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Your Questions Answered December 2022Q: Why do I need a permit to construct a water well?A: A well construction permit is required before installation of a water well within the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District). The permits ensure that wells are constructed by qualified contractors to meet rigid safety and durability standards and protect the groundwater resource.Q: Does it matter what part of the District…

The District recently honored 26 water resources education projects at its “Partners in Watershed Education” awards luncheon and conference. The award-winning projects were completed by teachers and their students, community members, local governments, nonprofit groups and District-sponsored programs that use volunteers to educate others about water resources. The District holds the awards ceremony every two years and projects from throughout its 16 counties are…

Representatives from the Tampa Water Department were honored Tuesday with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board.The board chose the Tampa Water Department “Sensible Sprinkling and Irrigation Evaluation” program because it educates participants about outdoor water use efficiency. Participants receive a free evaluation performed by a certified irrigation auditor and a detailed report with…

All residents remain under one-day-per-week watering restrictions with stricter watering hoursThe Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to declare a Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage due to ongoing drought conditions throughout the region, which requires all residents, including those on private wells, to follow one-day-…

Tampa Bay Water service area remains at highest alert levelThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted to continue the Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use in the Tampa Bay Water service area until July 31, 2009.The Board also voted to extend Phase III restrictions for Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties until July 31, 2009 and to extend the Phase II restrictions for the remaining…

July 2025Q: What is a prescribed burn?A: A prescribed burn, also known as a prescribed fire, is a fire intentionally ignited by land managers to meet specific land management goals and objectives. The burns follow a written prescription, which outlines the defined fire treatment area, specific weather parameters that are required to meet the objectives, the tactics staff will use, and the staffing and equipment resources that are required to…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's executive director":http://www.watermatters.org declared an emergency order to increase "water restrictions":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/swfwmd.php including limiting lawn watering to once per week in the Tampa Bay area due to continued drought conditions.Executive Director Blake Guillory declared a "Modified Phase II emergency water shortage order":http://swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/…

Five counties within the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/16-county region are now under a Modified "Phase III":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/phase3.php water shortage order due to below normal rainfall this winter.The District's Governing Board voted today 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…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is partnering with the "Science and Environment Council (SEC) of Sarasota County":http://www.secsc.org to teach area residents about watersheds.Sarasota County's Fourth Annual WOW! Water Opportunities Week Nov. 5–13 will be filled with fun, nature-based activities for the whole family that teach awareness and good stewardship of watersheds."Watersheds ":/education/watersheds are…

Restrictions eased on car washing, pressure washing, fountains and air-conditioningThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted to modify and continue the Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use in theTampa Bay Water service area until August 31, 2009.Under the revised Phase IV order, lawn watering remains limited to the same once-per-week schedule from midnight to 4 a.m. for properties less than one…

Region at highest alert level and subject to modified Phase IV water restrictionsThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted to enact Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use in the Tampa Bay Water service area. These are the District’s highest level of water shortage measures.The Tampa Bay Water’s six member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the…

The District is taking the state’s annual water conservation efforts in April to another level as the need to conserve is more important than ever. “April is part of Florida’s dry season and the time when the District makes an extra effort to remind residents about the need to conserve,” said Michael Molligan, communications director. “However, this year our water supplies are extremely low, so we have been stepping up our public awareness campaign because we need…

  April is Water Conservation Month for a reason. It is the time of year in our state when the demand for water resources is high and the supply is low. Although the spring months are typically the driest part of the year, this year’s recent warmer-than-usual temperatures and less-than-average rainfall have resulted in severely low water resources. “We are currently in a moderate drought, with the northern region of our District more heavily affected,” said…

Each year, the District conducts annual surveys of public and private potable water suppliers. These surveys are an important source of data and information that are used to support the District’s water resource programs and initiatives, including water supply planning, water use permitting and water conservation.2025 Public Supply Annual Reports (PSARs)Getting Started: Data Validation

• Review your service area map…

Who:Canterbury School of Florida teachers and students, Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Coast Guard, the Pinellas County Science Center and Tampa Bay WatchWhat:The Canterbury School of Florida is celebrating the grand opening of the Marine Studies Education Center at its Knowlton campus.District staff will be among the guest speakers. The school received a Splash! mini-grant for a project that focused on learning about native…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, Radio Disney and the Pier Aquarium are inviting families to participate in a variety of interactive educational activities on Saturday, October 1.The day begins at 10 a.m. at the Pier. Visitors can take part in the grand opening of the new Water Walk Exhibit. The Pier Aquarium created the colorful outdoor educational display that leads visitors along the walkway to the Pier. The District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board approved the purchase of a 153-acre parcel of land in Hillsborough County. This acquisition will be added to the 4,367 acres that the District owns within the Tampa Bay Estuarine Ecosystem project.The property, commonly known as the Fulkerson Road shell pit, is located about one mile north of the Hillsborough/Manatee County line and just west of U.S. Hwy. 41.The property is being purchased for $828,000 from…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us "Peace River Basin Board(Peace River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/peace.php has partnered with the "Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District(Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District)":http://www.highlandsswcd.org/ to help homeowners improve the efficiency of their irrigation systems.The pilot project involves bringing a "mobile…

Does the District forecast river flooding?The District does not forecast river flooding. We refer to the Southeast River Forecast Center, an agency of the National Weather Service. The public can use their interactive map to view forecast locations experiencing flooding and links to detailed forecast information. The National Weather Service also establishes flood stage categories and thresholds. While local news sources…