Search Content

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 early spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the next 12 months within the Green Swamp, including the Green Swamp East, Green Swamp West, Hampton and Upper Hillsborough properties. These properties are located in eastern… 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 early spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns October through January 2018 on the Green Swamp Hampton Tract property in Polk County. The Hampton Tract property is located north of Rock Ridge Road and east of U.S. Highway 98, north… Read more

For the seventh year in a row, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted to decrease property taxes by adopting a rolled back millage rate of 0.3131 mill for the fiscal year 2018 budget. The millage rate is more than 5.6 percent lower than the current fiscal year adopted millage rate of 0.3317 mill, a savings to taxpayers of $6.7 million.For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $31… Read more

During the dry season, many homeowners are tempted to over-water their lawns and gardens. The Southwest Florida Water Management District would like to remind homeowners that more water is not the answer to their landscaping dilemmas.“Proper irrigation will conserve water and maintain a beautiful Florida-friendly landscape,” said Lou Kavouras, District deputy executive director.Make sure your sprinklers are watering the lawn, not the driveway and street and… Read more

The public is invited to attend a celebration focusing on the history, restoration and future preservation of Lake Panasofkee on Saturday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, which is free to the public, is located at the Marsh Bend Outlet River Park on the north side of the bridge on County Road 470 in Sumter County.The celebration includes educational activities for adults and children, kids’ fishing activities, entertainment and a “Lake PanPal”… 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 recent drought. That's why the Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August, and September on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) in Hillsborough County. The LHFDA property is located in the area… 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 recent drought. That's why the Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August, and September at the Conner Preserve in Pasco County. Conner Preserve is located south of State Road 52 and east of U.S. 41 near the… Read more

Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ "Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/swim/ released the results of the 2012 seagrass mapping study showing a 5.3 percent increase in seagrass coverage in Tampa Bay. This is the fourth consecutive survey to show increases for the Tampa Bay system. The study also shows gains in Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbor. The… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District land this fall and winter to help reduce the wild hog population. Beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District's website at "HogHunts.WaterMatters.org":http://HogHunts.WaterMatters.org. Permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, or until they are sold out.… 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 areas surrounding 17 lakes in Highlands County.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… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of March on the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. The property is located two miles east of Dunnellon and seven miles northeast of the City of Hernando and is bounded by County Road 484 on the north, State Road 200 on the southeast and the Withlacoochee River on the southwest. Approximately 1,000 acres will be burned… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of March on the Potts Preserve in Citrus County. The property is located approximately two miles east of City of Hernando and 3.5 miles north-northeast of Inverness. Potts Preserve is east and southeast of State Road 200 and north of Turner Camp Road and is bounded by the Withlacoochee River on the east. Approximately 200 acres… Read more

At its August 6 meeting, the Southwest "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Peace River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.1827 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Peace River Basin Board(Peace River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/peace.php area includes Hardee, DeSoto and portions of Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties.This millage… Read more

At its Aug. 5 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Alafia River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2163 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Alafia River Basin Board(Alafia River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/alafia.php area covers the southern portion of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk County. This… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org is gathering input needed to improve identification of "flooding risks(Understanding Flooding and Floodplains)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/publications/files/understanding_flooding.pdf in the county. The District is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on their national effort to update and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Safety Harbor recently signed an agreement for a project to prevent erosion and improve water quality within the Mullet Creek watershed.The watershed covers approximately one square mile within the city and includes the Lincoln Highlands subdivision and the Harbor Lake industrial park. The work will begin at Harbor Lake and extend downstream to the 9th Avenue North crossing.During the past 50 years, development… Read more

Note: The new year-round water conservation measures will not go into effect until the current water shortage order, which restricts lawn watering to one-day-per-week, is lifted.The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted in December to approve revisions to the District’s two-day-per-week year-round water conservation measures to coincide with similar measures in other areas of the state.Compared to the state’s… 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 October through December on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA). The LHFDA is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near… Read more

Emergency Operations Center at Level 1 ActivationSouthwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 1 as they continue to monitor Hurricane Milton. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is evaluating potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region.… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of October through March on the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. The property is located two miles east of Dunnellon and seven miles northeast of the City of Hernando and is bounded by County Road 484 on the north, State Road 200 on the southeast and the Withlacoochee River on the southwest. Approximately 1,000 acres will… Read more