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November 2023Q: How can I save water when preparing holiday meals?A:  Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them. Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use approximately 2 gallons of water per minute.Q: What can I do to reduce…

Five counties within the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s region are now under a Modified Phase III water shortage order due to below-normal rainfall this winter. The District’s Governing Board voted last month to declare the Phase III order for northern counties in the District’s region, which are: Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, and Sumter as well as the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County. A Modified Phase I alert remains in effect for the…

As the weather gets cooler, now is the time for Floridians to get outside and enjoy a variety of recreational activities. Each issue of WaterMatters features a different District property ready for you to explore. These public lands are close to home and are free or very inexpensive to use. This issue features the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve (Preserve) in Hillsborough County. The 16,000-acre Preserve…

Twelve Highlands County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’s…

Workshop to follow at 9:30 a.m.The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. After the Governing Board meeting, there will be an informational workshop to review the District’s project and financial projections.To view the Governing Board meeting online, click…

Volunteers participating in cleanup. More than 50 District employees, Board members and their friends and families were among the hundreds of volunteers taking part in the 21st Annual Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. This annual event, held in November, is one of Tampa’s largest volunteer activities. Each year, volunteers scour dozens of shoreline locations along the Hillsborough River and connected waterways to pick up litter and remove…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, June 24 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the…

The District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday for the latest slate of officers for the 2022-2023 term. Governing Board members are unpaid, citizen volunteers who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The Governing Board sets policy for the District, whose mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks and ensure the public’s water needs are met. The new officers are:…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, May 20 at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the live…

 Dave Kupstas, general manager, and Rich Closs, service director, proudly display the Lakeview Grille’s Water PRO certificate. The District’s Water Program for Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO) celebrated its first anniversary with the signing of the 200th restaurant, thanks to the Lakeview Grille at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club in Hillsborough County. “More and more restaurant owners and managers are learning that participating in Water PRO is good…

Just east of New Tampa’s subdivisions is an area where riders can wander through shaded forested wetlands and sunny pine flatwoods. The Oak Ridge Equestrian Area is a 1,000-acre wilderness made to order for equestrian enthusiasts. The area is part of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, one of the largest premier contiguous recreation areas in Hillsborough County. While the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department manages many park…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, April 22 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the…

The Chassahowitzka Springs form the headwaters of the Chassahowitzka River in the town of Homosassa. It is considered one of the more scenic rivers in Florida as it flows nearly seven miles through mostly undeveloped area before discharging into the Gulf of America near the Citrus and Hernando County border. Most of the lands adjacent to the river are in public ownership, meaning they will retain much of their natural beauty for generations to come.…

Whether your favorite outdoor activity is camping, kayaking, hiking or horseback riding, the District has the place for you to get outside and do your thing. The District owns a variety of properties that include more than 343,000 acres of land open for public recreation. And while about 2.5 million people visit these properties each year, many people don’t realize these recreational opportunities are located just minutes from their homes. That’s why WaterMatters…

Just in time for National Public Lands Day, the District is launching its “Get Outside!” campaign on September 26 to promote the District’s lands to the public. “Get Outside!” is a communications campaign based on research that focuses on what would make people more likely to get outside on District lands. The goal of the campaign is to promote the value of ecosystem protection through recreation on conservation lands. The District has…

As teachers go back to school, the Southwest Florida Water Management District would like to remind them about another important date to add to their calendar. The deadline to "apply for a Splash! mini-grant":/education/minigrants/ is Sept. 11, 2009.The goal of the mini-grant program is to promote hands-on water resources education that teaches students about their local watersheds and the freshwater resources within them. Splash! mini-grants provide up to $5,000 per school…

The school year may have come to an end, but educators interested in securing grant funding for next year can begin applying online for a Southwest Florida Water Management District Splash! mini-grant.Grant funding is for classroom projects that focus on water quality, natural systems, water conservation, alternative water sources, flood protection or watersheds.The goal of the mini-grant program is to promote hands-on water resources education that teaches students about…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the…

Polk County students at 11 schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Polk County awardees are:* Herbert Maysonet, *Auburndale High*, was awarded $2,930. Students will learn to collect and test water samples from local ponds. They will explore various pollutants and learn how water is treated to eliminate…

Dozens of paddlers recently joined the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition team on their excursion along the Rainbow River.  The District recently hosted the Rainbow River Paddle trail mixer in partnership with the expedition at Rainbow Springs State Park. Despite some chilly temperatures, more than 50 people came out to paddle in the event.  Before people launched their canoes and kayaks, they had a chance to meet the expedition team and some of the…