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District Reminds Visitors to Help Protect the Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County »
With spring break season approaching, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, wants to remind Weeki Wachee River visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts.  An ecologically based study found direct links between recreational use on the river and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled…
Check your irrigation system when you 'spring forward' »
The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks ahead 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…
Certified Staff Save District Time and Money »
Multiple District staff members have earned a new a certification, which will save time, money and resources.  Eleven employees in the Environmental Resource Permit Bureau are now Certified Wetland Evaluators (CWE) through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  CWE is a new certification program DEP put in place after assuming a federal permitting program from the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Under this program, certified…
Water Conservation at the Office »
Many of the tips the District promotes for Water Conservation Month can be found in use at its own campuses.For example, District-owned offices in Tampa and Brooksville have water-efficient toilets, water monitoring systems and rain sensors and follow Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ guidelines.Each campus is equipped with low-flow toilets, urinals and faucets. Typically, the low flow toilets save three or more gallons a flush compared to older models. The low-flow bathroom…
Advisory Committees Provide Key Input »
For decades, the District’s five advisory committees have played an important role in providing input on water management programs, projects and related issues. The diverse committees are made up of volunteers from different industries who serve as liaisons between the District and their organizations. At quarterly meetings, committee members are presented with items of interest from District staff, and other subject matter experts, that relate to their industries. They…
District Awards Grants to Schools in Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion and Sumter Counties for Water Resources Education Projects »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $107,969 in grants to 58 educators 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…
District Awards Grants to Schools in Manatee and Sarasota Counties for Water Resources Education »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $107,969 in grants to 58 educators 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…
Public Invited to Help Identify Flood Prone Areas in the North Citrus Withlacoochee River Watershed »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Citrus County. Residents living in the North Citrus Withlacoochee River watershed are invited to attend an open house June 29 at 4 p.m. at the Coastal Region Library, located at 8619 W. Crystal Street in Crystal River. District representatives will present preliminary data for flood prone areas, explain the basis behind the…
District Reminds Visitors to Help Protect the Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County »
With spring break season approaching, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, wants to remind Weeki Wachee River visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts.  A recent ecologically based study found direct links between recreational use on the river and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have…
District Launches Education Campaign to Help Protect the Chassahowitzka River in Citrus County »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, launched the Chassahowitzka River Education Campaign to inform river visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts.  Recreational activities can have a direct impact on the health of the river. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled vegetation and eroded riverbanks.…
Public Invited to Help Identify Flood Prone Areas in the Plant City Watershed »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Plant City. Residents living in the Plant City watershed are invited to attend an open house Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m. The meeting will take place at Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center, located at 302 South Maryland Avenue in Plant City. District representatives will present preliminary data for flood prone areas, explain the…
Public Invited to Help Identify Flood Prone Areas in the Little Jones Creek/Wildwood Watershed in Sumter County »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Sumter County. Residents living in the Little Jones Creek/Wildwood watershed are invited to attend an open house Thursday, Jan. 13, at 4 p.m. The meeting will take place at Wildwood Community Center, located at 6500 Powell Road in Wildwood. District representatives will present preliminary data for flood prone areas, explain the…
Celebrate Water Conservation Month »
Did you know that each person in our region uses an average of 72 gallons of water each day? That’s a lot of water down the drain! April is Water Conservation Month, a perfect time for homeowners to reflect on their water use. Here are some simple yet effective ways to save water both inside and outside your home.…
District Releasing Additional Water from Medard Reservoir to Protect the Reservoir’s Structural Integrity »
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 was releasing water and the Medard Reservoir was below normal operating level. However, the Medard Reservoir received nearly 7 inches of rainfall and the reservoir rose 6.5 feet as a result of Hurricane Milton. …
District to Hold Virtual Public Meeting on Dover/Plant City Water Use Caution Area »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 27, to share the results of the 2020 Dover/Plant City Water Use Caution Area Assessment and staff recommendations. District staff will give a presentation followed by a chance for the public to give comments and ask questions. Members of the public may join the workshop via Microsoft Teams at…
Archbold Dedicates Expansion »
Governing Board member Wendy J. Griffin. From the lot they parked on to the prairie landscape they walked by, guests were surrounded by the messages of water conservation. Archbold Biological Station recently unveiled its new education exhibits and signs during a dedication ceremony. The facility, located in Highlands County, is a not-for-profit independent research institution in central Florida. The station is dedicated to long-term ecological research…
Homeowners Association Receives Florida-Friendly Landscaping Help and Makes an Impact »
Doris Heitzmann, a horticulturist and community outreach coordinator with the Pinellas County Extension office, evaluates the landscape at Venetian Bay. Members of the Venetian Bay Homeowners Association (HOA) wanted to do their part to conserve water, so they looked to the City of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas County Extension office for help. The Venetian Bay community consists of 22 waterfront and 51 nonwaterfront townhomes in St. Petersburg. In August…
District Invites Restaurants to Become WaterPROs »
The District is building upon the success of its award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water CHAMP) by launching a new companion program for restaurants. The Water Program for Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO) was launched in May. Water PRO is a free program that helps restaurants conserve water by educating staff and customers. By implementing Water PRO, restaurant management agrees to only serve water upon request, display water conservation…
World Water Monitoring Day Spotlights Important Work of Staff »
World Water Monitoring Day is Sept. 18 and highlights the importance of monitoring water quality and protecting our water resources. The District’s Water Quality Monitoring Program (WQMP) collects data from waterbodies around the District so the information can be used to determine whether our water is suitable for drinking, recreational activities and wildlife.When monitoring water quality, staff evaluate factors like changes in water temperature, dissolved oxygen…
Soaring to New Heights »
Imagine the excitement of boarding an airplane with 15 of your closest friends to jump out at 1,500 feet with only the wind in your face. For Senior Environmental Scientist Jeff Whealton, this is a regular occurrence as a member of the Phantom Airborne Brigade. Since 2015, Jeff has been part of the Zephyrhills-based veterans' organization that conducts static line airborne…