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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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District approved funding for the fourth phase of the Pinellas County Ultra Low-flow Toilet Rebate Project.The project is a cooperatively funded effort between Pinellas County and the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board. The goal of the fourth phase of the project is to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet or urinal replaced with a low-flow model. The goal is…

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of October, November, and December 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…

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of October through 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Annutteliga Hammock in Hernando County.Annutteliga Hammock is located in the Royal Highlands area of northwest Hernando County, just south of Citrus County's Sugarmill Woods development. Approximately 120 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 11, to review and solicit public feedback on the recent surplus lands assessment review. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss two parcels of land that will be recommended to the Governing Board to be declared surplus. The parcels include a one-acre parcel along the District’s Tampa Bypass Canal and a 63-acre parcel along the District’s Lake Panasoffkee…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is hosting a public workshop Nov. 8 to provide information and get feedback on the Weeki Wachee Natural System Carrying Capacity Study. The purpose of the study is to evaluate how recreational use affects the natural system along the Weeki Wachee River. During Thursday’s workshop, staff from the District, Hernando County and the consultant group will be available to explain the intent of the study and how the data will…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during November and December on the Prairie-Shell Creek property in Charlotte County.The site is west of US 17 and east of the Peace River, approximately eight miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Approximately 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. According…

Left: Chris Busser, left, and Corbin Bassingwaite plant marsh grass at Clam Bayou. Right: Kyle Carey helped organize the planting of 3,500 units of marsh grasses. Eagle Scout candidate Kyle Carey of Boy Scout Troop 45 and 30 volunteers spent about 5½ hours planting 3,500 units of marsh grasses at the District’s Clam Bayou Ecosystem Restoration and Stormwater Treatment Project in St. Petersburg. Carey spearheaded the volunteer project as part of his efforts to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during June, July and August on the Deep Creek property in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land…

Hispanic Outreach Nearly 10 percent of the people who live in the District are Hispanic, and for many, Spanish is their first language. To reach that audience with a water conservation message, the District developed the Hispanic Outreach Program. The idea behind the campaign began with the Governing Board’s Diversity Committee, said project manager John Walkinshaw. Spanish-speaking District employees also showed an interest in promoting the outreach. Alberto…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during September and October on the Deep Creek property in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the Deep Creek property in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land Manager…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August at a section of the District’s Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which is also known as Flatwoods Park.The property is located off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in the New Tampa area. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed…

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 in April and May on the Edward W. Chance Reserve - Gilley Creek Tract (Gilley Creek) and Flatford Swamp Preserve in Manatee County. The Gilley Creek property is located between State…