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Top: Volunteers install aquatic plants at Dunnellon’s Blue Run Park. Second from top: Master Gardeners Chet Olshewsky, left, and JoEllen Allen staff an Ask-An-Expert Booth in Inverness. Third from top: Boy Scouts from Troop 452 mark storm drains in Dunnellon. Fourth from top: Water Quality Monitoring Program staff lead a tour of Kings Bay. Bottom: Dave DeWitt, District senior geologist/engineer, center, takes a tour group into Dames Caves. Educational events held…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to modify its existing Phase I water shortage, expanding it to cover the District’s entire 16-county area beginning May 8.  Under Phase I, water utilities and their local governments are expected to review and revise water restriction enforcement procedures, begin monthly enforcement reporting and…

The District has added several new members to its Springs Team, which is leading the effort to improve water clarity and habitat in west-central Florida’s springs. The team includes a diverse group of scientists and engineers representing a wide range of water resource disciplines. The team’s knowledge is based on decades of research and development, pilot projects and complex groundwater models. Meet the newest members of the team: Anthony Andrade…

Why a Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Program is Key to Protecting our Springs Guest Editorial The Springs Coast is one of the most vibrant and dynamic regions in Florida, providing both economic and ecological benefit to the communities that call it home. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is the leading scientific agency on springs in the region with the mission of improving and restoring these natural treasures. Over the years,…

It started with a single blade of eelgrass, actually thousands of them.  District springs experts are hoping those blades of grass will thrive and grow into dense vegetation that will improve water quality and sustain beneficial fish and wildlife habitats in Kings Bay. The pilot project is part of the District’s Hunters Cove Restoration Project. The first phase of the project is to grow a special type of eelgrass in mats made of coconut coir material. This…

h2. Rainy Season Not Productive Enough for Resources to RecoverThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard voted today to extend "Phase I water shortage restrictions ":/conservation/restrictions/swfwmd.php for "the District's entire 16-county area(Map of the District)":/data/map/ through Feb. 29, 2012, because of a disappointing summer rainy season and an…

Are you counting on the rain to water-in your lawn fertilizer? You may want to reconsider. Save time and money by avoiding the practice of applying fertilizer before a heavy rain.Sometimes Florida yards need fertilizer to help keep them healthy, but applying fertilizer at the wrong time can cause water pollution. You can use Florida-friendly fertilizing practices to help protect water quality while having a beautiful lawn.If you fertilize your lawn before a heavy rain, much…

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District Basin Board members and staff, Friends of the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve, Yankeetown School middle-grade students, Mayor Dawn Clary and other Yankeetown representativesWhat:The groups are celebrating the grand opening of the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve, which includes 413 acres of publicly owned land managed by Yankeetown, a boardwalk, hiking trails and an educational building.The event will include a dedication ceremony,…

An area home builder has been honored for the second time in one year for the use of water-wise landscaping.Rusaw Homes was presented with the Water-Wise Landscape Recognition Award Thursday at the Citrus County Builders Association Spring Parade of Homes event. This is a repeat performance for the builder, which also received the top award during the fall Parade of Homes.The winning design can be seen at Rusaw Homes’ Oakdale Anniversary model, 2819 West Lantana Drive…

The "Central Florida Water Initiative's":http://cfwiwater.com/ (CFWI) Steering Committee has released two draft documents for public review and comment that will set a path forward for meeting water supply needs in central Florida for the next 20 years.At upcoming meetings, the public will have an opportunity to learn about and comment on the draft 2035 Water Resources Protection and Water Supply Strategies Plan (Solutions Plan) and minor changes to the draft 2015 Regional…

Water conservation will be a focal point at this year’s Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival with the addition of the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s water-conserving restroom. The restroom station will be at the annual event Jan. 13-14 at Al Lopez Park in Tampa.“The water-conserving restroom station is a practical and effective tool to spread the word about water conservation,” said Melissa Roe, project manager for the District. “Seeing the restroom station at…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will use a water conservation restroom trailer to spread the word about water conservation this year at the Florida State Fair, February 10-21.“Special events like the Florida State Fair allow us to bring our water conservation message to a wide audience,” said Beth Bartos, communications manager for the District. “Thousands of people will be exposed to our message each day.”The trailer features air…

*_Phase III Could Be Declared for Tampa Bay Area if Conditions Worsen_*The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to give the District's executive director the authority to issue an emergency order to increase water restrictions in the Tampa Bay area if conditions continue to worsen.Executive Director Blake Guillory is expected to declare a "Modified Phase III":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl…

Five Pinellas County projects were recently awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ to provide direct, hands-on education to more than 7,000 residents.This year the District approved 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $120,471. This is the 14th year "Community Education Grants(Community Education Grant program)":/business/communitygrants have been available. These grants offer…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us is gathering input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in five of Hardee County's watersheds.The District is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the "Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)(Federal Emergency Management Agency)":http://www.fema.gov on its national effort to "update and modernize the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate…

*Editor's note: See included map of county and watersheds* The Southwest Florida Water Management District is gathering input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in the county. The District is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on their national effort to update and modernize the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Most of the current FIRMs are 10 to 30 years old and are outdated because of…

Who: Approximately 12 children and their parents or guardians, Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, representatives from Bass Pro Shops and the group American Disability AdventuresWhat: The District is coordinating a free camping trip at theGreen Swamp Wilderness Preserve, West Tract in Pasco County for a dozen children who applied for the trip and were randomly…

Two Citrus County projects that are expected to reach approximately 31,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the…

The District recently presented the Water Matters award to three Pasco County students searching for solutions to improve water quality and sustain freshwater supplies. The Water Matters awards were given as part of the 2022 Pasco Science and Engineering Showcase last month. Hosted by the District School Board of Pasco County, this annual event encourages students to work through the scientific research process to explore pressing issues and problems to create powerful…

The District continues to monitor lake and river levels and manage its water control structures around the clock during this historic flooding event caused by Hurricane Milton.Lake and River Level Update

• Lake water levels in most areas are starting to decline and most structures are discharging at maximum capacity. 
• Upper portions of the Hillsborough River have crested and are beginning to decline while the lower portions are…