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The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board and the City of Punta Gorda are among the stakeholders who signed a plan today that will improve water quality in the Shell Creek and Prairie Creek watersheds, Punta Gorda’s primary water supply source.By signing the Shell CreekPrairie Creek Watershed Management Plan, stakeholders of diverse interests are coming together to join forces and work to address water quality issues in a…

Overview Applicants will be asked to break this down in more detail in the application. Students will work together to test various water quality parameters and conduct a macroinvertebrate sampling at locations along the Hillsborough River. To determine a healthy ecosystem, students will work in groups and use different monitoring tools to collect data on the river’s temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and nutrient levels. Students…

Region at highest alert level and subject to modified Phase IV water restrictionsThe Tampa Bay Water service area remains under the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use. These are the District’s highest level of water shortage measures.The Tampa Bay Water’s six member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the cities of Tampa, New…

New Governing Board Member Sworn In New Governing Board member Pat Symons is getting used to her role at the District. Gov. Jeb Bush appointed Symons in March. Patsy C. Symons of Arcadia is owner/president of Symons Groves, Inc. Symons succeeds Pamela L. Fentress, whose term expired March 1, 2004. Symons also assumed responsibility as co-chair ex officio of the District’s Peace River Basin Board. Ms. Symons says she applied to become a board member…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County.Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.Some major benefits of prescribed…

It was all treats and no tricks as the District, Polk County and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection celebrated the grand opening of Polk’s Nature Discovery Center at the Circle B Bar Reserve on Halloween. “This twenty-first century facility will give children who are not exposed to the environment an opportunity to touch and feel nature,” said David Moore, District executive director. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests toured the Nature…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority are working together on a project that will connect Sarasota County’s Carlton Water Treatment Facility to an existing water line to the north.This project is one component of the Regional Integrated Loop, which transmits alternative water supplies such as surface water and brackish ground water across four counties. This pipeline will allow the Authority to…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns January through March at the following Pasco County properties:

• Cypress Creek Preserve
• Starkey Wilderness Preserve
• Upper Hillsborough Preserve

…

Canal Prevents Flooding  The gates are partially closed at Structure 155, allowing only minimal flow downstream. Behind the structure, the river is going over a spillway into the Tampa Bypass Canal. "Bad things happen in threes.” Not many people in west-central Florida would argue with that old saying. After suffering through Hurricanes Charley and Frances, the region bore the fury of Hurricane Jeanne, the storm ripping across the central peninsula…

A cooperative project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Lake Wales will reduce flooding near Twin Lakes.During 2004 and 2005, the water levels within Twin Lakes rose significantly and caused flooding in several apartments located east of the lakes. Some of the apartments flooded more than once.According to computer modeling, the 100-year/five-day storm event flood elevations for the lakes would be more the 14 inches higher than the…

Rainfall deficits remain in all 16 countiesThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to extend all Phase II and Phase III water restrictions.Despite some instances of short-term heavy rainfall this summer that caused temporary, localized flooding, all of the counties within the District still have rainfall deficits and water levels are already declining.The Board voted to continue the…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through September on Starkey Wilderness Preserve, Conner Preserve, Upper Hillsborough Preserve and Cypress Creek Preserve.Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and south of State Road…

District staff helped community leaders celebrate the completion of the Lutz Lake Fern Road Trailhead and new section of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, which now connects to the Suncoast Trail. Hillsborough County recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new segment. The 4.35-mile section marks the completion of the northernmost segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail.  Colleen Kruk, the District’s lead land use specialist, spoke at the event, noting this…

Area Returns to Phase III Water Restrictions In August the District’s Governing Board voted to reduce the water restrictions in the Tampa Bay Water service area from Modified Phase IV (or Critical) to Modified Phase III (or Extreme) for potable water use. The Board voted to ease the water restrictions because Tampa Bay Water has been able to store 8.3 billion gallons of water in the 15-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir. However, District staff…

Your Questions Answered November 2022 Q: What is the SWIM Program? A: The Surface Water Improvement and Management or SWIM Program evaluates priority water bodies, identifies issues and drivers, and implements projects to improve water quality and habitat. In 1987, the Florida Legislature established the SWIM Act to protect, maintain, and restore Florida's surface water bodies. The Act required the five water…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River during the week of April 2-5.District workers will treat scattered infestations on the river from upstream of KP Hole Park to the Withlacoochee River.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K and post warning signs in the treatment areas noting treatment dates and water use restrictions. Treated river water should not be used for…

Tampa Bay Regional Reclaimed Water and Downstream Augmentation Project The Tampa Bay area already leads the nation in the reuse of reclaimed water. An innovative new project will make a good system even better, making use of both dry-season and wet-season supplies. The Tampa Bay Regional Reclaimed Water and Downstream Augmentation Project is an ambitious reclaimed water project that will save millions of gallons of potable water per day, make additional water…

What:“A River Runs Through It” celebration at Hillsborough River State Park. This event wraps up Hillsborough Watershed Awareness Week. The event goal is to teach the public about the watershed through a variety of activities, including a canoe race on the river, hiking and other environmental educational activities focusing on the Hillsborough River. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to sign a watershed pledge and commit to behaviors…

District staffers and Board members who participated in the Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup spent their Saturday cleaning up the shoreline at DeSoto Park on McKay Bay. More than a dozen District employees and Board members recently took part in one of Tampa’s largest volunteer events — the 20th Annual Mayor’s Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. The District joined forces with more than 1,200 volunteers to scour the banks of the Hillsborough…