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The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a revised agreement with the St. Johns River Water Management District to provide uniform lawn and landscape irrigation measures throughout unincorporated Marion County and the City of Ocala during both temporary drought and normal year-round conditions.Marion County and Ocala are divided between the two water management districts, with the boundary roughly being the path of Interstate…

Seventeen Manatee 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 Manatee County to the strong partnership with Manatee County Schools. Judy Griffin, curriculum specialist for Manatee County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped…

Left: Brandt Henningsen, senior environmental scientist, receives the Excellence in Restoration Award. Right: Rendering of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. Brandt Henningsen, senior environmental scientist, has worked at the District for almost two decades restoring Tampa Bay habitat. Now the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recognized him for his dedication. NOAA’s Restoration Center recently presented Henningsen with the…

Two Tampa area home builders were honored for their use of water-wise landscaping.John Cannon Homes was presented with the Water-Wise Landscape Recognition Award Thursday at the annual Tampa Bay Home Builders Association Spring Parade of Homes banquet. Homes by John C Fowke received the Honorable Mention award.The winning design can be seen at John Cannon Homes Bondi model, 3129 Christophers Watch Lane in the Little Harbor Community in Ruskin. The design, landscaping and…

October 2023Q: What kind of recreation opportunities does the District offer?A: There are thousands of acres of recreational lands throughout the District and access to most of them is free to visitors. If you are into biking, birding, boating, camping, canoeing and paddling, equestrian activities, fishing, hiking or hunting, there’s something for everyone on the nearly 70 properties. Several District properties offer picnic facilities, and…

Learn how you can help Protect the Chassahowitzka River » Purchased in the early 1990s, this property is part of a large greenway of public lands that protects the Chassahowitzka Swamp ecosystem and wildlife resources. The Chassahowitzka River's headwaters, several tributaries and springs are within this tract and are known locally for their great sportfishing and…

District staff often will say their co-workers feel like family. But for some employees, it really is true. Here’s a few stories of family connections at the District: Tradesworker Tyler Ledington was excited to join the District eight months ago. Growing up, he saw how the District provided for his mom, senior administrative assistant Susie Holton. Susie, a 35-year veteran of the District, took Tyler to many “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” events.  The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $113,138 in grants to 52 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 awareness…

 The Flatford Swamp tract encompasses nearly all of the Flatford Swamp wetland ecosystem and is the primary surface water feature in the Upper Myakka River watershed. These wetlands are a part of the headwaters of the Myakka River and have a major influence on the water flow and quality of the river, Upper Myakka Lake and the waters within Myakka River State Park. The upper…

Ensuring that central Florida has the water it needs is at the core of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI). Three water management districts -- the St. Johns River, South Florida and Southwest Florida – are finding new sources and new ways, through the CFWI, to maintain and build the area's water supply, while protecting the area's natural resources. Practicing water conservation at home is also critical to helping ensure adequate water supply in the community…

Ensuring that central Florida has the water it needs is at the core of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI). Three water management districts -- the St. Johns River, South Florida and Southwest Florida – are finding new sources and new ways, through the CFWI, to maintain and build the area's water supply, while protecting the area's natural resources. Practicing water conservation at home is also critical to helping ensure adequate water supply in the community…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $113,138 in grants to 52 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 awareness…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored four outstanding Polk County water resources education projects. A total of 26 projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.

• Johnna Martinez was recognized for her work with the Lakes Education/Action Drive program, which informed Polk County residents about water resource and water quality issues, as well as lake…

John Finnerty, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco, left; Ron Oakley, former District Governing Board chair, center; and Susan Douglas, District Florida Water StarSM (FWS) program coordinator, recently attended the groundbreaking of two Florida Water StarSM homes in Lacoochee. Habitat volunteers built the Lacoochee houses during National Women Build Week in May. These are the first two Habitat homes in Pasco County to be…

More than 160 people representing local governments, utilities and various industries came together Friday, March 23, at the Hilton Ocala Hotel for the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s first northern Water Conservation Summit.Held in partnership with the Suwannee River and St. Johns River water management districts, the summit served as an exchange of ideas on how local governments and utilities in the District’s northern region can plan for future…