Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during January and February on three District sites in Pasco County. The sites are the Upper Hillsborough property, the Conner Preserve, and the Starkey property.The Upper Hillsborough property is approximately 3 miles east of Zephyrhills. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of…

Access presentations, research and other materials about the benefits of purified recycled water.Publications        Research   Educational Resources Project WET Water Reuse Activity Booklet The…

 Community leaders flip the switch on the new phase of the pipeline project. The Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority has completed another connection in its regional loop system, which greatly benefits the City of Punta Gorda. The agency recently dedicated the completion of the Phase 1A Interconnect Pipeline Project. The project spans the Peace River and includes nine miles of pipeline, a high-service pump station, and water storage to…

Margaret Blommel, District land use specialist, stands where she assisted authorities in entering the Upper Hillsborough Tract after the plane crash. Margaret Blommel, District land use specialist, was instrumental in assisting authorities with a recent plane crash investigation at the Upper Hillsborough Tract. Blommel heard on the television news of a plane crash that occurred about 15 miles from her home on Friday, Oct. 23. “They…

Gov. Jeb Bush recently reappointed several members to five of the eight Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The governor also appointed several new Basin Board members.Alafia River Basin Board:James D. Selvey of Brandon was reappointed to the Alafia River Basin Board. He is a real estate broker and the owner of Exit Realty Consultants. Selvey joined the Board March 1, 2002. This term began June 1, 2005 and ends March 1, 2008.Jean C. Tort of…

Purified Recycled Water: Safely Supplying Florida's FutureClean water is vital for a healthy life and successful community. Here in Florida, we use nearly 6.6 billion gallons of water per day. And that number is growing. An estimated 1,000 people move to the state each day and are projected to use an additional 755 million gallons per day by 2045.  Our supply is not endless; expanding the use of purified recycled water is one way we can help ensure there is plenty…

Five Polk County projects expected to reach up to 104,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl…

DeSoto County ranchers can learn how to use soil testing to more effectively fertilize pastures through a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org.The *Range Cattle Research and Education Center* received a $5,000 grant to offer free soil and tissue testing and educational materials to regional beef and forage producers. Reductions in the amount of fertilizer applied…

Charlotte County ranchers can learn how to use soil testing to more effectively fertilize pastures through a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org.The *Range Cattle Research and Education Center* received a $5,000 grant to offer free soil and tissue testing and educational materials to regional beef and forage producers. Reductions in the amount of fertilizer…

June 2024Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season?A:  Year-round, the District operates 84 water control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s structures to ensure they are…

Level 3 Activation – MONITORING ONLYEither a specific situation has been detected that must be monitored or a general state of monitoring exists, as during the hurricane season. The District’s Incident Commander and key Emergency Operations Organization staff monitor the situation during normal business hours and under normal operating conditions.Level 2 Activation – PARTIAL ACTIVATIONA situation expands to a point whereby the District may be adversely affected…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) acquires lands for the conservation and protection of the water and water-related resources, including lakes, rivers, wetlands and estuaries. These conservation lands serve as natural filters improving water quality, storing and retaining flood waters and helping recharge our aquifers. They also are home to many native plants and animals. The District is required to maintain a balance between public access,…

Clockwise, from top left: Paul Senft, Judith C. Whitehead, Hugh M. Gramling and Bryan K. Beswick. Henry “Paul” Senft, Jr., the second Governing Board member to serve in a newly created position, took his oath of office at the March Governing Board meeting. Senft was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to a newly created seat representing Polk County. The Governing Board was previously made up of 11 seats. Last year the state Legislature added two…

Your Questions Answered May 2022 Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season? A:  Year-round, the District operates 85 water-control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s…

Your Questions AnsweredNovember 2021Florida has the largest concentration of springs in the world, with more than 200 springs within the boundaries of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These natural wonders rely on rainfall to replenish their water source, and Dr. Madison Trowbridge explains how the rainy season provides big benefits for Florida’s springs.Q: What is spring flow?A: Spring flow is the amount of water that…

Three Highlands County projects expected to reach up to 2,200 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.…

Three reappointed members of the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board took their oaths of office during the Basin Board’s August meeting.Rufus Lazzell, Paul Samuels and Fred Trippensee were all reappointed by Governor Charlie Crist in June.Lazzell is from Punta Gorda. He is a retired US Army Brigadier General and former mayor of Punta Gorda. His term ends March 1, 2012.Trippensee is from Avon Park. He is the president of…

The C.W. “Bill” Young Regional Reservoir is the result of the historic Partnership Agreement, which sought to reduce groundwater pumping in the regional wellfields by developing alternative water supplies. While much of the 1990s was characterized by the contentious “water wars” and the signing of the historic Partnership Agreement, the 2000s ushered in a decade of regional cooperation focused on solving the area’s greatest water supply challenges through the…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Town of Dundee will bring reclaimed water to approximately 1,821 residential customers and several commercial customers within Dundee.The Dundee Reclaimed Water Use System Project includes the construction of 18,800 linear feet of reclaimed water transmission main line, a high service pump station and two 2.25 million gallon storage tanks.This project will provide approximately 370,000 gallons of…