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Recycled Water – Safely Supplying Florida’s Future. What is Potable Reuse?Potable reuse refers to highly treated recycled water from various sources people can use for drinking, cooking or bathing.Is Recycled Water Safe for People to Drink?Yes. This type of recycled water uses proven technology to make the water safe. The water meets or is a higher quality than strict state and federal drinking water …

Are stormwater systems designed to withstand a 100-year flood event? In some circumstances, permitted stormwater systems are designed to manage a 100-year, 24-hour rainfall event. In what is called a “closed” drainage basin, stormwater ponds must not only limit the rate of discharge to the pre-development 25-year, 24-hour rate, but they must also be designed to limit the volume of discharge to the pre-development 100-year, 24-hour…

The Tampa Bypass Canal (TBC) is a 14-mile waterway that connects the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve with McKay Bay. The canal provides flood protection for the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa by diverting floodwaters from the Hillsborough River. The canal is also a water supply source for the city of Tampa.

At the water management conference Eric Draper, policy director for Audubon of Florida; Sen. Paula Dockery (R-Lakeland); Jerry G. Hill, Authority chair and DeSoto County Commissioner; and David L. Moore, District executive director, together. During the Annual Conference on Water Management in September, Audubon of Florida presented the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (Authority) with a special award for using alternative water supply…

 The property was acquired for protection of the area's groundwater recharge, as well as important surface water features and wetland habitats. The preserve's wetlands play a role in both the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and the Withlacoochee River systems, part of the Floridan aquifer's recharge/discharge system. Additionally, the site provides habitat to wildlife, including a small population of threatened Florida scrub-jays.

From left: Sammy Malone, WYME Trailblazers; Fritz Musselmann. land resources director; Merrill Firmani and Elizabeth Shupe, South Creek Equestrian Riders. Two young adults, two campground hosts and an equestrian group who participate in the District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program have been recognized by the President of the United States. These volunteers received the President’s Volunteer Service Award at the January Governing Board meeting. The award,…

Your Questions Answered October 2020 If you received your property tax assessments recently, you may have noticed a line item from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District.) The District manages the water resources through a variety of activities that support water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Budget Manager Mike Cacioppo explains how your tax dollars…

The Florida black bear is the largest native land mammal in Florida. It is shy and secretive, hiding in dense vegetation and rarely seen in the wild. The Florida black bear has a shiny, black coat of long fur and a light brown nose and snout. Some black bears have white diamond-shaped patterns on their chests. The black bear has a short tail that is almost always hidden by its long fur, and long, sharp claws that help the bear climb trees or dig for food. Bears are…

Six projects in the Manasota Basin were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Manasota Basin includes Manatee and Sarasota counties. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 49 grants Districtwide for a total of $171,444. This is the 10th year Community Education Grants have been available.The…

Ramon F. Campo, left, and Edward W. Chance, right. Two former Governing Board members who recently passed away will be remembered for their dedication to the District. Ramon F. Campo An oak tree was planted at the Tampa Service Office this February in memory of Ramon “Ray” F. Campo, who served on the Governing Board from 1991 to 1999. “Many of the philosophies and programs the District employs today sprang from the efforts and vision and…

 Aripeka Sandhills Preserve was acquired as part of the Weekiwachee Preserve on November 8, 2007. This was a joint acquisition with the District and Pasco County. Funding was provided by Penny for Pasco.The preserve is part of a regional system of conservation lands that extends up to Crystal River Buffer Preserve, preserving the southernmost coastal hardwood hammock in western Florida. As part of this large preserve, Aripeka Sandhills preserves important habitat…

Deborah Webb, student intern,working on the Alkalinity Titrator; Matt Jablonski, staff chemist, measures chlorophyll concentrations. Every day, Laura Casino, District chemist, takes water samples from ice-filled coolers delivered to the lab for chlorophyll analysis. Since chlorophyll degrades quickly, the samples are collected in opaque containers that protect it from any light and then preserved in ice. Laura removes the containers, taking short breaks between…

To improve accuracy, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has upgraded the datum used to record water level elevation.  The District has upgraded the datum, or starting point, used to record water level elevation at its data collection sites. Water elevation is measured in feet above mean sea level. The datum was upgraded from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88…

January 2026Q: Why should homeowners skip a week of irrigation in the winter?A: According to research by the University of Florida, grass only needs one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days in the winter. That means you can skip a week of irrigation in the cooler months. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it manually as needed. It’s important…

 Purchased to provide flood protection and serve as a public water supply, Cypress Creek's floodplain helps filter nutrients in runoff waters. Cypress Creek Well Field serves as an important source of water for the surrounding region and is managed by Tampa Bay Water (TBW). Cypress Creek is a tributary of the Hillsborough River. Within the property, the creek threads its way through an expanse of cypress and hardwood forests. Slash pine, longleaf pine and palmetto grow…

Two equestrian groups and a middle school student are among the volunteers honored Tuesday at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board meeting in Brooksville.The volunteers, who take part in the District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program, received the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor that recognizes volunteer dedication and signifies that each volunteer has served the community and country with distinction.The…

January 2023 Q: What is vegetation management? A: Vegetation management is the targeted control of nuisance and invasive exotic vegetation. These operations are conducted on both District-owned lands and on District-managed public waterbodies. This includes the control of both aquatic vegetation, growing in or near water, and terrestrial vegetation, growing on land. Q: Why is vegetation management important…