Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will conduct an inspection of the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure located in Levy County on the Inglis Bypass Channel. The inspection has been scheduled to take place Tuesday, June 9. During that time, the water control gates will need to be partially or fully closed. Closings are anticipated to occur during daylight hours and for a duration not exceeding eight hours per closing. The channel…

Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard calls it “another gem in the crown of Clearwater,” but Kapok Park wasn’t always a beautiful public green space, home to roseate spoonbills, wood storks, sandpipers and many other shorebirds. In December, Representative Gus Bilirakis joined members of the District’s Governing and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin boards, along with the Clearwater mayor and several city staff members, in celebrating the completion of a $19.3 million floodplain…

The Governing Board declared April Springs Protection Awareness Month at today’s Governing Board meeting. The move is part of the District’s ongoing effort to restore and protect area springs and encourage community involvement.  The Governing Board also recognized the Springs Coast Steering Committee, which is made up of members of local, regional and state agencies. One of their main goals is to develop management plans tailored for each spring system to identify…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on "Shell and Prairie creeks(Prairie-Shell Creek)":/recreation/areas/prairie_shell_creek.html during the week of June 7-11.District workers will treat portions of the creeks upstream of the Henderson Dam.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations, and post warning signs in…

Left: David Moore, District executive director, and Virginia Harrell unveil a plaque declaring the Roy G. Harrell, Jr. Education Station at Spa Beach. Right: Todd Pressman, Governing Board secretary and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board co-chair ex officio, speaks about Harrell’s legacy as Sallie Parks, Governing Board member and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board co-chair ex officio, and James E. Martin, former Governing Board chair, look on. Visitors to The…

The District’s Governing Board voted unanimously in October to tighten water restrictions in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. The Governing Board was responding to a request by Tampa Bay Water, the region’s wholesale water supplier, because its water supplies have not returned to pre-drought conditions. “The Tampa Bay area is the most impacted region in the District,” said David Moore, District executive director. “The water shortage order in the Tampa…

Todd Pressman, Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board co-chair, third from left, joins the Oldsmar mayor, city council and utility staff for the groundbreaking of the city’s reverse osmosis plant. District Board members and Pinellas County, Oldsmar and District staff were on hand as the city of Oldsmar broke ground on its reverse osmosis water treatment plant. The plant, capable of producing two million gallons per day, is part of a $20 million project to provide…

Babb Will Represent Hillsborough County Michael A. Babb Gov. Rick Scott appointed Michael A. Babb to the District’s Governing Board in June. Babb is from Hillsborough County and is president of Two Rivers Ranch, Inc. in Thonotosassa. He was appointed to succeed Maritza Rovira-Forino and will represent Hillsborough County interests on the Board. His term ends March 1, 2014. A native of Richmond, Va., Babb graduated from Godwin High School in Richmond…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is assisting the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in performing maintenance on the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure located in Levy County on the Inglis Bypass Channel. The work is scheduled to take place from Feb. 28 to March 9.During that time, the water control gates will need to be partially or fully closed. Closings are anticipated to occur during daylight hours and for a…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of New Port Richey will expand the availability of reclaimed water to nearly 500 residents.The project includes the construction of approximately 26,800 feet of reclaimed water distribution lines in the neighborhoods north of Main Street and east of U.S. Highway 19.This project will provide approximately 217,200 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water for irrigation to approximately 483 homes…

The Florida Audubon Society has recognized a Southwest Florida Water Management District employee for his extraordinary contribution to saving places that make Florida special.Henry Dean, Audubon Board member and former Executive Director of the St. Johns River and South Florida Water Management Districts, presented the Florida Audubon Special Places Award to Fritz Musselmann, land resources director, during Audubon’s Annual Assembly.The award was presented to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday concurred with an executive order issued earlier this month allowing Tampa Bay Water to augment the Hillsborough River Reservoir with water from the middle pool of the Tampa Bypass Canal.The Hillsborough River Reservoir is the City of Tampa’s main resource for providing potable water to approximately 520,000 residents. As of May 4, the reservoir was at 18.5 feet, a level that is normally…

A series of workshops aimed at familiarizing seasonal residents of Crystal Springs and Zephyrhills with Florida habitat and Florida-friendly landscape practices will begin March 6 at the Crystal Springs Preserve.The series of “Welcome to Our Watershed” workshops will encourage residents to take an active role in protecting the portion of the Hillsborough River watershed that travels through their neighborhoods. Participants who complete the workshop series will…

Butterfly lovers will have a weekend to explore the Museum of Science and Industry’s (MOSI) Bio Work’s Butterfly Garden at no charge.Butterfly Weekend at MOSI is being held Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday Sept. 25. The Bio Works Butterfly Garden will be open to the public, free of charge, on both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Besides exploring the Bio Works Butterfly Garden, attendees will also be able to participate in several hands-on activities on Saturday, Sept. 24.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the public to participate in a workshop aimed at updating the management plan for the Chassahowitzka Riverine Swamp Sanctuary property.The workshop will be held at the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park visitor center on U.S. 19 (4150 South Suncoast Blvd.) on Tuesday, July 26, at 6 p.m.The Sanctuary property encompasses approximately 5,700 acres, which protects an extensive area of coastal floodplain and…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hillsborough County will bring reclaimed water to the Lithia-Pinecrest area.The Lithia-Pinecrest Reclaimed Water Transmission Line Project includes the construction of 12,000 linear feet of 24-inch reclaimed water transmission main line along Lithia Pinecrest Road from Bloomingdale Avenue to the entrance road to the Riverhills Golf Course. The project also includes the related controls and telemetry…

Editor’s note: Read in tomorrow’s blog how you can visit Three Sisters Springs for free this weekend. The District recently completed the Three Sisters Springs Bank Stabilization Project in Crystal River, which restored the shoreline and created safer conditions around the spring.  Before the project,…

Susanna Martinez Tarokh1-800-423-1476, ext. 2008 orCell Phone: (813) 781-9817The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted today to exchange properties with Hillsborough County in an effort to work together to protect conservation land. The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve this same effort at their regular meeting on April 20.The District agreed to exchange approximately 205 acres of land with the County for…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Hernando and Pasco Counties' Squirrel Prairie and Pithlachascotee River Headwaters watersheds. Most of the currently available floodplain information is 10 to 30 years old and is outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.Residents living in the Squirrel Prairie…

Homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are invited to “play in the dirt” at this year’s Florida Yard Fandango March 10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.This is the second year the Florida-friendly gardening event is being held at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI.)The goal of the Fandango is to promote Florida-friendly landscaping and lawn maintenance because it is beautiful and saves water, time and energy. Participants will enjoy touring the butterfly gardens and…