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The District facilitated five public workshops during the open comment period for the draft Withlacoochee River Watershed Initiative scenarios report. Stakeholder groups and residents were invited to the workshops listed below.
- April 23, 2015: DADE CITY – Pasco High School from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
- April 30, 2015: BUSHNELL – South Sumter High School from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
- May 7, 2015: INVERNESS – Cornerstone Baptist Church from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
- May 13,…
Your Questions AnsweredSeptember 2018Q: Why is the Withlacoochee River experiencing flooding again this year?A: Throughout the spring and summer, above average rainfall has saturated soils and filled wetlands and swamps that are no longer able to store additional rainfall.Q: Is river flooding a normal occurrence?A: …
Your Questions AnsweredJuly 2019The Withlacoochee River is one of the longest and most scenic rivers in the state. As Florida’s third largest river that winds through eight counties, there are many myths about this mighty river. Mark Fulkerson, Ph.D., P.E., Senior Professional Engineer, clarifies some common misconceptions about this 160-mile waterway.Q: Why does the Withlacoochee River run north? Don’t most rivers flow south?A…
(See Upper Hillsborough Preserve for overall information.)
Highlights
- Home to the fourth largest spring in the state of Florida, Rainbow Springs
- Discharges an average of 493 million gallons of water per day into the Withlacoochee River
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water and an Aquatic Preserve
- Located in Marion and Citrus counties
- 73-square-mile watershed
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…
Sometime in the early 1500s — an unknown Spanish cartographer was updating a map of the New World. He sketched a meandering river in a previously uncharted region. Like all cartography, it was part accurate representation, part educated guess. Perhaps out of wishful thinking, he decided to call it Rio de la Paz, or the “Peace River.”To the Seminole Indians, who settled on its banks two centuries later, it was Tallackchopo, “The River of Long…
The Weeki Wachee Springs Restoration Project improved water quality and enhanced the overall natural system.
Project Overview
The Southwest Florida Water Management District restored portions of Weeki Wachee Springs in 2009 to improve water quality in the headspring and the upper river, as well as enhance the overall natural system.
Background
The Weeki Wachee Restoration Project was the second project aimed at cleaning up the springs.
The first project…
The Floridan Aquifer System: A Vital Water SourceDid you know that the Floridan aquifer system stretches over 100,000 square miles and reaches into parts of Alabama, Georgia, and even South Carolina? The upper Floridan aquifer contains about one-fifth the amount of water in all the Great Lakes and is the main source of drinking water for northern and central Florida.What is an Aquifer?An aquifer is an underground layer of rock or…
The District has been working closely with the regional water supply authorities within its boundaries over the last several decades to reduce the region’s reliance on traditional groundwater supplies and achieve environmental recovery by developing alternative water supplies.There is a critical need to develop additional alternative water supplies to meet the region’s substantial population growth and its associated water supply needs. Population growth within the District…
Following the Seminole Wars, the Peace River Valley remained a sparsely settled wilderness, dotted with small farms, citrus groves and cattle ranches. Agriculture was forever changed with the discovery that phosphorus promotes plant growth. Phosphorus is a nonrenewable resource. Phosphate minerals formed millions of years ago when Florida was underwater. It is believed it formed when skeletal remains of animals, organic matter and dissolved phosphorus in seawater…
The majority of the freshwater supply in west-central Florida comes from groundwater, most commonly the Floridan aquifer system. The Floridan aquifer system contains the largest aquifers within the state and stretches 100,000 square miles beneath Florida and parts of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. The Floridan aquifer system has been divided into the Upper Floridan aquifer and Lower Floridan aquifers. Between the aquifers are…
Acquired jointly between the District and Hillsborough County, this property is managed by the Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department. The natural communities on the property include freshwater marshes, riverine floodplains, pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub and oak hammocks. The property supports a variety of wildlife species due to the diversity…
Purchased jointly by the District and Polk County to preserve the natural wetlands (90 percent) and uplands along the upper corridor of the Alafia River, this property is home to many species of wading birds and amphibians that require seasonally flooded areas free of predators to complete their life cycles. Forested hardwood wetlands are the primary natural community. Common trees include sweet gum, laurel oak, ironwood, hickory, sabal palms and bay. Ground cover is…