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The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Kristen Russell-Milford, an Inverness Primary School teacher, for her students’ outstanding water resources education project. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.Through Russell-Milford’s project, “Water is Part of the Solution,” Inverness Primary School students learned about Florida-…

Families coming out to see the Friday Extra Concert series this week will be treated to some extra entertainment before the main event.Stages Productions will perform “Aesop’s Aqua Adventures,” a live, interactive water resource and conservation theatre presentation, at 6:15 p.m. this Friday, April 29 at Lowry Park band shell. A concert featuring Molten Mike and Freight Train Annie will follow the performance.Updating several classic fables, “Aesop…

The first phase of one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects to benefit Charlotte Harbor is complete. District staff and other community leaders recently celebrated the dedication of the first phase. The Coral Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project is a multi-phased initiative involving 2,600 acres within the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park. It was spearheaded by the District, in collaboration with Charlotte County and the Florida Department of Environmental…

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 Southwest Florida Water Management District is hosting a virtual public meeting to present the Cape Haze Ecosystem Restoration Project and receive public comments. This restoration effort will enhance natural water flow, improve ecological resiliency, and support native wildlife within Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park. Construction is scheduled for spring 2026 with an…

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…

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 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,…

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…