Search Content

Basin Board Members Appointed Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed new members to the Pinellas-Anclote River, Withlacoochee River and Peace River basin boards. Roland Dove and Janet Hoppe were appointed to the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board. Dove, from New Port Richey in Pasco County, succeeded Mitch Hammer. Hoppe, from Indian Shores in Pinellas County, succeeded Chet Renfro. Burton Eno and Alan Grubman were appointed to the Withlacoochee River Basin Board…

We tried everything we could to find a peaceful resolution, but the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) seems intent on fighting a legal battle. The PRWC filed a legal challenge to a proposed permit that would allow the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (PRMRWSA) to withdraw additional quantities from the Peace River. An administrative law judge ordered all parties to meet in an effort to amicably resolve the litigation. The parties agreed to engage…

May 2023 Q:  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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with the City of Winter Haven to improve water quality in Lake Howard by treating stormwater runoff that flows into the lake.Lake Howard is a 628-acre lake located west of downtown Winter Haven and is one of 16 interconnected lakes known as the Southern Winter Haven Chain of Lakes, which is a State Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Priority Water Body.During the past 10 years, the water quality in Lake…

Two Polk County projects, cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, to improve water quality by treating stormwater runoff within the Ridge Lakes watershed will be complete in July.The first project consists of a stormwater treatment system for Lake Menzie. The project includes retrofitting two stormwater pipes that directly discharge into Lake Menzie. These retrofits include two swales, a retention basin, and a long infiltration basin. These…

Environmental enthusiasts of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy a free community fair being held at the Hillsborough River State Park, May 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.The 9th Annual “A River Runs Through It” community fair features watershed education workshops, watershed educational bingo, children’s activities and educational displays. Visitors can also canoe, fish or take a nature hike.The workshops include the award-winning Frog Listening Network,…

  This October the District is collaborating with the Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance to raise watershed awareness by declaring Oct. 20–27 as Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week. The Hillsborough River originates in the Green Swamp and is approximately 54 miles long. Part of the river is designated as an Outstanding Florida Water. The Hillsborough River watershed encompasses approximately 950 square miles. The watershed is located within…

_District partnering with Sarasota County on purchase_The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard approved the acquisition of conservation easements on the Walton and Longino ranches in Sarasota County today, which will link a regional corridor of conservation lands between the Myakka and Peace rivers.The "District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of a 4,357-acre conservation easement over a portion of the approximately 16,315-acre Carlton Horse Creek Ranch. The acquisition is in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of State Lands (DSL). DSL will negotiate a conservation easement over the remaining 11,958 acres. Horse Creek Ranch is located across both Hardee and DeSoto…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is closing navigation on the Hillsborough River at Structure S-155 to meet safety standards.Due to the high velocity of water from recent above-average rainfall, boat barriers will be put in place where I-75 crosses the Hillsborough River, restricting navigation in that area. The S-155 structure is part of the Tampa Bypass Canal System and located north of Morris Bridge Road and east of I-75. It can be seen from I-75…

OverviewApplicants will be asked to break this down in more detail in the application. Students will learn about local freshwater ecosystems in west-central Florida, with a focus on our magnificent springs. After an introductory lesson on habitats and ecosystems, students will dive deeper to learn about springs, the wildlife they support and their connection to the aquifer below. As part of their exploration, students will complete the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is closing navigation on the Hillsborough River at Structure S-155 to meet Federal safety standards.Due to the high velocity of water from Tropical Storm Debby, boat barriers will be put in place where I-75 crosses the Hillsborough River, restricting navigation in that area. The S-155 structure is part of the Tampa Bypass Canal System and located north of Morris Bridge Road and east of I-75. It can be seen from I-75…

Governing and Basin Board members recently toured project sites in four of the District’s 16 counties. Board members visited projects in Myakka City, the Lake Wales Ridge area, Homosassa’s Chassahowitzka Spring and the Edward Medard Reservoir in Plant City. Myakka River Watershed The first tour offered Board members an opportunity to visit a Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) project and travel through a variety of public lands in the…

Ken Harrison, Carlton family friend and member of the Peace River Basin Board, led guests on a tour to highlight the property’s diverse habitats. More than 12,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands in Sarasota County that have been part of a family ranch since 1947 will remain natural, thanks to an agreement among the family, the District and Sarasota County. In December 2007, the District and Sarasota County purchased a conservation easement over 7,…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's wildfire emergency last spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns April through June at the Conner Preserve and Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Pasco County. Conner Preserve is located south of State Road 52 and east of U.S.…

Two Sarasota County projects expected to reach more than 2,000 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.…

Two Hardee 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.state.fl.…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's wildfire emergency in early spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of October, November and December at the Conner Preserve and Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Pasco County. Conner Preserve is located south of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during January and February on the District's Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco and Polk counties. The Upper Hillsborough Preserve is located approximately five miles east of Zephyrhills. Approximately 600 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to…