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The Southwest Florida Water Management District and City of Tarpon Springs are working together on an alternative water supply project that will reduce demand on the Tampa Bay Water regional system by providing up to 5 million gallons of water per day (mgd) by treating brackish groundwater.The District and city signed an agreement for the project that includes the design, permitting and construction of a brackish water wellfield and treatment facilities.The city currently…

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 last year. That’s why the…

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 last year. That’s why the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a public meeting on Thursday, July 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the SouthShore Regional Library of Hillsborough County in Community Room 2, located at 15816 Beth Shields Way in Ruskin. The purpose of the meeting is for the public to learn more about the proposed restoration plans for public properties along…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard voted today to let the modified Phase II water shortage restrictions expire on June 30.Local governments will have the option of returning to the "District's twice-per-week, year-round water conservation measures(District Water Restrictions)":/conservation/restrictions/swfwmd.php starting July…

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects at the upcoming Citrus County Task Force meeting.The meeting is being held Monday, March 10, 3 p.m. in Room 166 of the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 West Sovereign Path, Lecanto, Florida.During the meeting the task force will be considering potential restoration projects to enhance fish and wildlife habitats in Citrus County. Examples of restoration projects may include, but…

Volunteers are needed to help install trail signs at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Jack Creek property in Highlands County.The District is organizing a volunteer work day on Feb. 21 at its Jack Creek property, located south of Sebring near Josephine Creek.Approximately five volunteers are needed to help install trail signs and pick up trash. Volunteers will meet at 11 a.m. at the property gate at Grand Concourse Road and Hines Way.Volunteers should…

Do you belong to an organization whose members want to learn more about the drought?Southwest Florida Water Management District staff members are available to speak to community groups on the drought, what the District is doing to meet water needs, and what residents can do to help.The District’s rainfall deficit for the past two years is more than 20 inches. Forecasters are predicting a drier than normal winter and spring, which means this serious situation will…

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects at the upcoming Citrus County Task Force meeting.The meeting is being held Monday, Jan. 14, 3 p.m. in Room 166 of the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 West Sovereign Path, Lecanto, Florida.During the meeting the task force will be considering potential restoration projects to enhance fish and wildlife habitats in Citrus County. Examples of restoration projects may include, but…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the renewal and modification of a water use permit (WUP) for the Town of Dundee to meet the projected population growth through 2012.Dundee is located approximately five miles east of the City of Winter Haven.The renewed permit combines two permits and increases the combined total quantity. The previous combined annual average permitted quantity was 1,011,100 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The…

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with the City of Venice to participate on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with heavy rains in the Hatchett Creek watershed.The Hatchett Creek basin spans approximately 5.2 square miles in Sarasota County and includes the Eastgate area. During heavy rains, stormwater runoff leads to street flooding and threatens to enter residential structures.The project will alleviate standing water…

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 last spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns April through June on the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Hampton Tract property in Polk County. The Hampton Tract property is located north of Rock Ridge Road and east of U.S. Highway…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District wants to remind members of the agricultural community who hold water use permits to complete and return the annual crop reporting forms, which were mailed this week.The reports, which are a condition of a water use permit, are also used to help calculate the correct annual conservation credits that each permit holder has earned. Conservation credits allow permit holders to use additional irrigation quantities during dry…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently signed an agreement with Pinellas County to move forward on a project that will reduce erosion and flooding along Bear Creek Channel.The Bear Creek watershed is approximately 4.4 square miles in Pinellas County. Part of the watershed is in St. Petersburg and part in South Pasadena. The area was developed before the current land use and stormwater management regulations were implemented.This project involves reshaping…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Wheelin’ Sportsmen are inviting disabled anglers to participate in a fishing derby.The derby takes place May 13 at the District’s Edward Medard Park and Reservoir, which is managed by the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department. The Edward Medard Park and Reservoir is located in Hillsborough County on South Turkey Creek Road.The event is open to men, women and young adults who are disabled.Interested…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual public workshop at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, to discuss updates to the District’s land use and management rules and processes. The purpose of this workshop is to update outdated rules and processes governing the use of District lands to create efficiencies. One of the major changes includes an annual limit on the number of nights campers can reserve per year, which will provide more fair…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved an agreement today that will allow rowing teams more access to the Tampa Bypass Canal.The agreement with the Tampa Bypass Canal Rowing Council, Inc., which is a not-for-profit organization created to help college and high school rowing teams train, will allow the organization to construct and maintain a training facility downstream from Harney Park on the southern portion of the canal.The Tampa…

Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director David L. Moore this week issued an emergency order authorizing Hernando County to pump water to relieve flooding in the Lakewood subdivision.The property of approximately 30 Lakewood residents remains flooded. The subdivision is located near the northeast corner of Hernando County, north of the Withlacoochee River and adjacent to Lakes Geneva, Elizabeth and Frances. The property was flooded after the rains…

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 now through December on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located in…

The “water wars” in the Tampa Bay region spanned three decades, cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, and taught us valuable lessons about how to address regional water supply issues. Now the Tampa Bay region has one of the most diverse, drought-resistant water supplies in the country. The war was not won in the courtroom, despite all the money spent on attorneys. The issues were resolved by cooperating on our shared interests, fairly distributing costs of new water…