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A freeze warning is in effect tonight for most of the Tampa Bay area. This warning has prompted the Southwest Florida Water Management District to advise residents who live near Plant City and Dover to switch off the pumps on their wells tonight and leave the pumps off until the temperatures warm up Tuesday morning.During a freeze, farmers pump additional water from their wells to protect their crops, causing aquifer levels to drop temporarily. Once aquifer levels fall… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board approved funding Thursday to build an observation deck at the Springs Coast Environmental Education Center.The deck was part of the center’s original plan, but was not built because of financial constraints. It is expected to cost $110,000. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board has budgeted $75,000 for the project. The remaining funds will come from the Hernando County School Board, which is… Read more

Left: Kayakers waited to take part in the first “official” paddle at Robinson Preserve. Center: Visitors can enjoy views like this from the new observation tower (right). Manatee County residents and visitors have a new place to experience nature. The 487-acre Robinson Preserve, which is located in northwestern Manatee County, is now open to outdoor enthusiasts. The District joined Manatee County in celebrating the grand opening in July. Pat Glass,… Read more

Misty Alderman, an environmental education specialist with DEP’s Office of Environmental Education, speaks to Pasco County workshop participants. The District is helping make sure school districts in Citrus, Pasco and Pinellas counties know about local resources available for teaching science, thanks to a partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). With funding… Read more

FY2012 Budget Is 44.4 Percent Below FY2011 Levels The District’s Governing Board adopted a FY2012 millage rate of 0.3928 mill and a budget of $155.5 million at its September final budget hearing. The millage rate and budget take into account the merger of the budgets of the District’s eight Basin Boards into the Governing Board and the $107.8 million cap on ad valorem property taxes levied, which was passed by the Florida Legislature. This millage rate, combined… Read more

Brandt Henningsen, the District’s chief environmental scientist, shows off a freshly planted baby marsh at Cockroach Bay to students from the University of London. As student Bea Nagy inspected a freshly planted baby marsh or marveled at the water fowl dotting Cockroach Bay, she experienced a lesson not found in a textbook. Nagy was one of 17 students from the University of London to recently tour the District’s coastal ecosystem restoration projects such as… Read more

The District’s Governing Board elected new officers at its September meeting. The changes come after the departure of vice chair Hugh M. Gramling. H. Paul Senft, Jr. remains the chair of the board, but a new vice chair, secretary and treasurer were elected. They are: Vice Chair Douglas B. Tharp Tharp of The Villages was appointed to the Governing Board in September 2008. He has also served as the Governing Board secretary and treasurer. Tharp is a retired… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of November and December on the Jack Creek Preserve in Highlands County. The property is located six miles northwest of Lake Placid, west of US Highway 27. Approximately 120 acres will be burned, in small manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to mimic natural… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of November and December on the Prairie/Shell Creek Preserve in Charlotte County. The property is located to the west of US Highway 17, north of Shell Creek. Approximately 140 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to mimic… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of March on the Lake Panasoffkee Preserve in Sumter County. The property is located near Interstate 75 and State Road 44. Approximately 500 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to mimic natural fire cycles under a controlled… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of December on the Upper Hillsborough property in Polk County. The Upper Hillsborough property is located in the area of Chancy Rd. and S.R. 54 near Zephyrhills. Approximately 500 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in the Polk City watershed.The District is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on its 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 natural… Read more

_All District managed lands closed_The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Brooksville and Tampa offices, in addition to Bartow and Lake Hancock, will be closed tomorrow, Friday, October 7th.The closures are due to anticipated sustained tropical storm force winds associated with Hurricane Matthew. The District's Sarasota office is scheduled to be open regular hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. District staff should check the emergency hotline after 8 a.m.… Read more

Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 9 a.m. remotely. In-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited in accordance with the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically. With the exception of… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of September on the Upper Hillsborough property in Polk County. The Upper Hillsborough property is located in the area of Chancy Rd. and S.R. 54 near Zephyrhills. Approximately 200 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of September at the Conner Preserve in Pasco County. The property is located south of State Road 52 and east of U.S. 41 near the town of Land O' Lakes. Approximately 700 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to mimic natural… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of August and September on the Jack Creek Preserve in Highlands County. The property is located six miles northwest of Lake Placid, west of US Highway 27. Approximately 100 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management supervisor, burns are implemented to mimic natural… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of August and September on the Prairie/Shell Creek Preserve in Charlotte County. The property is located to the west of US Highway 17, north of Shell Creek. Approximately 140 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management manager, burns are implemented to mimic natural fire… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), in cooperation with Hillsborough County, will hold a dedication event to celebrate the completion of the Rock Ponds Ecosystem Restoration Project. This is the largest coastal habitat restoration project ever done in the history of Tampa Bay, with approximately 1,043 acres of uplands and wetlands. This project will help offset habitat losses suffered throughout Tampa Bay and will prove valuable for the public and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, April 26, at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding fully vaccinated people, wearing masks and social distancing will be optional at the meeting. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the… Read more