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Community members who want to help protect the water resources in their area may apply online for a Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The overall goal of the "Community Education Grant":http://www.WaterMatters.org/communitygrants/ program is to actively engage and educate adults about water conservation, protection and preservation. The program is intended to motivate communities to get involved in protecting their water resources…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the end of Daylight Savings Time.Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks back one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure your irrigation system timer is set correctly to ensure that your system operates consistently with current water restrictions.Under…

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 "Upper Hillsborough Tract(Upper Hillsborough Tract)":/recreation/areas/uh-upperhill.html property in Pasco and Polk counties.The Upper Hillsborough Tract is located approximately five miles east of Zephyrhills. Approximately 1,000 acres of land…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Citrus County. Residents living in the Chassahowitzka River watershed are invited to attend an open house Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Citrus County Government Building, located at 3600 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto. District representatives will present preliminary data for flood prone areas,…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Elsa and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2 as of 10 a.m. July 4, 2021. 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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a public meeting Tuesday, March 1, at 5:30 p.m., to share information about the Weeki Wachee Channel Restoration Project. The meeting will take place at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Meeting Hall, located at 4340 Calienta St. in Hernando Beach. This multiyear project evaluated accumulated sediments in the river and identified where removal of sediments will benefit the river’s ecosystem. The contractor…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Nov. 30 – Dec. 2. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have…

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.The District is currently…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Jan. 12-14. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold.…

Understanding the Lake Hancock Projects Local government representatives and members of the District’s Governing Board and Alafia River, Hillsborough River, Manasota and Peace River basin boards recently braved the elements to tour the Lake Hancock project area. Several local officials, including Polk County Commissioners and a representative from Rep. Dennis Ross’ office, also attended the tour, which allowed participants the chance to gain a better understanding…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Nov. 17-19. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have been…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to rescind the Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order enacted in November 2023. This action eliminates one-day-per-week water restrictions for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties; however Pasco County and the City of Tampa will remain on one-day-per-week watering by local ordinance.All 16 counties throughout the District’s boundaries are now on Year-Round Water Conservation Measures, with…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be closing the WeekiWachee Preserve, located in coastal Hernando County, effective Thursday, April 2 for all uses until further notice. The District took steps to remind recreational users to follow the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis and to uphold the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to practice social distancing by avoiding gatherings larger than 10 people and distancing…

Super Saver Some Hillsborough County and Tampa hotels and motels participating in the District’s Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (C.H.A.M.P.) received special recognition at a recent Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association’s monthly meeting. Heidi McCree, Governing Board Vice-Chair and Hillsborough River Basin Board Chair ex officio, congratulated the participants for taking an active role in conserving water. During 2004 while participating…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Jan. 14-16. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold.…

District scientists have been working in conjunction with staff at the St. Johns River and South Florida water management districts to set up wetland monitoring sites as part of a regional monitoring program. The collaboration is a result of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), a water planning effort among government agencies, water utilities, environmental groups,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Nov. 19-22. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have been…

Left: Mark Hammond, resource projects director, shows the Lake Hancock property and project areas. Right: District Governing Board members and staff visit the current outfall at Lake Hancock. (From left to right, Board Members Ron Oakley, Paul Senft and Carlos Beruff with District staff members Mark Hammond and Chuck Lane.) District staff and Governing Board members recently toured Lake Hancock in Polk County for an update on the progress of several projects…

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 awareness…

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…