Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rates for the General Fund and the seven Basin Boards.The Governing Board adopted a FY2010 millage rate of 0.3866 mill for the District’s General Fund, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2010 will run from Oct. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010.The total FY2010 budget for the District is $298.9 million, 20.6 percent lower than the adopted… Read more

Some Areas Show Significant Gains Scientists with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) completed the latest round of seagrass mapping along Florida’s Springs Coast. The results of the aerial imagery collected show 586,511 acres of mapped seagrass habitat along the Springs Coast, up slightly from the previous total of 577,920 acres in 2016. The open water nature of the area and the largely undeveloped and expansive coastal wetlands… Read more

Northeast of the recently-restored Lake Panasoffkee, a wetland forest of freshwater marshes rises to the pine flatwoods and scrub oaks of upland sandhills to form the vast floodplain forest of the District’s Lake Panasoffkee property. The 9,911-acre property was acquired by the District to preserve the floodplain forest. Thick marsh vegetation prevents access to the lake from the property, but the property has a lot to offer. Visitors will find a large pavilion,… Read more

District Approves Budget The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board recently adopted its fiscal year 2012–13 (FY2012–13) millage rate and budget. The Governing Board adopted a FY2012–13 millage rate of 0.3928 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2012–13 will run from Oct. 1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2013. With taxable property values declining by 2.9 percent, this rate will result in a $3 million reduction in ad valorem property tax… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board voted to decrease property taxes by adopting a proposed rolled-back millage rate of 0.1909 mill for the fiscal year 2025 budget.The millage rate is 6.6% lower than the current fiscal year adopted millage rate of 0.2043 mill, a savings to taxpayers of approximately $9.5 million.For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $19.09 a year, or… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of March, April, May and June on the Deep Creek Preserve in Desoto County. The Deep Creek Preserve is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 370 acres will be burned, in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management manager,… Read more

About 20 Eckerd College students recently got an up-close look at one of the structures that helps protect the Tampa area from flooding. The students toured Structure 161 on the Harney Canal. They also met with several District staff about water management issues. The visit was part of the Eckerd course “Value of Florida Water.”  “The four-week course explores all issues pertaining to water,” said Megan Cook, course instructor. “This is a great opportunity for… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of October, November, and December on the Deep Creek Preserve in Desoto County. The Deep Creek Preserve is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 190 acres will be burned, in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August, and September at the Flatwoods Park portion of the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area in Hillsborough County. This property is located in the northeast portion of the county near the City of Thonotosassa. Approximately 350 acres are scheduled to be burned in small, manageable… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August, and September on the Deep Creek Preserve in Desoto County. The Deep Creek Preserve is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 480 acres will be burned, in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the… Read more

The "Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/landusemgmt/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of January, February, and March on the Deep Creek Preserve in Desoto County. The Deep Creek Preserve is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 250 acres will be burned, in small, manageable units.… Read more

The "Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/landusemgmt/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of November and December on the Coker Prairie Tract of the Edward W. Chance Preserve in Manatee County. The property is located south of State Road 64, seven miles east of CR 675 and six miles west of Wauchula Road. Approximately 50 acres will be burned in small, manageable… Read more

The "Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/landusemgmt/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of November and December on the Deep Creek Preserve in Desoto County. The Deep Creek Preserve is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 350 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to… Read more

The "Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/landusemgmt/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of October, November, and December on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (including Flatwoods Park) and the Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County. These properties are located in the central and southern areas of the county, respectively. Approximately 1,500… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,937 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/(District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of June, July, and August on the following properties in eastern Manatee County: Southfork, Edward W. Chance Reserve at Gilley Creek, Edward W. Chance Reserve at Coker Prairie, and Flatford Swamp. Approximately 700 acres are scheduled to be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of June, July, and August on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area and the Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County. These properties are located in the central and southern areas of the county, respectively. Approximately 2,000 acres are scheduled to be burned in small, manageable units.… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of April through June on the LowerHillsborough Flood Detention Area in Hillsborough County. The property is located near Thonotosassa between Interstate 75 and Morris Bridge Road, just south of Cross Creek Boulevard.Approximately 550 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. According to Will… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of April, May and June on the Jack Creek Preserve in Highlands County. The Jack Creek Preserve is located six miles northwest of Lake Placid, west of US Highway 27. Approximately 300 acres will be burned, in small, manageable units. According to Will VanGelder, the District's land management… Read more