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The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be removing vegetation near a portion of the "Flatwoods Park Trail":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lh-flatwoods.html starting Dec. 11.The work, which involves some tree removal, is required to put the Lower Hillsborough Levee in compliance with requirements of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Failure to meet the requirements would mean a loss of possible federal funding in an emergency.Vegetation…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org and the City of St. Petersburg are offering water customers rebates of up to $100 for replacing their high-flow toilets.Replacing older high-flow toilets with water-efficient toilets through this project is anticipated to save an estimated 24,300 gallons per day. Customers must be potable water residential or nonresidential users of St. Petersburg and meet other requirements to be eligible for the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.watermatters.org and the City of Frostproof are offering Frostproof Utilities customers rebates of up to $100 for replacing their high-flow toilets.Replacing older high-flow toilets with water-efficient toilets could save an estimated 1,350 gallons per day or nearly half a million gallons per year. About 1,000 homes are eligible in the city's service areas for participation in the program.Customers must be current…

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects at the upcoming Hernando County Task Force meeting.The meeting is Tuesday, July 7, 3:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms A & B of the Southwest Florida Water Management District Headquarters, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville.During the meeting the task force will be considering potential restoration projects to enhance fish and wildlife habitats in Hernando County. Examples of…

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 in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns July through September on the Lake Panasoffkee property in Sumter County. The Lake Panasoffkee property is located…

Asmita Shukla, lead hydrologic data analyst, recently received the A. Ivan Johnson Award for young professionals from the National American Water Resources Association. This award recognizes future leaders of water resources research, management and education. Shukla’s doctoral research focused on finding cost-effective ways of improving agricultural stormwater quality in the Everglades through payment for environmental services programs. Her research and her work in…

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 March at the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, which includes the Green Swamp East Tract in Polk, Sumter and Lake counties; the Hampton Tract in Polk County; and the Green Swamp West Tract in Pasco County.…

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 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…

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) awarded $108,304 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…

Polk County's Local Governments No Longer Need to Go It Alone Guest Editorial How to meet the water needs of a growing region when your main water source is reaching its limits? That's the challenge facing Polk County. Developing new water supplies is costly and can be especially difficult for smaller communities. It makes sense for the various local governments in the county to work together, share the cost and ensure a water supply for future…