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The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Land O' Lakes Community Center, located at 5401 Land O' Lakes Boulevard (U.S. Highway 41), in Land O' Lakes. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on proposed Minimum and Guidance Levels for Lake Padgett. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve.The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near Thonotosassa. Approximately 600 acres will be burned in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Serenova Tract, which is part of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve, will be closed to the public Dec. 19-21. The District is limiting access to the property for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors during a bow/archery hunt.The Serenova Tract is located in Pasco County, adjacent to the Tampa Bay Water Starkey wellfield. The entrance is just west of the Suncoast Parkway on the…

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with Pasco County to move forward on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with typical summer rainfalls near Tank Lake.Tank Lake is part of the Duck Lake Watershed, which spans 42 miles in east central Pasco County. Several roads and homes within the Tank Lake and Hickory Hills area have been flooded repeatedly.The Tank Lake portion of the Duck Lake Watershed project involves removing…

A water conservation and retrofit program funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of North Port will reduce demand and conserve water.The program will offer financial incentives to residents who retrofit their homes with water efficient fixtures such as low-flow toilets, low-flow showerheads and rain sensors. As part of the program, participating homeowners will receive low-flow showerheads free of charge. The funding will provide rebates of…

Marion County students at two schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Marion County awardees are:* Thomas Allison, *Dunnellon Middle*, was awarded $2,390. Students will visit the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers to test water quality. Students will learn how human actions affect the flora and fauna on the…

Ten Citrus County teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Citrus County to the…

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Manatee County tomato and potato farm reduce groundwater pumping by at least 50 percent.The project is at 4 Star Tomato, Inc.’s Long Creek Farm and is part of the District’s Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program, which is a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and protects water quality.Long Creek Farm is a 1,240-acre farm located in eastern Manatee…

Two Manatee County projects expected to reach nearly 2,650 residents 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 32 grants Districtwide. This is the 12th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant program is to…

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a DeSoto County citrus grower reduce groundwater pumping and improve water quality.This project at the Bright Hour Ranch involves deepening an existing stormwater pond to use as an irrigation reservoir and installing two surface water irrigation pumps, as well as the piping necessary to connect the reservoir to the existing irrigation system.The 743-acre citrus grove is located in the Myrtle Slough watershed of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the delicate balance between meeting human water needs and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Crystal River recently signed an agreement for a project to improve water quality within Kings Bay.The project involves constructing a stormwater treatment system that will treat runoff from Kings Bay Plaza, a large commercial center. Untreated stormwater runoff from the center currently enters a canal that discharges directly into Kings Bay, which is a priority water body of the District’s Surface Water…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the third phase of a project that will reduce groundwater pumping at a citrus grove in Charlotte County.TRB Groves, LLC is a 1,113-acre citrus grove located just north of Myrtle Slough which is in the Shell Creek watershed and the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA).The project, which was implemented in three phases, includes the construction of a 68-acre surface water irrigation reservoir,…

Emergency watering restrictions may be extended past July 31 deadlineA continuing rainfall deficit reaffirms the need to maintain emergency watering restrictions, resolved the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board this week.At its next meeting on July 31 the Board will consider extending the one-day watering restrictions which are due to expire that day.Rainfall for the last 12 months remains down more than 12 inches from normal, while June…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved two projects that will reduce groundwater pumping in Hillsborough County.MD Council and Sons, Inc.The first project is at MD Council and Sons, Inc., a 60-acre strawberry and melon farm, located within the Little Manatee River watershed in southern Hillsborough County.This project involves constructing a surface water reservoir, two surface water irrigation pump stations, filtration and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about proposed minimum and guidance levels for selected Pasco County lakes.A public workshop will be held to discuss proposed levels for Crews Lake, Lake Iola, Jessamine Lake, Pasco Lake, Pierce Lake, and Unnamed Lake Number 22, known as Loyce Lake. The meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. (U.S. Highway 41), Land O…

Highlands County water resources projects receive recognitionThe Southwest Florida Water Management District honored three outstanding Highlands 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 Highlands County projects are listed below. Part of Highlands County is located within the District’s Peace River…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)/Wheelin’ Sportsmen representatives, disabled anglers, boy scoutsWhat: The District and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department have partnered with the NWTF/Wheelin’ Sportsmen to organize this fishing derby, which allows disabled men, women and young adults to experience the outdoors.When:…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved a nitrogen reduction goal for water discharging from Lake Hancock and a preliminary treatment plan to achieve those goals.Lake Hancock is in the headwaters of the Peace River watershed that extends 120 miles downriver to Charlotte Harbor, an estuary of national significance and a Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) priority water body. Water quality leaving the 4,500-acre lake has…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org continues to maintain its commitment to provide key services to the agricultural community despite organization changes and staff reductions. The economic downturn, reduced property values and other constraints have led to significant budget cuts, staff reductions and re-evaluation of priorities at the District in 2012.Facing new budget realities, the District's Governing Board directed staff to…