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The Southwest Florida Water Management District, Polk County Utilities, and the cities of Lakeland, Winter Haven, Haines City, Auburndale and Polk City are offering city water customers a free landscape and irrigation system evaluation.The free Landscape and Irrigation Evaluation program provides evaluations for customers so they can learn how to make their landscaping and irrigation systems more efficient.Water customers who irrigate with reclaimed or drinking water, and…

Homosassa Springs has been a tourist attraction since the early 1900s and is now located within a state park that features a fishbowl observatory and manatee rehabilitation. About the SpringsThe Homosassa River is a first-magnitude spring system originating in western Citrus County. Homosassa Springs is at the headwaters of this short, slow moving tidal river, which flows 8 miles from the headsprings to where it meets the Gulf of America.Many springs make up the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us and the "City of St. Petersburg(St. Petersburg)":http://www.stpete.org are offering city water customers a free sprinkler system checkup.City of St. Petersburg water customers who have an operating in-ground sprinkler system with a timer are eligible for the free program. Customers who irrigate with reclaimed, well or drinking water can apply for the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 9 a.m. The District holds a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population.What you need to know about Phase 2 hunts:

• Phase 2 will include six hunts that occur throughout January 2026.
• Permits are no longer transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase 2 will be placed…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) does not have fertilizer restrictions, but many counties and municipalities do. Check with your local government to learn if there are mandatory fertilizer restrictions or few the list below. A fertilizer blackout is a time when using fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus are prohibited, usually during the rainy season. Heavy rain can wash fertilizers, especially granular ones, from lawns to streets,…

table(webalert).|Who:|Pasco County residents, representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pasco County Extension office, West Pasco Audubon Society, West Pasco Native Plant Society, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Health, “Step up, Florida!”, Around the Bend Nature Tours, District School Board of Pasco County and the Pioneer Florida Museum.||What:|The District is holding a free family-friendly…

table(webalert). |Who:|DeSoto and Charlotte county residents, and representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the DeSoto County Extension office.||*What:*|The District is holding a free family-friendly event at the Deep Creek Preserve in southern DeSoto County. The 2,000-acre tract features recreational opportunities such as hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking and equestrian use.The event includes activities such as guided nature hikes, children…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to begin the process of adding three first-magnitude spring systems -- Weeki Wachee River, Chassahowitzka River and Homosassa River -- to the Surface Water Improvement Management (SWIM) Program priority list. The existing SWIM Program priority list includes two first magnitude spring systems – Rainbow River and Crystal River/Kings Bay…

More Tips for Saving Water Outdoors

• Do not leave sprinklers unattended. Use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn off sprinklers.
• Water slowly to reduce runoff and to allow deep penetration.
• Observe the watering schedule for your address.
• Dig out water-loving weeds and cultivate soil often.
• Use a rain barrel to…

Join us in the community effort to protect the Weeki Wachee River. The Weeki Wachee River is a great place to experience natural Florida. This river flows 7.4 miles from the headspring to where it meets the Gulf of America at Bayport in Hernando County. It’s a popular spot for kayaking and boating. But increased recreational activities have had negative environmental impacts on the river. Here are some ways you can recreate responsibly and…

Did you know that each person in our region uses an average of 72 gallons of water each day? That’s a lot of water down the drain! April is Water Conservation Month, a perfect time for homeowners to reflect on their water use. Here are some simple yet effective ways to save water both inside and outside your home.…

The District offers many recreational opportunities for everybody to get outside.The District and its partners provides recreational opportunities for the mobility-impaired. Many of the lands listed in this guide have accessible facilities such as paved trails, boardwalks, fishing piers, picnic areas or restrooms that meet the standards established by the ADA. The District also provides opportunities for mobility-impaired fishing and hunting on some areas…

Information on how residents can conserve water during the drought will be a focal point at this year’s Marion County Master Gardeners’ Spring Festival being held March 8 – 9 at the Marion County Extension Service Office in Ocala. The office is located at 2232 N.E. Jacksonville Rd.The restroom trailer features the District’s new “Reduce Your Use” water conservation campaign and Florida-friendly landscaping tips through displays and free…

There are more than 200 documented springs throughout the District. However, most individual springs cluster around 16 groups of springs, five of which are classified as first-magnitude groups based on the amount of water they discharge. While recognizing the need to manage all springs, the District places a priority on the five first-magnitude spring groups: Rainbow, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Homosassa, Chassahowitzka, and Weeki Wachee. These spring groups, located in…

The Five-Year Water Resource Development Work Program (Work Program or WRDWP) is part of the District’s annual budget reporting process.  The Work Program describes the District’s implementation strategy and five-year funding plan for the water resource and water supply development components of the approved Regional Water Supply Plans and annual budgets. The District provides a Proposed Work Program to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for review within…

table(webalert). |*Who:*|The Southwest Florida Water Management District||*What:*|A day of educational speakers, booths and tours at Rainbow Springs State Park to promote Florida springs awareness.Events include a basin bus tour, headsprings snorkel tour and ranger guided hike.||*When:*|Saturday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.||*Where:*|Rainbow Springs State Park, 19158 SW 81st Place Road, Dunnellon, FL 3443||*How Much:*|Park admission is $2 per person, children 6 and under are…

Land and water are forever linked by Florida’s natural water cycles. Lands surrounding lakes, rivers, wetlands and estuaries serve as natural buffers to filter out pollution before it reaches the nearest water body. Undeveloped land can also allow for water recharge to the aquifer in some areas and water storage during major storm events. The Southwest Florida Water Management District and other agencies and governments purchase conservation lands to…

table(webalert).|Who:|Polk County residents, representatives from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org, "Polk County Extension office(Polk County Extension office)":http://polk.ifas.ufl.edu/, "Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)":http://myfwc.com/, "Florida Department of Forestry(Florida Division of Forestry)":http://www.fl-dof.…

table(webalert). |Who:|Citrus, Marion and Sumter county residents, Inverness Mayor Ron Plaisted, "Citrus County Airboat Alliance(Citrus County Airboat Alliance)":http://www.citrusairboat.org/ and representatives from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/, "Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)":http://myfwc.com and the Citrus County Extension office.||*…

  A group of lawyers, prosecutors and judges from Brazil recently stopped by the District to learn about environmental law. The group of legal experts visited several agencies throughout the state to learn about different aspects of law as part of a summer program. The visit was coordinated through the University of Florida’s College of Law. District staff discussed Florida water law, the creation and development of water management districts, the importance…