Search Content

The District is taking the state’s annual water conservation efforts in April to another level as the need to conserve is more important than ever. “April is part of Florida’s dry season and the time when the District makes an extra effort to remind residents about the need to conserve,” said Michael Molligan, communications director. “However, this year our water supplies are extremely low, so we have been stepping up our public awareness campaign because we need…

Former District Governing Board Chairman Jeff Adams was recognized Tuesday for his service to the District. The District's current Governing Board members recognized Adams during its meeting, noting all the work he completed while serving on the Board. He was appointed to the District’s Governing Board in April 2010 representing Pinellas County. He served on the Board through May 2019 and as the Governing Board’s treasurer from 2012 through 2014,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District approved funding for the fourth phase of the Pinellas County Ultra Low-flow Toilet Rebate Project.The project is a cooperatively funded effort between Pinellas County and the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board. The goal of the fourth phase of the project is to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet or urinal replaced with a low-flow model. The goal is…

When visitors arrive at the Brooker Creek Preserve, their education begins the minute they leave their vehicles. A series of interpretive signage now lines the main trail between the parking lot and the environmental education center. Additional signs are located at key locations, including the butterfly garden and a mini wetland. The Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center is located within the Brooker Creek watershed, which covers 39 square miles in…

 Dave Eggers, Dunedin mayor-elect; Lou Kavouras, District deputy executive director; Maritza Rovira-Forino, Governing Board member; Carl Krave, Pocket Neighborhoods, Inc. president; and Sallie Parks, Governing Board treasurer, celebrate the first property to receive the Florida Water Star℠ Gold certification. Right: High-efficiency fixtures and a tankless water heater are featured in the home. District Governing Board members and staff recently launched the…

Hundreds of second-grade students experienced animals, art projects, exhibits and more all while learning the importance of natural resources and careers in science. The students were at the recent Water, Wings and Wild Things Kids Festival organized by Polk County’s Nature Discovery Center. Various vendors set up booths at the outdoor festival, including the District. The event took place at Circle B Bar Reserve, which is a land jointly owned by the Polk County…

They tackled topics that ranged from soils and forestry to aquatics and wildlife. Hundreds of students from several counties recently participated in the 2015 Nature Coast Regional Envirothon at Crews Lake Wilderness Park in Pasco County.  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…

High school students from Pasco, Hernando and Sumter counties displayed their knowledge for the 2017 Nature Coast Envirothon. The competition is a problem-solving, natural resources education program which tests high school students on their surrounding environment.  Frank Gargano, Katie Carswell, Krista McKean, Gabrielle Kiliman, Kim Dymond, Carolyn Pina and David Sauskojus represented the District this year at Fort Cooper State Park. The Regulation staff…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August at a section of the District’s Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which is also known as Flatwoods Park.The property is located off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in the New Tampa area. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will dedicate Phase 1 of the Terra Ceia Ecosystem Restoration Project on Monday, May 12th at 10:30 a.m. in Terra Ceia. Invited speakers include representatives from the District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Manatee County government. In addition to the program speakers, representatives from the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center, Inc. in Anna…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during August at a section of the District’s Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which is also known as Flatwoods Park.The property is located off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in the New Tampa area. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the…

The District’s Governing Board recently voted in a new slate of officers for the 2018-2019 term. 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 protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and…

Who: Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council members, Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board members and staffWhat: The Council and the District will mark the completion of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration project.When: Friday, May 29, 2009 at 10 a.m.Where: Coleman LandingWhy: The $28.3 million project was completed in November 2008. The 10-year project was designed to restore Lake Panasoffkee’s historic fish bedding areas, restore the historic lake…

Volunteers who take part in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program are a valuable resource. In fact, three groups who were honored for their voluntary efforts during last week’s Governing Board meeting in Brooksville saved the District between$50,440 and $91,044.According to the Points of Light Foundation, a nationwide volunteer network clearing house, volunteers save the District between $10 and $18 an hour in labor…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the rest of November and throughout December and January at a section of the District’s Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which includes Flatwoods Park and the Oak Ridge Equestrian area.The property is located off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in the New Tampa area. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Englewood Water District will bring reclaimed water to the 73 homes in Englewoods Park Forest subdivision.The project includes the design and construction of more than 3,800 linear feet of reclaimed water transmission lines.This project is expected to provide approximately 43,800 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water to meet the current demands of the residential customers, which will offset…

Who:Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program, Tampa Bay Watch, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and approximately 350 volunteersWhat:Volunteers will participate in planting up to 30,000 marsh grass on approximately 34 acres of the Terra Ceia Ecosystem Restoration Project, setting a new record for Tampa Bay for the most…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday modified a water use permit (WUP) for the Southeastern Regional Utility Service Area of Polk County. The service area is approximately 1.5 miles west of the city of Frostproof, adjacent to Highway 27 and includes town of Babson Park.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 928,900 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity…

A project cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Citrus County will improve water quality entering Lake Tsala Apopka.The project includes the design, permitting and construction of stormwater treatment areas at five county-maintained boat ramps and the associated parking areas.A study of the lake was conducted to choose and prioritize the treatment sites. Further, a hydrologic and hydraulic model of each site will be developed as part of…