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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will train students at the Academy of Environmental Science to collect algal samples during future algae blooms in Kings Bay in Crystal River.Kings Bay has a history of algae blooms that negatively impact water clarity, cause habitat degradation and result in odor problems. Effective watershed management requires the identification of the types of algae. Due to the limited time frame available for sampling and the…

The Mini-FARMS Program promotes agricultural water quality and water quantity best management practices (BMPs) and provides overall water resource benefits to agriculture properties. The Mini-FARMS Program works with and provides a mechanism for enrollment in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) adopted agricultural BMPs program, through a Notice of Intent (NOI) to implement BMPs. Through the Mini-FARMS Program, the District will reimburse…

table(webalert). |Who:|Citrus, Marion and Sumter county residents, Inverness Mayor Ron Plaisted, "Citrus County Airboat Alliance(Citrus County Airboat Alliance)":http://www.citrusairboat.org/ and representatives from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/, "Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)":http://myfwc.com and the Citrus County Extension office.||*…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored six outstanding Hillsborough County projects that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.The Hillsborough County recipients are listed below. Projects in Hillsborough County received funding from one or more of the following District Basin Boards: Alafia River, Hillsborough…

April 2026Q: What is Water 101?A: Water 101 is a Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) initiated campaign to connect homeowners with helpful water conservation and water quality tips and resources. The campaign encompasses two avenues of information that can be found on the Water 101 for Homeowners webpage or the Water 101 for Communities webpage.Q: What resources are available for…

April 2026Q: What is Water 101?A: Water 101 is a Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) initiated campaign to connect homeowners with helpful water conservation and water quality tips and resources. The campaign encompasses two avenues of information that can be found on the Water 101 for Homeowners webpage or the Water 101 for Communities webpage.Q: What resources are available for…

Sometimes Florida yards need fertilizer to help keep them healthy, but applying the wrong kind can cause water pollution. You can use "Florida-friendly fertilizing(Florida-Friendly Fertilizing)":/yards/fertilizing practices to help protect water quality while having a beautiful lawn.Most home lawn fertilizers contain some slow-release nitrogen. It takes a little longer for your yard to benefit from slow-release nitrogen, but the effects will last longer. Many of these…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,…

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…

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…

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…

NOTICE: Effective July 1, 2014, a person may not lobby a water management district in Florida until such person has registered as a lobbyist with that district by filing a registration form.Pursuant to Section 112.3261, Florida Statutes, starting July 1, 2014, a person may not lobby a…

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…

 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…

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:*…

 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…

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…

Your Questions AnsweredNovember 2021Florida has the largest concentration of springs in the world, with more than 200 springs within the boundaries of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These natural wonders rely on rainfall to replenish their water source, and Dr. Madison Trowbridge explains how the rainy season provides big benefits for Florida’s springs.Q: What is spring flow?A: Spring flow is the amount of water that…

March 2025Q: Why does fertilizing my lawn responsibly matter?A: More than 1,000 new residents move to Florida daily, many of whom take pride in maintaining beautiful lawns along with long-time Floridians. However, fertilizers contain nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which, in excess amounts, can harm Florida’s natural water systems. Excess nutrients from fertilizers can wash into lakes, rivers, springs, estuaries and other water…