProtectWeeki, which features seven tips to help protect the Weeki Wachee River:

1.         Stay in the vessel when possible.

2.         If you have to leave the vessel, tie off in shallow waters.

3.         Avoid docking on riverbanks.

4.         Don't trample vegetation or kick up silt.

5.         Avoid climbing on banks and walking on sand point bars.

6.         Don't climb trees or use rope swings.

7.         Don't throw out litter or leave anything behind.

In addition, the campaign will be a community effort with free education materials made available at kayak shops, vacation rentals and other businesses near the river. 

The education campaign is launching in partnership with Hernando County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and Florida’s Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. The meeting is open to the public however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be followed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and facemasks are required inside District buildings.

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 remotely, 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 at 1-888-585-9008 or 657-220-3242 (toll call), 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.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chair will ask if anyone from the public wishes to speak. A staff member will take your name and the topic you wish to speak about through the chat option on Zoom or the backup telephone option above. 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.”

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 March on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) in Hillsborough County.

The LHFDA is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near Thonotosassa. Approximately 150 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.

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 March at the following Pasco County properties:

• Cypress Creek Preserve
• Conner Preserve
• Starkey Wilderness Preserve
• Upper Hillsborough Preserve
• Weekiwachee Preserve

Cypress Creek Preserve is located east of Ehren Cutoff and south of State Road 52. Approximately 115 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Conner Preserve is located west of Ehren Cutoff and south of State Road 52.

Approximately 500 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and south of State Road 52. Approximately 800 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Upper Hillsborough Preserve is located south of the County Road 54 and east of Chancey Road in Zephyrhills. Approximately 320 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Weekiwachee Preserve is located north of Hudson, west of U.S. Highway 19 and includes the Aripeka Sandhills tract. Approximately 25 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. Some trails may be temporarily closed during prescribed burn events.

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.

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Executive Director Brian Armstrong has received the 2020 Geology Alumni Society Award from the University of South Florida (USF) Geology Alumni Society (GAS).

This is the most prestigious award given by the GAS and is presented to alumni who have distinguished themselves through achievement and career success. The award was presented at the virtual GAS banquet Jan. 30. Award winners are selected by members of the USF GAS and the USF Program in Geology/School of Geosciences.

Armstrong was appointed as the executive director of the District in June 2016. He brings more than 20 years of water resources experience to his role and his focus is on overseeing the District’s extensive environmental and water resource recovery efforts, promoting a regional approach to water supply planning and development, and guiding efforts to investigate and implement innovative solutions to water resources challenges.

Armstrong previously served as the District’s assistant executive director where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of three divisions and more than 400 staff. He facilitated the development of the District’s first Business Plan, which outlines the people, funding and assets needed to carry out the District’s Strategic Plan. Armstrong also served as the District’s negotiator for the historic development of the Polk County Regional Water Cooperative, involving Polk County and 15 separate municipalities.

Previously, Armstrong served as the assistant director for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Southwest District, which oversees environmental protection for eight counties. Before working at DEP, he served as the Water Supply and Resource Development manager for the District.

Armstrong is a licensed professional geologist, who earned his bachelor’s degree in geology and his master’s degree in hydrogeology from the University of South Florida.