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Susanna Martinez Tarokh has joined the Southwest Florida Water Management District as public information officer. Martinez Tarokh will serve as the District's principal representative for the news media and related public stakeholders in the 16-county coverage area, spanning as far north as Levy and Marion counties and south to Charlotte County. She replaces Robyn Felix who is now the District's Communications manager.Before joining the District, Martinez Tarokh spent seven… Read more

According to the National Weather Service, parts of the Tampa Bay area are expected to have near to below freezing temperatures Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning.  This has prompted the… Read more

More than 500 volunteers who spend thousands of hours a year helping the Southwest Florida Water Management District maintain and improve public lands, as well as restore Tampa Bay, were honored this April during the District’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Day. The third annual celebration was held at the District’s Lake Panasoffkee property and featured an awards presentation, exhibits, live music, a picnic lunch and a nature hike. During the past year,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is hosting two workshops for residents who live along the North Winter Haven Chain of Lakes in Polk County. Lakefront residents of Lakes Conine, Fannie, Haines, Hamilton, Henry, Lowery, Rochelle, Smart and the Peace Creek Canal are invited to attend to learn more about the current structure operational guidelines. The workshops will take place on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 5:… 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 November through March 2018 at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. Halpata Tastanaki Preserve is located two miles east of Dunnellon and seven miles northeast of the City… 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 Lower Hillsborough Flood… 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 at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota County. Myakka River -… Read more

Left, The intricate designs of two freshly planted intertidal lagoon systems mimic Mother Nature, incorporating various estuarine habitats. The design includes high-marsh and transitional zones in anticipation of rising sea levels, which will allow wetland platforms to migrate up the slopes over time. Top right, a tidal lagoon starts to take shape in place of an Australian pine forest that previously occupied the site. Bottom right, volunteers work to install 34,000… Read more

Splash! Grants Awarded to Area Schools in District This year, 94 Splash! grants were awarded across the District’s 16-county region to educate students on water resources. Splash! grant projects include student monitoring of local water quality, environmental field studies and school or community outreach campaigns designed to encourage water conservation. The goal of the Splash! school grant program is to provide teachers with funding to enhance student knowledge of… Read more

***The District’s Surplus Lands Committee has been canceled. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, March 26 at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. At 10:30 a.m. or immediately following the Governing Board meeting, the District’s Surplus Lands Committee will meet. The Committee will hold a series of meetings to evaluate 44,672 acres of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $107,969 in grants to 58 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… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) anticipated activating the Tampa Bypass Canal system Monday night in response to heavy rains in the Tampa Bay area from Hurricane Hermine, however, the Hillsborough River has not reached an elevation of 25 feet above sea level, which triggers the Army Corps of Engineers activation level of the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention (LHFDA) area.The Hillsborough River remains closed to boat traffic, east of the I-75… Read more

The Governing Board appointed Brian Armstrong as executive director at today's monthly Board meeting. Robert Beltran, who announced his resignation earlier this month, will stay on temporarily to assist in the transition. Beltran was appointed to serve as the District's executive director in September 2013, and is returning to the private sector.Mr. Armstrong has served as the District's assistant executive director since May 2014. In that role he has been responsible for… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the next 12 months within the Green Swamp. This includes the following properties: Green Swamp East, Green Swamp West, Hampton and Upper Hillsborough. These properties are located in eastern Pasco, southeastern Sumter, southwestern Lake and northern Polk counties. Approximately 20,000 acres will be prescription burned in manageable units by… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Tampa Bypass Canal System and the Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (HFDA) as water levels in the Hillsborough River have declined following Hurricane Milton.The District opened Structure S-155 over the weekend and the boat barriers were removed this morning, restoring navigation on the Hillsborough River. The S-155 structure is located north of Morris Bridge Road and east of I-75 and can be… 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 in July and August at Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County. Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and… 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 in July and August at Prairie/Shell Creek in Charlotte County. Prairie/Shell Creek is located on the west side of U.S. Highway 17, approximately five miles northeast of Punta Gorda. … 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 now through March on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) in Hillsborough County. The LHFDA… 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 April through June at Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County. Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and… Read more

According to the National Weather Service, parts of the Tampa Bay area are expected to see freezing temperatures Thursday morning.This has prompted the "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ to advise residents who live near Plant City and Dover who have well pumps without automatic cutoff switches to turn off the pumps Wednesday night.During a freeze or near-freezing temperatures, water is pumped to protect crops and fish farms,… Read more