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At its August 16 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.265 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY2005 is $11,312,338, which is an increase of $6,769,805 over the approvedFY2004 budget. The main reason for this major budget increase is because the District will receive a $4.3 million state appropriation and anticipates receiving $1… 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 July through September on the Prairie Shell Creek Tract in Charlotte County. Prairie Shell Creek is located at 3081… 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 July through September on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace… 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 July through September on the Edward W. Chance Reserve - Gilley Creek Tract (Gilley Creek) in Manatee County.… 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 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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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 September on Starkey Wilderness Preserve, Conner Preserve and Cypress Creek Preserve.Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and south of State Road 52. Approximately 700 acres… Read more

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… 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 Prairie/Shell Creek in Charlotte County. Prairie/Shell Creek is located on the… 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 Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

Allen Yarbrough, graphics illustrator, and Melissa Roe, senior communications coordinator, accepting the award. A District communications project was recognized at the annual Florida Government Communicators Association (FGCA) Awards Banquet. The Crystal Awards recognize community groups and agencies that are taking positive steps to protect water resources. Partners in Watershed Education Awards The District’s “Partners in Watershed Education Awards”… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more