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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is closing navigation on the Hillsborough River at Structure S-155 to meet Federal safety standards.Due to the high velocity of water from Tropical Storm Debby, boat barriers will be put in place where I-75 crosses the Hillsborough River, restricting navigation in that area. The S-155 structure is part of the Tampa Bypass Canal System and located north of Morris Bridge Road and east of I-75. It can be seen from I-75…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board declared April Springs Protection Awareness Month during its March meeting. The Governing Board also emphasized that springs are vital to the environment, economy, citizens and visitors of the state. Earlier this month, the District launched an education campaign to help protect the Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County, which begins at the world-famous springs. The Weeki Wachee River education…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the beginning of daylight saving time. Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks ahead one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with year-round water conservation measures. All 16 counties…

 Clockwise from top left:1: This marked plant indicates beetles were placed on it so the rancher does not tamper with it. 2: One tropical soda apple fruit can contain hundreds of seeds. 3: Mike Terry, District plant management crew leader, and Dr. Julio Medal prepare to release TSA leaf-eating beetles. 4: The small beetles come from Medal’s cages in Gainesville. 5: This is an example of what a TSA plant looks like after the beetles are through with it.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 26-28. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW CR 484 in Dunnellon. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Flying Eagle Nature Center in Citrus County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 12-14. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold. Flying Eagle Nature Center is located at 12650 East Boy Scout Road in Inverness. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to…

Above: Magnolia Gardens, a project of the Hernando County Housing Authority, recently met the requirements of the Florida Water StarSM program. Top right: Governing Board member Judy Whitehead presents the Florida Water StarSM certification to Magnolia Gardens for meeting the requirements of the program. A Brooksville apartment complex is the first in Florida to be certified under the Florida Water StarSMCommunity standard. Magnolia Gardens, a…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 5-7, 2021. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 10 permits for these hunts have been sold. Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Alston Tract at Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 5-7, 2021. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 11 permits for these hunts have been sold. The Alston Tract is located at 42144 Deems Road in Zephyrhills. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration Tuesday, Dec. 8, 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 January through February 2021.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is offering six easy ways to prepare for your holiday meals and parties without running up your water bill. During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the cleanup process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations:

• Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.
• …

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Eta and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2 as of 9:30 a.m. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during, and after an emergency event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Sumter County. Residents living in the Jumper Creek watershed are invited to attend an open house on Thursday, April 12 at 4 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Sumter County Fairgrounds, located at 7620 SR 471 in Bushnell. District representatives will present preliminary data for flood prone areas, explain the basis behind the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 17-19. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 25 permits for this hunt have been sold. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 10-12. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 10 permits for these hunts have been sold. Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Flying Eagle Nature Center in Citrus County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 10-12. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have been sold. Flying Eagle Nature Center is located at 12650 East Boy Scout Road in Inverness. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the end of daylight saving time. Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks back one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with year-round water conservation measures. All 16 counties…

Celebrate February as Florida Hiking Trails Month exploring the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands.  Florida Hiking Trails month, recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, encourages Floridians to take advantage of Florida’s extensive trail system. Many trails on District lands are nearby and also are open for related activities such as nature study, bird watching, photography, jogging and backpacking.  The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is celebrating February as Florida Hiking Trails Month by inviting the public to explore the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands. Florida Hiking Trails month, recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, encourages Floridians to take advantage of Florida's extensive trail system. Many trails on District lands are nearby and are also open for related activities such as nature…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration on Monday, Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. The District holds a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the wild hog population. What you need to know about Phase 2 hunts:

• Phase 2 will include six hunts that occur in January and February 2018.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase 2 will…