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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers next weekend, which is the end of daylight saving time.Saturday, Nov. 2 is when we will turn our clocks back one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with year-round water conservation measures.All 16 counties throughout the… Read more

May 2023 Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season? A:  Year-round, the District operates 84 water control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s structures to ensure they… Read more

The District’s new public awareness campaign is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to skip a week during the cooler months. According to research by the University of Florida, as temperatures grow cooler, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often. The “Skip a Week” campaign is using radio and print advertisements to encourage reduced outdoor irrigation. The ads highlight the following tips people can use to determine when their grass needs water. Your… Read more

Judy Whitehead, Governing Board chair and chair ex officio of the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board, and her husband, Don, enjoy spending time with their grandsons, Pierson and Daniel. Judy Whitehead was surprised and gratified that her fellow Governing Board members thought enough of her to elect her as their chair. “I’m not particularly brilliant or knowledgeable. I’m just a small-town grandma,” she said. Despite her modesty, her fellow Board members… Read more

Phyllis Young, senior administrative assistant, gives barbecue customers service with a smile. Clyde Sesler cooks up some mouth-watering chicken and ribs. Frances Sesler, senior administrative assistant, serves Lou Kavouras, executive coordinator, during a recent barbecue fundraiser. Displaying the afghan being auctioned to raise funds for the Relay for Life are (from left): Phyllis Young, senior administrative assistant; Frances Sesler, senior administrative… Read more

Left: Judy Whitehead, Right: Patricia Glass. Governor Charlie Crist made two appointments to the District’s Governing Board in April. Judy Whitehead and Pat Glass were sworn in at the April Governing Board meeting. Judy Whitehead was reappointed. She is the current Governing Board vice chair and chair ex officio of the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board. She was first appointed to the Governing Board in March 2003. Her term ends March 1, 2011.… Read more

The District is in the process of raising the levels of Lake Hancock to meet the minimum flows for the upper Peace River. During the 1990s, the District identified, planned and executed a number of programs and partnerships to implement changes necessary to protect our precious natural resources for future generations. It was a decade of proactive measures to promote the sustainability and growth of our area. Preservation 2000 The 1990s began with… Read more

Three Marion County projects expected to reach up to 11,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.state.… Read more

Throughout the year Southwest Florida Water Management District employees volunteer their time and donate money to help support a variety of charitable organizations, but the greatest support comes during the holiday season.The District’s employee committee coordinates the holiday season benevolent efforts, which begin in the fall with an auction to raise funds for the “adopt-a-family” program that helps employees, their families, and their friends and neighbors. Families… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn… Read more

Pledge to conserve during one of the driest months of the year The Southwest Florida Water Management District is urging residents to join their family and friends in pledging to conserve water during the state's annual Water Conservation Month in April. Each year local governments and water management districts throughout the state declare April as Water Conservation Month… Read more

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.Watershed BasicsWe all live in a watershed and if you live near a spring, you live in a springshed.Watersheds are defined by the way water flows across the land and are shaped by features and elevations on the surface of the land. … Read more

February is Hiking Trails Month, a great time of year to enjoy the beauty of west-central Florida.Explore more than 60 recreational hiking sites across District properties. Check out our Hiking Pinterest Board for direct links to the various properties and their unique features.  Most hiking properties also have other recreational activities such as fishing, boating… Read more

Left: First-time homeowners receive Florida Water StarSM Gold plaques, certificates and keys to their new homes. Center: District Governing Board Member Maritza Rovira-Forino speaks about the Florida Water Star℠ Gold program before presenting plaques and certificates to new homeowners. Right: One of the six certified Florida Water Star℠ Gold homes in the Hidden Creek community in Hillsborough County. Six families recently received the keys to their affordable,… Read more

*WHO:* Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard, Jr., Department of Environmental Protection State Representative Jimmie T. Smith, District 43 Chairman Carlos Beruff, Southwest Florida Water Management District Dennis Damato, Citrus County Commission, District 1*WHAT:* The Chassahowitzka Springs sediment removal project began in May 2013 and resulted in the removal of approximately 3,000 cubic yards of material from the… Read more

Water will now flow naturally between the Hernando pool of Lake Tsala Apopka and Potts Preserve thanks to a restoration project by the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us.The District removed more than 15,000 cubic yards of fill material at 15 locations to restore the historic natural flow patterns of water between the preserve's marsh and the lake system."We're glad to have this final stage… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s new public awareness campaign will encourage residents who irrigate their lawns to “skip a week” during the cooler months.According to research by the University of Florida, as temperatures grow cooler, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often. The “skip a week” campaign will use radio and print advertisements to encourage reduce outdoor irrigation.The ads highlight the following tips… Read more

It towers more than 10 stories and its canopy shades various species deep in the Green Swamp in Polk County. “Cattle once roamed around him,“ said Paul Elliott, senior land management specialist. “Seminole Indians once camped beside him. Ace has seen a lot.“ District officials aren’t exactly sure the age of “Ace,“ a red maple tree, but they know it’s a Florida Champion. Ace, short for its scientific name Acer rubrum, was recently designated a… Read more

With the growing popularity of social media, the District has turned to Facebook and Twitter as its newest communication tools for promoting its mission to protect water resources. Facebook is a free social networking web site that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers in a trusted environment. Users can support organizations, such as the District, by signing up to be a “fan” to receive information and interact on the web… Read more