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The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering information to improve identification of flooding risks for three Marion County watersheds.This information is being developed as part of the *Flemington*, *Hog Prairie* and *Northwest Ocala* watershed management plans. The plans were cooperatively funded by the District and Marion County.The District is holding an open house in Marion County to present preliminary…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to comment on proposed "minimum flows and levels(Minimum Flows and Levels)":/mfl (MFLs) for the Chassahowitzka River at a public workshop on Thursday, Dec. 16. The workshop will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Citrus County's Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto.The District has already held one public workshop on the Chassahowitzka…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during June, July, August and September on the District's Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County, including "Flatwoods Park(Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve Flatwoods Park)":/recreation/areas/lh-flatwoods.html and the "Oak Ridge Equestrian Area(Lower Hillsborough Wilderness…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Little Manatee River in Hillsborough County. These are the first minimum flows being established for this river system and will include both the upper (freshwater) and lower (estuarine) portions of the river.Members of the public may join the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering information to improve identification of flooding risks for six Marion County watersheds.This information is being developed as part of the *Blichton*, *Martel*, *SR 200* and *Cotton Plant 1, 2 and 3* watershed management plans. The plans were cooperatively funded by the District and Marion County.The District is holding an open house in Marion County to present…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to comment on proposed minimum levels for Crystal Lake and North Lake Wales, both located within the city of Lake Wales, at a public workshop on Thursday, Oct. 14. The workshop will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lake Wales City Commission Chambers, 201 W. Central Ave., Lake Wales.The state Legislature requires the District to set "minimum flows and levels…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is releasing additional water from the Medard Reservoir into the Alafia River to protect the structural integrity of the reservoir.In preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Milton, the District released water and the Medard Reservoir was below normal operating level. However, the Medard Reservoir received nearly 7 inches of rainfall in the watershed and the reservoir rose 6.5 feet as a result of Hurricane…

Talkin' Turkey The District and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)/Wheelin’ Sportsmen continued their successful partnership by holding a turkey hunt in March at the District’s Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County. The Wheelin’ Sportsmen is dedicated to providing all people with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The group organizes hunting and fishing events, recreational shooting and other outdoor activities. More than 20…

Environmental education took a leap forward in Hernando County with the recent dedication of the Springs Coast Environmental Education Center. A ceremony and plaque presentation was held recently to honor the partnership among the District, its Coastal Rivers Basin Board and the Hernando County School Board, which contributed to the opening of the center. “This is one more excellent example of bringing together local governments and the District to promote water…

Television viewers throughout the District are learning about Florida-friendly landscaping through the District’s new advertising campaign. The series of three commercials feature people enjoying beautiful Florida-friendly yards while homeowners and landscaping experts tell the viewer more about the nine basic principles. Portions of the commercials were taped at Lakewood Ranch, a development in Sarasota and Manatee counties that is certified by the Florida Green…

  Gardenia Long, Watson Haynes II, Charles C. Scott and Lorraine Mayers at the Florida water management districts’ booth at the National Urban League Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Be loyal. Be a team player. Act right. Those are the golden rules that District Governing Board Chair Watson L. Haynes II learned early in his life from his mother, a woman with a third-grade education but a Ph.D. in character. The late Emma Haynes raised seven children…

Small general permits and general water use permit holders can now take care of all their permitting needs on the District’s Water Management Information System. The system is being designed to centralize information from the District’s well construction permitting, resource data, water use permitting and environmental resource permitting databases, making it easily accessible for both staff and the public. Upon completion, the system will increase the amount of…

Overwatering in Winter Can Encourage Pests and Disease The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” of watering during the cooler months of December, January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. Furthermore, if your lawn…

This April marks the 20th anniversary of Water Conservation Month. This month is traditionally one of the driest of the year and marks the peak demand season for public water suppliers.  The District especially encourages conservation throughout April on top of year-round conservation. District residents can participate by being mindful of water use in their everyday household activities.  Here are some tips on saving water indoors: 

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board voted in December to approve the 2025 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP), providing a framework for future water management decisions and demonstrating how growing water demands can be met through 2045. The RWSP identifies sufficient water supplies to meet the growing needs of the 16-county area using a combination of alternative water sources, fresh groundwater and water conservation measures.…

District scientists and planners recently completed an updated Regional Water Supply Plan to assess projected water demands and identify potential sources of water to meet those demands through the year 2025. The Regional Water Supply Plan was first developed in 2001 and is periodically revised based on updated information such as the demand for water. The plan, which was created for a ten-county area from Pasco County to Charlotte County, also identifies the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $119,000 in grants to 65 schools within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12. Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Dorian and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during, and after an emergency weather event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout…

The Governing Board voted June 29 to let water shortage restrictions expire on June 30. The Governing Board voted to lift the restrictions in response to significant improvements in aquifer and river levels as a result of this winter’s above-average rainfall. Moreover, the region’s major public water suppliers have been able to capture and store large supplies of water to meet the needs of residents. However, the Board urged residents to continue the water conservation…

At its June 11 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board covers portions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 11.62 percent…