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Florida may soon have a new 5,000-acre state park in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County.On April 24 the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will consider a joint acquisition of the property known as the Overstreet parcel with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Polk County.As the lead agency, District staff negotiated a price of approximately $53,700,000 for the 5,118-acre property. Under the agreement, Polk…

A reclaimed water project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Winter Haven will expand reclaimed water service in the northern service area, offsetting about 454,000 gallons of potable water per day.The project will connect several developments, including Hampton Cove, Lakes at Lucerne Park, Sunset Hills, Royal Hills, and Lake Henry Isles, to the reclaimed water system. As a result, reclaimed water will be available to approximately 2,…

Approximately 200 people will have the opportunity to learn about karst features such as sinkholes, caves and springs, and their relationship to ground water through a Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Hernando County Utilities was awarded the $4,900 grant for a one-day workshop that will teach Hernando County citizens, developers and leaders about the best management practices for living near karst features. Participants can…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is launching a new public awareness campaign in the Crystal River/Kings Bay area that will help residents have green lawns, not green water.The multimedia campaign, which was developed to address increasing nitrate levels in Crystal River and Kings Bay, focuses on teaching Citrus and Marion county residents about proper fertilizer use.Excess fertilizer applied to public parks, golf courses and lawns can percolate through the…

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with Polk County to move forward on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with heavy rains in the Saddlebag Lake Watershed.The Saddlebag Lake Watershed spans approximately 9.5 miles in southeast Polk County. Water levels in Saddlebag Lake and Lake Thomas rose dramatically after three hurricanes and four years of above average rainfall. More than 300 homes in the area were flooded and roads…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Inverness recently signed an agreement for a project that will save 700,000 gallons of water per day (gpd).This project will allow the Inverness Golf and Country Club to reduce its dependence on potable water sources for irrigation at its golf course and give the city the ability to provide reclaimed water, through existing piping, to the Citrus County Holden Park athletic fields to reduce its use of groundwater…

A Low Impact Development (LID) workshop will be featured on Sept. 6 during Florida’s 31th Annual Conference on Water Management at the Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort in Tarpon Springs. The conference is being held Sept. 6-8.The LID workshop will provide builders and developers an open forum with government stormwater regulators. The workshop will also allow builders and developers to learn from their contemporaries who have successfully implemented LID practices.Paul…

Two Charlotte County projects expected to reach up to 23,000 people were recently awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues including conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the "District's Basin Boards(Basin Boards)":/about/basinboards/, the program is…

Discovering the District Members of the District’s Peace River Basin Board and District staff recently toured the Lake Placid wastewater treatment facility and saw firsthand where the town’s first reclaimed water lines will be installed. The District approved funding for this cooperative project between the District and the town of Lake Placid, which will ensure beneficial use of the town’s wastewater. The project is intended to supply highly treated wastewater for…

The Governing Board voted June 29 to let water shortage restrictions expire on June 30. The Governing Board voted to lift the restrictions in response to significant improvements in aquifer and river levels as a result of this winter’s above-average rainfall. Moreover, the region’s major public water suppliers have been able to capture and store large supplies of water to meet the needs of residents. However, the Board urged residents to continue the water conservation…

“This could change the way we think about construction in the future.”  —Ruffin Gray A Lakeland business saved thousands of gallons of water and paid less for utilities its first year by constructing its new headquarters to Florida Water StarSM standards. Kyra InfoTech, an information technology consulting business headquartered in Lakeland, used 70 percent less water than a comparable business in the area, according to Ruffin Gray,…

Sometimes someone’s trash can be a treasure. Members of the District’s Springs Team came up winners by finding an orange couch cushion while participating in a cleanup Saturday at the Rainbow River. About 175 volunteers participated in the event. The “cushion catch” earned the Springs Team the award of “Most Colorful Item.” Recognized as the “largest item” was an eight-foot-long wooden plank with large nails sticking out. Some of the other items collected were a cell…

They tackled topics like aquatics and invasive species.  Hundreds of students from several counties recently participated in the 2016 Tampa Bay and Nature Coast regional envirothons. 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 marked the 19th year the District sponsored…

Dozens of paddlers recently joined the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition team on their excursion along the Rainbow River.  The District recently hosted the Rainbow River Paddle trail mixer in partnership with the expedition at Rainbow Springs State Park. Despite some chilly temperatures, more than 50 people came out to paddle in the event.  Before people launched their canoes and kayaks, they had a chance to meet the expedition team and some of the…

District Governing Board members and staff; Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council members; and Florida Department of Environmental Protection officers display the Future of the Region Award. The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Florida Public Relations Association recently recognized several District programs. In March the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council presented the 18th Annual Future of the Region Awards. These awards highlight projects and…

About 30 volunteers and District staff recently spent an evening cleaning invasive algae out of Weeki Wachee Springs in Hernando County.  The volunteer event was a coordinated effort by the District, the state park and local rotary clubs to remove an algae known as Lyngbya. This event was part of a long-term maintenance plan for a District restoration project completed in 2009 designed to help keep the spring and river healthy. While not all…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) recognizes May 13-19 as Water Reuse Week to focus the public on the benefits of expanding this important water resource. The District’s Governing Board signed a resolution proclaiming Water Reuse Week at its April…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the River Greens Golf Course located at 47 W. Lake Damon Drive in Avon Park. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lake Damon in Highlands County. During the workshop, District staff will present the technical basis for the proposed minimum levels for Lake Damon. Minimum levels…

Did you know that outdoor water use can account for up to 50 percent of water consumed by households?While the Southwest Florida Water Management District advocates water conservation year-round, an extra effort is being made to promote conservation throughout April. Governments and water management districts throughout the state have declared April Water Conservation Month because the month typically marks the start of the peak demand season for public water suppliers.…

The public is welcome to attend an informational meeting to discuss flooding and water quality issues in the Christina watershed in Polk County.The Southwest Florida Management District and Polk County are evaluating the watershed, located in and north of Mulberry in western Polk County within the District’s Alafia River Basin and part of the headwaters to the North Prong of the Alafia River. The watershed boundaries are roughly south of County Road 540A, east of…