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Alligators, turtles, water snakes, frogs, fish, hawks and wading birds are commonly seen on this property. Located on the Hillsborough River, the park is best known for its river fishing.
Pasco County operates this regional park near the Withlacoochee River. The District provides the county with the use of 146 acres of the Green Swamp — West Tract to accommodate riverfront access for the canoe launch, dock and 5 miles of hiking trails.
In 1980, the District and the city of Clearwater entered into an agreement for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Alligator Creek Water Management Project. The District provided land and operates the water-control structure; the city operates and maintains Cliff Stephens Park. The project provides stormwater management and flood protection for the surrounding Clearwater area.
In 2001, the District purchased the property surrounding the first-magnitude Weeki Wachee Spring from the City of St. Petersburg. The acquisition was in support of former Governor Bush's "Springs Initiative," under which strategies were established for the protection and restoration of Florida's springs, including placing them in public ownership. On November 1, 2008, the District entered into a lease agreement with the Florida Parks Service for their management of the…
Jointly acquired between the District and the state to protect the water resources of Tampa Bay, the Terra Ceia Preserve State Park is managed by the Florida State Parks system. The lands are mostly uplands of maritime hammocks and mangrove fringe forests. Various wetland communities such as freshwater creeks, freshwater marshes, karst tidal ponds and estuarine marshes are interspersed within the preserve.
Purchased in May 2006 and opened to the public in January 2007, this 5,067-acre park is nestled within the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve and named after one of the tributaries that flows through the property. Consisting mainly of pine flatwoods, cypress domes and open pastureland, this piece of pristine wilderness is home to many animal species including the American bald…
Located near the mouth of Trout Creek, this property on the Hillsborough River is popular for fishing, canoeing and group picnics. It is a pleasant place to get away for a midday break or to take small children for a mini-adventure.
Prior to District acquisition, development of a small housing subdivision had begun on the north side of the river. Concrete foundations and other artifacts remain for the astute observer. The lakes east of the entrance road are all man-…
This popular single-track woods trail has a natural surface and shady canopy. The 20-mile main trail and 15 miles of side trails traverse the Trout Creek, Morris Bridge and Flatwoods areas.…
Myakka Prairie is managed as a part of the Myakka River State Park and is part of a 100-square-mile regional area of contiguous and natural publicly protected lands. The Myakka River State Park borders the property on the north and west, and…
District staff, Governing Board members and Hillsborough River Basin Board members recently welcomed the first wave of warm weather with a canoe trip down the upper Hillsborough River. The outing was an opportunity to see firsthand a highly protected natural river in its upper reaches, which ultimately provides water supplies to the City of Tampa and freshwater flows to Tampa Bay.
“The upper Hillsborough River is in excellent ecological condition, with good water…
A joint acquisition effort between the District and the state, the preserve consists of various noncontiguous parcels that partially surround the Charlotte Harbor estuary and its major tributaries. All lands are managed as a state park. The preserve is regionally important because it provides protection to the Gasparilla…
As bureau chief of General Services, Dave Dickens oversees the District’s Document Services, Public Records, Fleet Services and Facilities sections.Dave has 12 years of experience managing transportation, facilities and safety programs for water management districts in Florida.He most recently served as the Transportation and Facilities Bureau chief for St. Johns River Water Management District, where he managed budget, procurement, capital projects and contract management.…
The John Chestnut Senior Park in Tarpon Springs is about to undergo a little “spring cleaning.”The Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department received a $4,083 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 Community Education Grant Program to help fund their “Perk Up A Park/Save a Day for the Bay” project on May 13. The grant funding comes from the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board, which includes…
Information on upcoming and recent public meetings on the District's Minimum Flows and Levels Program will be consolidated on this page.
Biking »
From the novice to the expert trails, many different types of biking opportunities can be found on District lands.BikingWilderness Park Off Road Trails System at Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve
The Homosassa River is another spring fed river beginning at Homosassa Springs. This short, slow-moving tidal river flows eight miles from the headsprings to where it meets the Gulf of America in Citrus County.The river is a mixture of fresh water from the headsprings and salt water from the Gulf of America. The tidal influence makes the river home to both freshwater and saltwater fish. Some of the freshwater fish you'll find in the Homosassa River include Bluegill,…
This property is situated on the Withlacoochee River and is the site of the Wysong-Coogler Dam.
What are minimum flows and minimum water levels (MFLs)?In short, an MFL sets a limit on how much water can be withdrawn from various water resources to prevent significant harm occurring to those resources or the ecology of the area.What does “significant harm” mean?The Florida legislature did not define the term ‘significant harm.’ However, the District has developed criteria for significant harm to various types of water resources. The…
With more than 70 springs, Crystal River/Kings Bay is the largest natural winter refuge for manatees on the Florida Gulf Coast. About the SpringsCrystal River/Kings Bay is a first-magnitude spring system that originates in Citrus County. Kings Bay is a 600-acre bay at the headwaters of the Crystal River, which is a…