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Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activationSouthwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Milton and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during and after an emergency weather event.Hurricane Milton has the potential to bring significant rainfall to our area throughout the District’s 16-county…

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 Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) and the Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County. The LHFDA is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Zephyrhills will expand the use of reclaimed water in Zephyhills.The project includes the construction of approximately 6,000 feet of transmission and distribution line from an existing reclaimed water transmission line to irrigate landscaping along the city’s streets.This project will provide approximately 8,000 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water for irrigation, which is expected…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed one member and appointed a new member to the Coastal Rivers Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board area includes the coastal regions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.Randy Maggard of Zephyrhills has been reappointed. His term ends March 1, 2010. Maggard is vice president of Sonny’s Discount Appliances.John Nicolette of Dade City has been appointed to succeed…

The Hillsborough River watershed begins in the Green Swamp and travels south until it meets Tampa Bay.The Hillsborough River watershed encompasses more than 675 square miles.The Hillsborough River watershed includes parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties.There are four sub-basins within the Hillsborough River watershed: Blackwater Creek, Lake Thonotosassa/Flint Creek, Cypress Creek, and Mainstem (which includes the Upper, Middle, and Lower stretches of the river).The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hernando County are holding a series of workshops to ask developers, engineers and the general public to review and comment on 22 watershed management plans.A watershed is an area of land that water flows across as it moves toward a common low point, sinkhole complex, or a body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast.During the workshops, preliminary models and floodplain information will be presented for review…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pasco County are holding a series of workshops for review and comment from developers, engineers and the general public on 13 watershed management plans.A watershed is an area of land that water flows across as it moves toward a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast.During the workshops, preliminary models and floodplain information will be presented for review and comment. After addressing the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing board approved a joint land management plan with Sarasota County for the 6,439-acre Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, which will allow for public access to the preserve.The preserve is in southeast Sarasota County within the Myakka River watershed. It is bordered by the Myakka River on the west, I-75 to the north and U.S. 41 to the south. The District and the county jointly purchased the land in April 2000.The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a modification of a water use permit that will allow the City of Winter Haven to pump more water to meet the projected population growth through 2009.The permitted quantity was 10,565,300 gallons per day (gpd.) Under the modified permit, the city will now be able to withdraw 12,285,000 gpd. This permitted quantity will primarily supply potable water to single and multi-family developments and…

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 December at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota…

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 (…

The Wheelin’ Sportsmen, which is part of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), recently honored the District during the NWTF’s 30th Annual Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tennessee. The District received the 2005 Agency Achievement Award and the Patron Life Sponsor Award for its partnership with the organization. The partnership allows disabled outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the wilderness by taking part in planned events throughout the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted to decrease property taxes by adopting a proposed rolled-back millage rate of 0.2260 mill for the fiscal year 2023 budget. The millage rate is 10.8% lower than the current fiscal year adopted millage rate of 0.2535 mill, a savings to taxpayers of approximately $15.5 million. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $22.…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board(Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/pinellas-anclote.php voted Oct. 6 to fund three projects to help reduce flooding in East Lake's Tarpon Woods subdivision.The cost of the $1.9 million in projects will be funded equally by the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and "Pinellas County(Pinellas County Goverment)":http://www.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August on the District's "Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve – East Tract":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/greenswamp-east_tract.html in Polk County.Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve – East Tract is located in the northwest corner of Polk County. Approximately 1,500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part…

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 year. That’s why the…

***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…

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 year. That’s why the…

Residents asked to conserve by following their local watering restrictions and checking their irrigation systems and timersThe Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to declare a Phase I Water Shortage due to dry conditions throughout the region. The restrictions apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has scheduled restoration work on the Orange State Canal located in Citrus County. The work is scheduled to take place from May 16 to June 15. Boat access from the Withlacoochee River through the canal will not be available during the scheduled restoration work. Activity is scheduled to occur during daylight hours between Monday and Friday each week. Restoration work on the Orange State Canal will focus on…