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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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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.… Read more

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… Read more

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… 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 year. That’s why 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 last year. That’s why the… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

An educational workshop on well construction issues will bring together District staff and well construction contractors on September 24 at District headquarters in Brooksville. Sandy Semegen, Brooksville field services supervisor, is facilitating the workshop. During the day, contractors will attend several education sessions, including enforcement and how the District handles cases of well contractor violation; online tools, taught by Steve Camp, professional… 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) and Coker Prairie… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of March at two preserves in Hernando County.Approximately 400 acres at Weekiwachee Preserve will be burned in small, manageable units. The property is located west of US Highway 19 between Spring Hill and Hernando Beach. Some trails may be temporarily closed during prescribed burn events.Approximately 300 acres at Annuteliga… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of March on the Weekiwachee Preserve in Pasco County. The property is located north of Hudson west of US Highway 19 and includes the Aripeka Sandhills (Aripeka Road) tract. Approximately 50 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. The District will be also be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of December… Read more

Two District communication projects have taken top honors at this year’s Florida Government Communicators Association (FGCA) Awards Banquet. The FGCA Crystal Awards recognize excellence in government communications. The District received first-place Crystal Awards for the Who We Are & What We Do brochure and the District’s web site, WaterMatters.org. Who We Are & What We Do Brochure This single-topic publication provides overviews on… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has released as much water out of Lake Tarpon as possible in anticipation of heavy rainfall and storm surge from Hurricane Ian. The Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal is one of 84 water-control structures throughout the District’s 16-county area. The three-mile canal extends from the south end of Lake Tarpon and empties into Old Tampa Bay. The structure is designed to prevent salt water from entering Lake Tarpon during high tides… Read more

A cooperative project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pinellas County and the City of Dunedin will reduce flooding and improve water quality entering St. Joseph Sound.The project involves conducting a survey and the design, permitting and construction of a box culvert to connect Curlew Creek Channel A to an existing detention pond owned by the county. Curlew Creek, which is located in the Spanish Oaks Diversion improvement area, flows into St.… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of March, April, May and June on Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract. Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, is located between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which is located south and north of Interstate 75 just north of Deer… Read more