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The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted to let Modified Phase II water shortage restrictions expire today for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties due to improvements in the region's water resources.This means those counties will return to the District's "year-round water conservation measures":http://www.watermatters.org/restrictions/ unless a stricter local ordinance applies. The…

Asks the public to help our water resources recoverThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted unanimously today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, through Sept. 30.The Governing Board chose to extend the term of the water shortage order because impacts from the two-year drought continue despite the start of the annual rainy season. In…

Who: Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Department, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful and volunteersWhat: As part of National Public Lands Day, the District’s Land Resources Department is coordinating a volunteer beach trash pick up along the District’s Piney Point Tract, which was acquired from TECO with funds from the Florida Forever Program. This property, which consists of 2,376 acres of uplands and coastal habitats,…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted to let Modified Phase III water shortage restrictions expire today for Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, and Sumter counties as well as the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County due to improvements in the region's water resources.This means those counties will return to the District's "year-round water conservation measures":http://www.…

Ron Oakley, his wife, Tamara, and their daughters Ashley and Hannah Mae. For Ronald Eugene Oakley, “Your word is who you are. Be honest, truthful and treat people right.” Ron believes in making meaningful connections to people, to the land and to his faith. Born in Dade City, his Christian upbringing shaped the man he has become. His mother, Mae Belle Oakley, set a wonderful example for Ron to follow as she did volunteer work at the First Baptist Church and…

 During the holiday season, Morra shows off her Christmas spirit. In many ways, Joyce Morra, senior administrative assistant in the District’s Finance Department, serves as a translator or “go-between.” She’s someone who works with information, or finds out about a certain need, and relays the important details to those who need it or can do something about it. For instance, as a member of the department’s budget section, Morra works closely with each…

Engineer Matt Preston keeps watch from the boat, while swimmers Stephanie Powers and Mary Szafraniec, District environmental scientists, survey seagrass. Vital Marine Habitat Shows Improvement in Six Water Bodies Increases in seagrass presence in the Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor regions have given District scientists encouraging signs that the health of some important water bodies is continuing to improve. The Surface Water Improvement and Management…

Above, plantings at the Tampa office are beyond the building eaves, requiring less irrigation.  Below, fixture supply lines are required to be reinforced. As in most District offices, water-saving fixtures are used.  The Tampa Service Office campus has the first water management district building to be certified under the Florida Water StarSM commercial standard. It’s also only the second government building in the state to be certified…

One of the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) restoration projects is providing inspiration for hundreds of Hillsborough County art and photography students. Ten classes of middle and high school students were recently given the opportunity to learn about and explore the Schultz Preserve, located near the Port of Tampa. The field trips to the restoration site and the TECO Manatee Viewing Center were part of an education project funded by a TECO…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to let all water shortage orders expire on July 31. Residents living within the District's boundaries are asked to observe the District's year-round conservation measures beginning August 1. However, some local governments may impose different schedules or retain stricter measures. Residents should check with their local governments…

The District’s response team jumps into action to help the Suwannee River Water Management District with flooding in its area. (Photo courtesy Paul Buchanan) As Tropical Storm Debby churned in the Gulf of Mexico in June, it brought record rainfall, flooding and damage to various areas of the District. As part of the District’s core mission of flood protection, staff immediately responded to the needs of the community in a variety of ways. The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to “watch the weather, wait to water” during the months of July, August and September.According to research by the University of Florida, an average of three-quarters of an inch of water every three to five days is enough to replenish the grass during the summer. In fact, Florida receives an average rainfall of 53 inches a year, and most of that falls between June…

Summer rains not enough for water resources to fully recoverThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, through Feb. 27, 2009.The Governing Board chose to extend the term of the water shortage order because the region is still impacted by the two-year drought and portions of the District did not receive enough rain…

Recent cold weather has taken a toll on Florida plant life, and may have damaged area sprinkler systems too. The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org is providing a few simple steps that residents can use help to their plants, lawns, and irrigation systems recover from freezing temperatures. h3. Wait to water and prune"University of Florida county Extension agents(Find your local county Extension…

District staff, current and former board members, elected officials, friends and family gathered recently to pay tribute to three departing Governing Board members, wishing a fond farewell to Ronnie Duncan, Ron Johnson and Maggie Dominguez during a ceremony honoring them for their service on the Governing Board. “The responsibilities of this District are awesome. Sometimes the demands on staff are overwhelming. But there’s nothing that motivates us more than the…

Kurt Durham’s brother-in-law may have brought him to the District, but the familylike atmosphere at the District’s Sarasota Service Office keeps him here. In 1987, Jack MacDonald, who used to work in the District’s Regional Observation and Monitor-Well Program, called Durham and told him the District “was looking for bodies.” He applied even though he didn’t know anything about being a field technician. “When I started I was green as grass,”…

  Cockroach Bay before and after (top right) restoration.                   Gazing from atop the crest of “Mount Cockroach,” visitors were treated to the views of lush wetlands, uplands and coastal habitats of Cockroach Bay. They saw birds and other wildlife freely roam through the flourishing vegetation that surrounded the calm waters. But the distant view of city…

At a time when most news reports about the economy are negative, a District program is providing a boon to the local economy. A project funded through the District’s Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) Program, a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and improves water quality, created work for ten local contractors and subcontractors. The project involved the design, permitting and construction of a five-acre surface water…

Board urges emergency status in Manatee and Sarasota countiesThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, until June 30.The water shortage order, which was declared by the District’s Executive Director David L. Moore, went into effect Jan. 16 and was originally scheduled to expire July 31. Since then it…

h2. Rules Will Reduce Impacts From Future Frost/Freeze EventsThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ new regulatory rules took effect today for existing and future water use permit holders in the Dover/Plant City area with crops that require frost/freeze protection.The District developed the new rules in response to the unprecedented 11-day January 2010 freeze event, which resulted in more than 750 dry wells and more…