Search Content

"Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District land this fall and winter to help reduce the wild hog population.Beginning at 9 a.m. on Oct. 11, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District's web site at "WaterMatters.org/hoghunts/(Feral Hog Hunts)":/hoghunts. Permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through 5 p.m. on Oct…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its proposed Fiscal Year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate and the millage rates for its Basin Boards.The District adopted a fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.3866 mill, which is .0354 less than the current fiscal year. This reduction is in accordance with the tax reduction mandated by the Florida Legislature. FY2008 will run from Oct. 1, 2007, through Sept. 30, 2008.The FY2008 millage rate…

 The Myakka River, designated as an Outstanding Florida Water, flows through the northeast portion of the forest, dividing the forest into two tracts, with the larger portion on the west side of the river. Big Slough (also called Myakkahatchee Creek) enters the forest at the northeast and drains into the Myakka River. The western section of the property contains much of the headwaters of Rock Creek, a tributary to Lemon Bay, which is also part of the Charlotte Harbor…

A spring is a place where groundwater discharges from the underlying limestone bedrock to the Earth's surface through a natural opening in the ground. In the Springs Coast Watershed, the Floridan aquifer is close to the land surface, which means that the springs are exposed portions of the aquifer! As windows into the aquifer, springs have long been one of Florida's most valued natural and scenic resources. In 1513, the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon came to Florida in…

 Alberto Martinez, Tampa Regulation Department environmental manager, appears in the District’s Spanish language radio and television advertisements concerning water conservation and the drought. Drought efforts continue to remain a priority as the District anticipates a drier than normal spring. Despite recent rainfall, the District’s 24-month rainfall deficit is 20.9 inches below normal. As a result, river flows, groundwater levels and other hydrologic…

Governing Board Chair Neil Combee (second from right) joined former Governing Board chairs Joe Davis, Jim Allen, Mike Zagorac, Judy Whitehead, Tom Dabney, Heidi McCree and Jerry Rice on a discussion panel at the State of the Water Resources conference. The state of the District’s water resources was the focus of a one-day workshop that brought together decision-makers from across the region and the state. The November workshop provided attendees an update on…

Something special happened this November in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve. Thirteen of fourteen disabled hunters participating in a deer/hog hunt were successful. The event was organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen on land managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The hunters harvested ten deer and seven wild hogs during the two-day event. One young man who battles the effects of cerebral palsy was successful in…

Southwest Florida Water Management District land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District land this fall and winter to help reduce the wild hog population.Beginning at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/hoghunts/. Permits will be available on a first-come, first-…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is hosting two workshops for residents who live along the North Winter Haven Chain of Lakes in Polk County. Lakefront residents of Lakes Conine, Fannie, Haines, Hamilton, Henry, Lowery, Rochelle, Smart and the Peace Creek Canal are invited to attend to learn more about the current structure operational guidelines. The workshops will take place on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 5:…

At its July 25 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.1484 mill, which is .0116 less than the current fiscal year. This reduction is in accordance with the tax reduction mandated by the Florida Legislature.The FY2008 millage rate has been set equal to 97 percent of the rolled-back rate in compliance with House Bill 1B, the tax reform legislation signed into law by Gov.…

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 year. That’s why the…

Six Highlands County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Highlands County to the strong partnership with Highlands County Schools. Dorothea Strickland, Highlands County science curriculum specialist, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped get the word out."The District recognizes…

One newly appointed and one reappointed Governing Board member took the oath of office today to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board.Pat Glass was appointed to the Governing Board. The Palmetto resident is retired and serves as a community volunteer. Glass will also assume responsibility as co-chair ex officio of the District’s Manasota Basin Board. Her term ends March 1, 2009.Glass, a long-time Manatee County commissioner and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday unanimously approved the fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) budget and reduced millage rates. The total FY2008 budget for the District is $395 million, which is an $11.7 million increase over the FY2007 budget of $383.3 million. $1.4 million of the budget increase is due to additional ad valorem tax revenue. The balance of the increase includes additional state funding, interest earnings and balances available…

Jerry Rice, chair; Judy Whitehead, vice chair; Jennifer Closshey, treasurer; and Neil Combee, secretary, were all elected to their positions in May. A unanimous vote at the May Governing Board meeting elected Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice as Governing Board chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “I have had the privilege to serve under four very dynamic and effective chairs, Ronnie Duncan, Tom Dabney, Watson Haynes and Heidi McCree,” said Rice. “…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of a perpetual conservation easement for a 652-acre parcel of land located near the Myakka River State Park, contingent upon cooperative funding with the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP.)The transaction includes the property owner, the Myakkahatchee Ranch, LLC., making a 25 percent…

This property lies along the southern bank of the Withlacoochee River at the northern end of the Tsala Apopka Lake system. The Withlacoochee River is designated as an Outstanding Florida Water, which makes the river highly suitable for recreation, fishing and wildlife. This location on the river is very attractive to recreation users seeking to experience a serene canoe ride or pleasurable hike along the riverbank. Purchased jointly by the state of Florida and the…