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Your Questions Answered  March 2021 During the past year, we’ve come to appreciate the recreational opportunities of natural Florida like never before. The Weeki Wachee River is one of those breath-taking jewels people love to visit. This river flows about 7 miles from the headspring to where it meets the Gulf of Mexico at Bayport in Hernando County. It’s a popular spot for kayaking and boating, but a recent study found certain recreational… Read more

A project aimed at restoring the Weeki Wachee headsprings and river is moving into its second phase.The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s project involves removing sediment and re-planting native aquatic plants to improve the water quality and habitat within the headsprings and river.The Weeki Wachee headspring and the upper reaches of the river have an accumulation of sand, silt, muck and litter in the headspring, which also spreads downstream. Excessive… Read more

In celebration of Water Conservation Month, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is bringing its water conservation restrooms to the Sharks Tooth Festival. The event is being held April 7-9 near Venice.Community festivals allow the District to spread the word about water conservation to a variety of audiences by bringing the comforts of a private, water-conserving bathroom to a variety of people.“The water conservation restroom trailer is a practical and… Read more

Pati Twardosky, husband Ron and son Nick. Art has always been a part of Pati Twardosky’s life. In fact, she never considered any other profession. Growing up in Boonton, N.J., her family took advantage of the close proximity of New York City, and excursions to the museums and Broadway were a regular pastime. Some of her favorite annual events were attending the Nutcracker Suite ballet at Radio City Music Hall at Christmastime, the… Read more

Above: “Before” and “after” photos show Florida-friendly landscaping installed. Right: Angela Maraj, District regional builder/developer landscape education specialist, met with Stephen Bissonnette (left), Alafia River Basin Board secretary, and Scott Coulombe (right), Polk County Builders Association executive director, at a recent builder/developer workshop in Polk County. A change is taking place in the Florida homebuilding industry. As public and industry… Read more

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… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org, together with Citrus and Marion counties and the cities of Crystal River and Dunnellon, will proclaim March 14-20 as Springs Awareness Week. Nitrate pollution from overusing fertilizers is one reason the quality of our springs is declining. Everyone who lives, works and plays in west-central Florida can take these simple steps to help protect our springs:*… Read more

Your Questions Answered May 2022 Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season? A:  Year-round, the District operates 85 water-control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s… Read more

Florida-Friendly Fever Gardeners of all skill levels learned about Florida-friendly landscaping and water-conserving irrigation practices at a recent “Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101” workshop. The half-day program, which was sponsored by the District, Hernando County Utilities and Hernando County Extension office Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program, attracted 71 Hernando County residents who have a passion for gardening. The workshop included lectures on how to… Read more

 The District’s team, seen here, raised more than $5,000 for the American Cancer Society during the Brooksville Relay for Life. District staff, family and friends recently raised more than $5,000 in support of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event in Hernando County. The event at Tom Varn Park in Brooksville began on Friday, April 28, and lasted through the night, ending at noon the following day. Twenty team members represented the District… Read more

Geohydrologic DataGeohydrologic data includes aquifer test data, geohydrologic profile data (water level, slug test, and water quality), stratigraphic data, lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and geohydrologic well site reports and summaries. The Environmental Data Portal (EDP) is the District’s official database of groundwater and surface water levels, flows, water quality, and atmospheric data such as rainfall, wind direction, and temperature. The EDP also provides… Read more

For nearly three decades, Carol Lynch, administrative coordinator, has been the heart of the District’s Regulation Division. Among her many duties, she helps the public schedule permitting meetings, assists staff with internal procedures and helps finalize contracts and budgets. And she does it all with a smile. That’s why Lynch was named the winner of the District’s Dale Twachtmann Award of Excellence. The award is named after the District’s first executive director and… Read more

 Photo left: District staffers Bob Brady, senior field technician; Carol Kraft, staff hydrologist; Dave DeWitt, senior geologist/engineer; and Tim Crosby, field technician, check out Peace Sign cave. Photo center: An 87-year-old tour participant talks to Gary Williams, District senior environmental scientist, on the walk to the caves. Photo right: Tim Crosby, field technician, shows tour participants how the District collects water quality samples. This… Read more

May 2023 Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season? A:  Year-round, the District operates 84 water control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s structures to ensure they… Read more

Information on upcoming and recent public meetings on the District's Minimum Flows and Levels Program will be consolidated on this page.