Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the public to comment on proposed minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for Gum Slough Spring Run and associated springs in northwestern Sumter County and southwestern Marion County at a public meeting on Wednesday, April 4.The rule development public workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane, Ocala.The state Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and…

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 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 current water restrictions.Under the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will present its frost/freeze management plan and associated draft rules to the public 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the "Hillsborough Community College Trinkle Center(HCC Trinkle Center)":http://www.hccfl.edu/pc/trinkle-center.aspx, 1206 N. Park Road, Plant City.During the 11-day January 2010 freeze event, the combined pumping by Dover/Plant City area farmers dropped the aquifer level 60 feet in some locations, causing 140 sinkholes…

h3. District lands offer a fun, easy and low-cost way to spend time with family and friends in 2010 Why make a New Year's resolution to join a gym in 2010, when you can "Get Outside!" on more than 343,000 acres of public recreation lands to hike, bike and camp for little or no cost?The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently revised its 152-page Recreation Guide, which features more than 50 parks and preserves in the region owned by the District and its…

The District’s Governing Board recently approved SWIM plans for the Homosassa and Chassahowitzka rivers, meaning all five first-magnitude springs in the District now have established plans for improvement of those water bodies. The Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act requires the District to maintain a priority list of water bodies of regional and statewide significance and develop plans and programs for their improvement.  The Homosassa and…

Community members who want to make a positive impact on the water resources in their area may apply online for a Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The goal of the District’s Community Education Grant program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District’s Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District staff and approximately 70 childrenWhat: The District’s 13th Annual “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” Students between the ages of nine and 18 will spend the day at the District headquarters and service offices learning about District careers. This year the event will focus on empowering the youth to conserve water.The opening ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. Following the ceremony, the students will…

TheHighlands Soil and Water Conservation District will receive a $4,950 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District to talk to homeowner associations about water conservation and rain sensors.During the presentations, homeowners will also be able to sign up for free rain sensors. The Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District and volunteers will then visit the sites where the rain sensors are installed to ensure that the devices were…

Six local organizations and individuals were recently recognized for their work to further water conservation.  The awards were given as part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Florida Water Star℠ program. The voluntary certification program encourages water efficiency in appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes.  The six awards…

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…

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District staff and approximately 70 childrenWhat:The District’s 12th Annual “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” Students between the ages of nine and 18 will spend the day at the District headquarters and service offices learning about District careers. This year the event will focus on the Governor’s Climate Change Initiative and how it relates to the District’s mission as well as “earth friendly” actions students can take to…

The deadline to apply for a Community Education Grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District is approaching. Grant applications are due Aug. 24, 2007. The grants, which offer funding up to $5,000 each, are designated for projects that motivate adults to get involved in education projects that promote water resources protection.Government agencies, private individuals, educational facilities, business and industry, neighborhoods, homeowner and service…

The deadline to apply for a Community Education Grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District is approaching. Grant applications are due Sept. 15, 2006. The grants, which offer funding up to $5,000 each, are designated for projects that motivate adults to get involved in education projects that promote water resources protection.Government agencies, private individuals, educational facilities, business and industry, neighborhoods, homeowner and service…

Homeowners planning to spruce up their yards have a new tool to use, but it’s not a tool found in the garage. This tool is the web site FloridaYards.orgThe web site features a Florida-friendly plant database, which includes hundreds of color photographs of plants, shrubs and trees. The web site also has pictures of Florida-friendly landscaping in yards throughout the state and an interactive yard tool to help homeowners plan their landscapes.“FloridaYards.org…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board celebrated the success of the “Florida-Friendly Yards, Grow Smart” public awareness campaign Tuesday. The Tampa Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) recently presented the District with a Bronze Quill Award for the campaign. The Bronze Quill award recognizes excellence in business communications.Winners of the Bronze Quill Award are eligible for the…

The John Chestnut Senior Park in Tarpon Springs is about to undergo a little “spring cleaning.”The Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department received a $4,083 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 Community Education Grant Program to help fund their “Perk Up A Park/Save a Day for the Bay” project on May 13. The grant funding comes from the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board, which includes…

Due to the deteriorating weather conditions of Tropical Storm Hermine, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is cancelling tomorrow's public meeting regarding flood prone areas in Sumter County. The meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, September 22 beginning at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Bushnell Community Center, located at 407 E. Belt Avenue in Bushnell. The purpose of the meeting is to gather information to improve…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)/Wheelin’ Sportsmen have agreed to continue a successful partnership that allows disabled outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to participate in planned events on District land throughout the year.As part of a pilot program, three events were jointly organized by the District and the NWTF/Wheelin’ Sportsmen last year including a deer/hog hunt, a turkey hunt, and a fishing…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday declared April “Water Conservation Month.”By proclaiming April to be Water Conservation Month, the District has joined 31 other local governments and Tampa Bay Water in an effort to call attention to the need for water conservation. Local governments participating include Charlotte, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties and the cities of New Port Richey, Tampa…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized two Sumter County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by teachers…