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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12. Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through…

Twenty-eight Pinellas County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Pinellas County to the strong partnership with Pinellas County Schools. Julie Poth, K–8 science supervisor for Pinellas County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and…

 Photo left: Kim DeVary (front, right), District land use specialist, took volunteers and their children on a hayride. Photo center: David Moore, District executive director; Ronald Oakley, Governing Board vice chair; Todd Pressman, Governing Board chair; Sallie Parks, Governing Board treasurer; and Eric Sutton, District land resources director, display signs that will be posted at two areas that are maintained by volunteer groups. Photo right: Volunteers enjoyed a…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is proud to announce the recipients of the 2006 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 34 grants Districtwide for a total of $151,278. Of 34 grants awarded, 11 were given to groups in Hillsborough County.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is…

Region at highest alert level and subject to modified Phase IV water restrictionsThe Tampa Bay Water service area remains under the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use. These are the District’s highest level of water shortage measures.The Tampa Bay Water’s six member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the cities of Tampa, New…

Dozens of Lealman residents joined representatives from the District and Pinellas County in September to celebrate the opening of the first phase of the Joes Creek Greenway to the public. The restoration project is a cooperative effort to restore wildlife habitat and improve water quality in Joes Creek through treatment of stormwater runoff, while providing the community access to the greenway for recreation. Lealman is a small community in central Pinellas County…

On a crisp November morning, District staff and members of the Alafia River Basin Board launched four canoes into the Alafia River. The basin includes the southern half of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk County. The Basin Board members set out to experience the river — the most important part of the basin — and to talk with some concerned citizens who live along the river. The canoe trip took place along part of the 13-mile portion of the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) anticipated activating the Tampa Bypass Canal system Monday night in response to heavy rains in the Tampa Bay area from Hurricane Hermine, however, the Hillsborough River has not reached an elevation of 25 feet above sea level, which triggers the Army Corps of Engineers activation level of the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention (LHFDA) area.The Hillsborough River remains closed to boat traffic, east of the I-75…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $119,000 in grants to 65 schools within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12. Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness…

Citrus County Utilities earned this year’s bragging rights for having the tastiest tap water in West Central Florida. The utility won the annual Best Tasting Drinking Water Contest for Florida Section Region 4 of the American Water Works Association. The District’s Water Supply manager, Jason Mickel, was one of the judges for Region 4 which includes: Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties. Twenty-two public water supply contestants…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River during the week of April 2-5.District workers will treat scattered infestations on the river from upstream of KP Hole Park to the Withlacoochee River.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K and post warning signs in the treatment areas noting treatment dates and water use restrictions. Treated river water should not be used for…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River from the Withlacoochee River to upstream of the Rainbow Springs State Park Campground during the week of November 2-6.Treatment involves the spot application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K to scattered infestations. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Treated river water should not be used…

Two Polk County projects, cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, to improve water quality by treating stormwater runoff within the Ridge Lakes watershed will be complete in July.The first project consists of a stormwater treatment system for Lake Menzie. The project includes retrofitting two stormwater pipes that directly discharge into Lake Menzie. These retrofits include two swales, a retention basin, and a long infiltration basin. These…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating infestations of hydrilla on the Rainbow River in Marion County Nov. 12-14. The section of the river to be treated is the upper portion of the river from the Blue Cove area to just upstream of KP Hole ParkTreatment involves the application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable restrictions. Water from the treated…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating infestations of hydrilla on the Rainbow River in Marion County Oct. 27-31. The section of the river to be treated is from upstream of KP Hole Park to where the Rainbow River meets the Withlacoochee River.Treatment involves the application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable restrictions. Water from the treated…

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects at the upcoming Citrus County Task Force meeting.The meeting is being held Monday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. at St. Martin’s Marsh Aquatic Preserve, which is located in the Crystal River Preserve State Park, 3266 North Sailboat Avenue, Crystal River.During the meeting the task force will be considering potential restoration projects to enhance fish and wildlife habitats in Citrus…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water lettuce on the Rainbow River February 28 March 3. Infestations of water lettuce from the Rainbow River State park to the Withlacoochee River in Marion County will be treated.Treatment involves using the aquatic herbicide Reward. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable restrictions. Restrictions on Reward include no livestock watering for one day, no…

 The District’s team, seen here, raised more than $5,000 for the American Cancer Society during the Brooksville Relay for Life. District staff, family and friends recently raised more than $5,000 in support of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event in Hernando County. The event at Tom Varn Park in Brooksville began on Friday, April 28, and lasted through the night, ending at noon the following day. Twenty team members represented the District…

Governing Board Treasurer Albert G. Joerger and his family stop at the District booth during the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast Fall Family Festival. More than 1,000 visitors enjoyed old-fashioned games, live music, nature-based art projects and woodcrafts at the annual event, held at Bay Preserve at Osprey, a 4.3-acre nature preserve on Little Sarasota Bay protected by the foundation. District staff taught young people about water conservation and the water…

They tackled topics that ranged from soils and forestry to aquatics and wildlife. More than 300 students from four counties recently participated in the 2014 Nature Coast Envirothon at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. The competition is a problem-solving, natural resources education program for high school students allowing them to use critical-thinking skills to solve problems or conduct hands-on investigations about current environmental issues.  This is…