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The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board last week renewed Tampa Bay Water’s water use permit (WUP) for the South Central Hillsborough County Regional Wellfield.The service area includes approximately 122,000 acres in southern Hillsborough County located approximately seven miles south of Plant City and includes the Lithia and Keysville areas.The water use permit is for an annual average of 24,100,000 gallons of water per day (gpd.) There were…

About 50 volunteers recently came out to Conner Preserve in Pasco County to plant 2,000 longleaf pine seedlings over 5 acres of restored sandhill.  Volunteers were members of Lutz Boy Scout Troop 12, the Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club and Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Lions Club. The Southwest Florida Water Management District provided the seedlings for the project and Senior Land Management Specialist Allen Milligan demonstrated how to properly plant longleaf pine…

A water conservation project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Manatee County will reduce demand and conserve water.The project will offer rebates to eligible residents who install a rain sensor device on their automatic irrigation system. Residents who live in the western unincorporated service area of Manatee County and the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach are eligible to participate if they use potable water for…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard voted Tuesday to begin the rulemaking process to increase its share of costs for projects that reduce groundwater pumping for frost/freeze protection in the Dover/Plant City area.The increase will be part of the "District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS, Program. "FARMS (FARMS Program)":/…

At its June 17 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2308 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Withlacoochee River Basin Board(Withlacoochee River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/withlacoochee.php area covers portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and…

At its June 10 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2300 mill, which 0.0121 lower than the current fiscal year. The "Hillsborough River Basin Board(Hillsborough River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/hillsborough.php area covers Hillsborough County and portions of Pasco and Polk…

At its June 11 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Peace River Basin Board adopted a proposed 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…

At its June 10 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 proposed 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…

At its June 9 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Coastal Rivers Basin Board(Coastal Rivers Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/coastal.php covers portions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.This millage rate, combined with a…

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 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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 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…

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 Prairie Shell Creek Tract in Charlotte County. Prairie Shell Creek is…

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 Deep Creek Preserve Tract in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located…

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 Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County. The Lower…

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 Edward W. Chance Reserve - Gilley Creek Tract (Gilley Creek) in Manatee County…

At its June 5 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) 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…

Seven Hillsborough County projects that will reach up to 35,275 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 program is…

h2. Rules Will Reduce Impacts From Future Frost/Freeze EventsThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ new regulatory rules took effect today for existing and future water use permit holders in the Dover/Plant City area with crops that require frost/freeze protection.The District developed the new rules in response to the unprecedented 11-day January 2010 freeze event, which resulted in more than 750 dry wells and more…

Albert G. Joerger took his oath of office to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board during the February Board meeting. Joerger was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to a newly created seat. The Governing Board was previously made up of 11 seats. Last year the state Legislature added two new seats for a total of 13. Joerger’s term ends March 1, 2011. The Sarasota resident is the founder and president of the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFL) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the delicate balance between meeting human water needs and those…