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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 January through March on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 272 acres will be…

Consistent with direction provided by Governor DeSantis, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has canceled all nonessential travel and implemented social distancing to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. All District offices will be closed to the public beginning March 17 until further notice. During this time, our staff will continue to conduct business and provide quality service from alternative work locations. We…

Eight Pinellas County projects that have the potential to reach approximately 298,800 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants offer 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…

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 September at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota County.Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract are located west of North Port, east of the Myakka River, and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. The meeting is open to the public. 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…

At its June 6 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.1827 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Peace River Basin Board area includes Hardee, DeSoto and portions of Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties.This proposed millage rate combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the five county property appraisers, will result…

  The District conducts “controlled, prescribed burns” on about 20,000 acres of District-managed lands annually. Many of Florida’s native plants and animals are dependent on fire to maintain balance within the ecosystem. Prior to human intervention, lightning-caused fires burned out of control until they were extinguished by rain or reached a natural barrier, such as a river. Due to development and population growth, natural wildfires are no longer allowed to…

At its July 26 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.2421 mill, which is .0259 less than the current fiscal year. This reduction is in accordance with the tax reduction mandated by the Florida Legislature.The FY2008 millage rate has been set equal to 97 percent of the rolled-back rate in compliance with House Bill 1B, the tax reform legislation signed into law…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted proposed Fiscal Year 2007 (FY2007) millage rates. The District’s proposed millage rate remains the same as last year for the District’s General Fund. The proposed millage rates for seven District Basin Boards also remain the same. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board lowered its millage rate.The eight Basin Boards will meet in August to adopt their final FY2007 millage rates. The final millage rates…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 millage rates. The District’s proposed millage rate remains the same as last year for the District’s General Fund. The proposed millage rates for eight District Basin Boards also remain the same.The eight Basin Boards will meet in August to adopt their final FY2006 millage rates. The final millage rates may decrease from the proposed amounts adopted, but by law…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rates for the General Fund and the seven Basin Boards.The Governing Board adopted a proposed FY2011 millage rate of 0.3866 mill for the District's General Fund, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2011 will run from Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2011.The total proposed FY2011 budget for the District is $282.9 million, 5.35 percent lower…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rates for the General Fund and the seven Basin Boards.The Governing Board adopted a proposed FY2011 millage rate of 0.3866 mill for the District's General Fund, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2011 will run from Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2011.The total proposed FY2011 budget for the District is $282.9 million, 5.35 percent lower…

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 October through December on the Prairie Shell Creek Tract in Charlotte County. Prairie Shell Creek is located at 3081 Duncan Road (U.S. Highway 17), Punta Gorda. Approximately 150 acres will be…

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 October through December on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 300 acres will be…

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 October through December at Annutteliga Hammock in Hernando County. Annutteliga Hammock is located east of U.S. Highway 19, north of Centralia Road and south of the county line. Approximately 75 acres will be burned…

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 October through December on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County. The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near Thonotosassa.…

Two Citrus County projects that are expected to reach approximately 730 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 32 grants Districtwide. This is the 12th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant…

Two Southwest Florida Water Management District projects will help two Hardee County citrus groves reduce groundwater pumping.The first project involves installing two soil moisture sensors and a weather station at the Groves of Peace River, Inc. and the second project involves installing four soil moisture sensors and two weather stations at Las Lomas Holdings, Inc.Soil moisture sensors increase irrigation efficiency by only irrigating when water is needed. Weather…

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 Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday renewed a water use permit (WUP) for the City of Venice.The renewed permit maintains an annual average permitted quantity of 6,864,000 gallons of water per day (gpd).The sole source of water authorized for use by this permit is brackish ground water from the city’s two Intermediate aquifer wellfields.The permit requires the city to carefully manage water levels and water quality at each…