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The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the remaining days of August and September on the Prairie-Shell Creek property in Charlotte County.The site is west of U.S. Hwy. 17 and east of the Peace River, approximately eight miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Approximately 125 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with Charlotte County to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Charlotte Harbor Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The plan will determine flood elevation levels and flows, water quality, and level of service deficiencies, which means determining when roads or other facilities are flooded beyond the level of adequate service for the community.The Charlotte Harbor CRA is located mid-county…

What springs are located within our District? There are more than 200 springs within the District. There are five first-magnitude spring groups in the District. First-magnitude springs, which are the largest springs by volume of water discharged, release 64.6 million gallons per day or more. The five springs are: Rainbow River, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Homosassa River, Chassahowitzka River and Weeki Wachee River. Together, they discharge more than one…

Board Appointments The District’s Governing Board has three new members and one returning member this spring. Governor Jeb Bush reappointed Edward W. Chance and appointed Jennifer Closshey, Neil Combee and Todd Pressman to the District’s Governing Board in April. Edward W. Chance of Palmetto, retired, was reappointed for a term beginning April 14 and ending March 1, 2009. He has served on the Governing Board since September 2000. Chance…

 Tampa Bypass Canal Structure 160 is one of the 81 water-control structures the District operates in its 16-county area. With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting 14 to 23 named storms this hurricane season, the District’s Operations Department is standing by and ready for what could prove to be a very active summer. “All of the District’s 81 structures are inspected regularly to ensure proper functioning,” said David…

The watershed includes a rich mosaic of natural habitats: hardwood swamps, pine flatwoods, sandhills, oak hammocks, salt barrens and cypress domes. Saw palmetto thrives in the watershed’s flatwoods and sandhills where the sandy soil is well-drained. It forms dense colonies with ground-hugging, serpentine trunks and clusters of green, fanlike fronds. A variety of trees also make their home here, including sweet gum, water locust, laurel oak, slash pine and the bald…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the consolidation of three water use permits (WUP) for Sarasota County Utilities.The consolidated permit does not include an increase in quantities. The three permits that were consolidated allowed an annual average permitted quantity of 13,737,400 gallons per day (gpd). Additional quantities needed during the term of the permit will be met by the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply…

The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract is an ideal place for visitors to explore some of central Florida’s flora and fauna in their natural state. Rainwater drains across the Green Swamp region’s 560,000 acres of wetlands, flatlands and low ridges to form the headwaters of four major rivers: Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha, Hillsborough and Peace. The West Tract’s 37,350 acres of unspoiled habitat is transected by the Florida National Scenic Trail. More than…

Water is restless; it likes to move on a constant journey known as the water cycle. Gravity makes it flow downhill, off your roof, into creeks, down rivers and even over giant waterfalls. Some water soaks into the ground through percolation, but most of it ends up filling the oceans, which cover over two-thirds of the planet. The water cycle doesn’t end in the oceans though. Water at the sea’s surface is able to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of the Mattaniah Property, in partnership with Hillsborough County, in the Alafia River Watershed. This 629-acre parcel of land adjoins the Alafia River Reserve, which is in existing District ownership and managed by Polk County, and contains portions of English Creek, Thirty-mile Creek, and the North Prong of the Alafia River in Hillsborough County.This is the first joint…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is joining forces with the Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance to celebrate the Hillsborough River and its watershed by declaring Nov. 15 through 22 as “Watershed Awareness Week.”The District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board is co-sponsoring Watershed Awareness Week in an effort to foster good watershed stewardship.The Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance is a public-private, non-profit organization that…

Environmentally conscience residents can learn about water conservation, Florida-friendly landscaping and composting at a Haines City Earth Day Celebration.The event, which is Saturday, April 11 from 10am-6pm, is being held at The Health Chic House, 12 N. 5th St. in Haines City.Workshops include Florida-friendly landscaping, composting, rain barrels, micro-irrigation, aquaponics, and other water saving tips.Additional workshops are available as well as several activities,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has activated the Tampa Bypass Canal System due to anticipated heavy rains from Hurricane Milton to help protect the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa from river flooding.The District is preemptively closing S-155 on the Hillsborough River before Hurricane Milton makes landfall to decrease freshwater discharge from the river into Tampa Bay during the forecasted historic storm surge and to minimize flood risks from…