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 June through September on the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County.

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve is located 2 miles east of Dunnellon and 7 miles northeast of the city of Hernando and is bounded by County Road 484 on the north, State Road 200 on the southeast and the Withlacoochee River on the southwest. Approximately 1,000 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.

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 June through September at the following Pasco County properties:

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

Cypress Creek Preserve is located east of Ehren Cutoff 1 mile south of State Road 52. Approximately 300 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 600 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Upper Hillsborough Preserve is located south of the C.R. 54 and east of Chancey Road in Zephyrhills. Approximately 1,400 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 50 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.

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 June through September 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 600 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.

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) is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to take advantage of the upcoming summer rainy season and “watch the weather, wait to water.”

During the summer months of June, July, August and September, yards need no more than ½ to ¾ inch of water every two to three days. If your lawn has received enough water from rainfall, turn off the irrigation system and turn it back on when needed.

The simplest way to determine if your yard needs water is to look for these visual clues:

• Grass blades are folded in half lengthwise on at least one-third of your yard.
• Grass blades appear blue-gray.
• Grass blades do not spring back, leaving footprints on the lawn for several minutes after walking on it.

Follow these tips when you “watch the weather, wait to water”:

• If your yard is showing signs that it needs water, check your local forecast to see if rain is on the way.
• Use a rain gauge to determine how much rain your yard has received.
• If you have a rain sensor, make sure that it is working properly.
• Take full advantage of the rain. Make sure gutter downspouts are directed into landscaped areas or lawn.
• Install a rain barrel to capture excess rainwater.

For additional information, visit WaterMatters.org/WatchTheWeather.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will conduct an inspection of the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure located in Levy County on the Inglis Bypass Channel. The inspection has been scheduled to take place Tuesday, June 9.

During that time, the water control gates will need to be partially or fully closed. Closings are anticipated to occur during daylight hours and for a duration not exceeding eight hours per closing. The channel downstream of the structure will experience lower than normal water levels at times. Please make plans to protect your boats and other recreational equipment located within the channel during that time.

Inspection of the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure will focus on underwater, civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering along the service bridge, control room, and the upstream and downstream sides of the water control structure.

The construction on the Cross Florida Barge Canal project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1965 and 1969 severed the Lower Withlacoochee River, thus requiring the construction of the Bypass Channel and Spillway in order to discharge to the remnant stretch of the Withlacoochee River. The Bypass structure was completed in 1970 as part of that project. In 2001, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection entered into a contract with the District to operate and maintain the Inglis Dam and Inglis Bypass Spillway.

For additional questions, please call the District at (352) 796-7211 ext. 4873.

As part of a phased approach, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will reopen all campgrounds throughout its 16-county region Wednesday, June 3. Reopening of District campgrounds is consistent with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s reopening of camping at many Florida State Parks.

To help protect staff and visitors from the spread of COVID-19, the following guidelines will be in place at all District campgrounds:

• Campgrounds will be limited to 50% capacity.
• Groups of more than 10 campers are not allowed.
• The District will require a minimum of 25 feet between campsites.
• Campers should continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on social distancing and the use of face coverings.

District staff will coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other local officials to ensure campers are enjoying District lands safely and responsibly.   

The health of our staff and stakeholders is our main priority. Call 1-800-423-1476 or visit WaterMatters.org/Recreation should you have questions.

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, May 19, at 9 a.m. remotely.

Following the Governor’s directions to reduce public gatherings and practice social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19, in-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited. 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, visit WaterMatters.org and 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.

For any members of the public who wish to provide input to the Governing Board, call in at 1-888-585-9008, then enter conference room number 346-054-201. You will also be able to hear the proceedings there. If possible, please use a landline for the best connection. Please do not use speakerphone or put your phone on hold. Please be sure to mute your phone when you are not providing comment. During the conference call, *2 will mute or unmute your call.

If you are calling in to provide input but also want to see the meeting presentations, we recommend you use the Skype option available on our website at WaterMatters.org rather than our traditional livestream. The livestream is slightly delayed so it wouldn’t be in sync with the phone call. When logging in to Skype, you must select “Don’t join audio.” Make sure to also mute your Skype device audio to avoid feedback loop. Use the telephone numbers listed above to listen to 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.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will reopen the Weekiwachee Preserve to the public effective Friday, May 8, 2020 for all uses. Weekiwachee Preserve is located in coastal Hernando County and has no affiliation with Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

In keeping with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ "Safe. Smart. Step-By-Step. Plan" to reopen Florida, visitors to the Weekiwachee Preserve should maximize physical distance from others and avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people. In circumstances that do not "readily allow for physical distancing," face masks are recommended.

The District temporarily closed the property April 2 after receiving multiple reports from law enforcement officials that some members of the public were not following social distancing guidelines and were gathering in groups larger than 10 people.

Other District-managed recreation lands remain open for individual and small group day use in the 16-county region. Recreational users should continue to maximize physical distance from others and avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people. The District appreciates the visitors who have followed these rules and encourage them to continue doing so.

Visit WaterMatters.org/Recreation to learn about social distancing guidelines and other District properties that remain open.