The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 9 a.m. at District 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.

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 “Boards, Meetings & Events Calendar” link.

On Tuesday, the Southewest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board adopted a $202.7 million budget for FY2020, including more than $81 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 FY2020 budget include:

• $25.7 million for development of alternative water supplies to ensure an adequate supply of water resources for all existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses.
• $20.8 million for springs initiatives to restore springs and spring-fed rivers to improve water quality and clarity as well as restore natural habitats.
• $5.7 million for water quality improvements to treat stormwater runoff before discharging directly or indirectly to water bodies.
• $24.4 million for Watershed Management Program plans and projects to reduce flooding and improve water quality based on a comprehensive evaluation of a watershed’s historical and existing features.

Through cooperative funding partnerships, District funds are matched up to 50 percent and will result in a total regional investment of more than $146 million for sustainable alternative water supply development, water quality improvements and other water resources management projects.

The adopted FY2020 millage rate is 0.2801 mill, 5.2 percent lower than the current fiscal year which will help lessen the tax burden for Florida residents by saving taxpayers approximately $6.5 million in property taxes. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $28.01 a year, or about $2.33 per month. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020.

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 9 a.m. Oct. 1, 2019.
• Includes six hunts that occur November through December 2019.
• 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 9 a.m. Dec. 17, 2019.
• Includes six hunts that occur January and February 2020.
• 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 2020 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 2020.
• 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 12 Phase 2 top producers will be offered participation in a minimum of two management hunts throughout the non-hunting season.

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. 1 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 11th consecutive year for the hunts. Last year’s hunts removed 447 hogs on 10 different tracts of land throughout the District.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 3 p.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North.

A public hearing on the FY2020 budget is scheduled for 5:01 p.m. at the Tampa Service Office.

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 “Meetings & Events Calendar” link.

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Roger Germann and reappointed Kelly Rice to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Germann represents Hillsborough County and Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties.

Germann, of Tampa, is the president and chief executive officer of The Florida Aquarium. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois. Germann is appointed to a four-year term.

Rice, of Webster, is the owner of Prime Property Resources, Inc. and the president of Rice Cattle Company. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of South Florida. Rice is reappointed 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.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the District’s Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed reevaluation of minimum levels for 41 wetlands in the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area.

During the workshop, District staff will present the technical basis for the proposed minimum wetland levels. Minimum levels are established to protect lakes and wetlands, and the minimum level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. Adopted levels are periodically reevaluated to support ongoing District assessment of minimum flows and levels in the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area.

The workshop is an opportunity for local government, citizens, and others to provide input regarding the proposed minimum wetland levels. Information will be summarized and made available to the District’s Governing Board. At the Board’s November meeting, Board members will choose whether to recommend adoption of the revised minimum levels into District rules. Governing Board meetings are open to the public, and brief oral comments are permitted on meeting agenda items.

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.

A draft report summarizing the proposed minimum wetland levels will be posted before the meeting on the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/MFLreports. For more information regarding the proposed minimum levels, please contact Donna Campbell at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4236.

Written comments can be submitted via mail or email to Donna Campbell, Staff Enviornmental Scientist, Water Resources Bureau, at 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604 or donna.campbell@watermatters.org.

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials deactivated the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 2 p.m. today.

In addition, the District deactivated the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area/Tampa Bypass Canal system and removed boat barriers where I-75 crosses the Hillsborough River restoring navigation in that area.

The District’s EOC provides unified command for activities before, during and after emergency events, like hurricanes. District officials partially activated its EOC Aug. 30 to coordinate preparations and monitor the situation as Hurricane Dorian approached Florida.

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Dorian 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. Because of increased summer rainfall, many lakes and waterways are at elevated levels. District staff are operating structures based on current and anticipated water levels.

In addition, the District activated the Tampa Bypass Canal system earlier this month in response to heavy rains in the Tampa Bay area. This involves stopping all or part of the flow of the Hillsborough River before it reaches the City of Temple Terrace and City of Tampa and impounding it in the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which assists with flooding from the river in the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa.

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:

• Mobilize appropriate District emergency personnel to report to the EOC for
  8–12 hour shifts. The rest of the District remains at normal operating conditions.
• 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.