Early Lessons Form Core Values for New Chair
She couldn’t help it; volunteering is in her blood.
District’s Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve Closed for Hog Hunts Jan. 28-30
The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 28-30.
Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold.
Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW CR 484 in Dunnellon.
This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage being caused to the natural habitats.
The District only allows hogs to be controlled through hunts when the damage they cause exceeds unacceptable levels, and damage is occurring more frequently and with increasing severity.
Feral hogs live throughout Florida in various habitats, but prefer moist forests and swamps, as well as pine flatwoods. They are omnivorous and feed by rooting with their broad snouts, which can cause extensive damage to the natural habitats. In fact, they can leave an area looking like a plowed field.
Feral hogs are not native to Florida and are believed to have been introduced by explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. They can weigh more than 300 pounds and travel in herds of several females and their offspring.
For more information, please call the District’s Land Management section at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4466 or visit WaterMatters.org/HogHunts.
Subject
Nature & Land
Water Management Experts Come Together for Training
Staff from four water management districts across the state recently attended a week-long training at District headquarters to learn more about a software program that facilitates environmental flow assessments through instream habitat analysis.
Eastern Hillsborough County Homeowners with Wells Should be Prepared for Freezing Temperatures Tomorrow
According to the National Weather Service, parts of the Tampa Bay area are expected to have below freezing temperatures Wednesday morning.
This has prompted the Southwest Florida Water Management District to advise residents who live near Plant City and Dover who have well pumps without automatic cutoff switches to turn off the pumps before temperatures dip.
During a freeze or near-freezing temperatures, water is pumped to protect crops and fish farms, causing aquifer levels to temporarily drop. Once aquifer levels fall below a well’s pump level, the pump can burn out if it is not shut off manually or automatically by a low-pressure shut-off device. An electrical switch located on or near the well can turn off most pumps.
Residents should wait until the temperatures warm up and water levels begin to recover before turning their pumps back on. Residents should consult their local well contractor for questions about restarting their pumps.
To report a dry well, visit WaterMatters.org or contact the District’s Tampa Regulation Department at (813) 985-7481 or 1-800-836-0797.
Subject
Water Management
District Reaches Out to Well Construction Contractors
An educational workshop on well construction issues will bring together District staff and well construction contractors on September 24 at District headquarters in Brooksville.
Governing Board to Meet in Tampa
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North.
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.
The meeting agenda and meeting materials are posted one week before the meeting, and can be found online at WaterMatters.org by clicking on the “Go to District Calendar” link.
Subject
Governing Board
District to Hold Public Workshop to Provide Results of Weeki Wachee Natural System Carrying Capacity Study
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) and Hernando County will hold a public workshop Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m. to share the results of the Weeki Wachee Natural System Carrying Capacity Study. The meeting will take place at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Meeting Hall, located at 4340 Calienta St. in Hernando Beach.
This ecologically-based study evaluated how recreational use affects the river. During the workshop, staff from the District, Hernando County and members of the independent third-party consultant group who conducted the study will be available to explain how the data was collected and present the results of the study.
The study shows that activities in the water and on the banks are causing significant impacts to the river system. The study also provides a menu of policy and management options for governing agencies with jurisdiction and authority to consider implementing to reduce recreational impacts on the river. However, the results of the study do not set a specific limit to recreation or address public safety but provide the science to governing agencies with authority to make future management decisions.
The study was managed by the District and co-funded by the District and Hernando County, with in-kind support from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Subject
Water Management
Former Governing Board Members Honored
District staff, current and former board members, elected officials, friends and family gathered recently to pay tribute to three departing G
Water Managers Meet at Annual Conference
Water managers, state and local government officials, representatives from academia and the business community, and other interested people will attend Florida’s 30th An
Lake Panasoffkee Progress Report
Members of the Withlacoochee River Basin Board and the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council recently surveyed the progress of the four-step, multimillion dollar