Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday modified a water use permit (WUP) for the Southeastern Regional Utility Service Area of Polk County. The service area is approximately 1.5 miles west of the city of Frostproof, adjacent to Highway 27 and includes town of Babson Park.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 928,900 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the remaining days of October and November on the Prairie-Shell Creek property in Charlotte County.The site is west of U.S. Hwy. 17 and east of the Peace River, approximately eight miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Approximately 125 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday modified a water use permit (WUP) for the City of Wildwood in Sumter County.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 2,137,200 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 4,980,000 gpd, which is an increase of 2,842,800 gpd.The increase in quantity is based on an estimated increase in population and commercial development…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the remaining days of August and September on the Prairie-Shell Creek property in Charlotte County.The site is west of U.S. Hwy. 17 and east of the Peace River, approximately eight miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Approximately 125 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of…

A project cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Citrus County will improve water quality entering Lake Tsala Apopka.The project includes the design, permitting and construction of stormwater treatment areas at five county-maintained boat ramps and the associated parking areas.A study of the lake was conducted to choose and prioritize the treatment sites. Further, a hydrologic and hydraulic model of each site will be developed as part of…

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with Sarasota County to move forward on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with heavy rains in the Alligator Creek watershed.The Alligator Creek watershed spans approximately nine miles in Sarasota County and includes Banyan Drive, Bal Harbour Drive, Venice East Drive, Venice East Boulevard and the Briarwood area. These areas become impassable during 10-, 25- and 100-year storm events.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved a plan that will provide electricity to the District’s Green Swamp West property.Last May, the District signed a no-cost lease agreement which allows the Pasco High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) to use a 100-acre bahia pasture on the property for a cattle project. The FFA project area is located near the River Road entrance of the property.The cattle grazing lease allows FFA…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a consolidated water use permit that will increase The Villages’ water supply from 14.7 million gallons per day (mgd) to 23.7 mgd of ground and surface water to meet its future needs.The increase in the annual average quantities is due to projected increases in the residential population, commercial development and recreational facilities, such as golf courses, within The Villages.The…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Dunedin will bring reclaimed water to more residents.The project includes the construction of 30,725 linear feet of reclaimed water transmission and distribution lines and the necessary valves and controllers to connect seven areas within the city.This project will provide approximately 212,000 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water for irrigation to approximately 377 homes. The project is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently approved an agreement providing funding assistance for 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 fifth phase of the project is to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet replaced with a low-flow model.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with Charlotte County to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Charlotte Harbor Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The plan will determine flood elevation levels and flows, water quality, and level of service deficiencies, which means determining when roads or other facilities are flooded beyond the level of adequate service for the community.The Charlotte Harbor CRA is located mid-county…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hampton Tract will be reserved March 23-25 to allow disabled hunters the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors during a turkey hunt. The property, which is located at the intersection of Rockridge Road and Deen Still Road in Polk County, will be closed to the public.The hunt is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen and is one of seven planned outdoor events held on District land…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 200 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to mimic…

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 January through March at Annutteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annutteliga Hammock is…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Management District and St. Petersburg will improve the quality of the water entering Lake Maggoire.The project will expand on the city’s alum injection system at the16th Street South outfall. Alum is a chemical agent that promotes the formation of large particle aggregates, or floc. The floc is made up of aluminum hydroxide and absorbed constituents of the stormwater. The floc precipitates out of solution, removing a…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during March on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to…

A five-year project funded by the Southwest Florida Management District and Hillsborough County will help predict flooding and water quality problems through updating the county’s topographical maps.This aerial mapping project, which is in its final phase, is providing detailed topographic maps that show the area’s physical features. From these maps, floodplain boundaries and watersheds may be determined to help predict future flooding and water quality problems…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October and November on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately 1 mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are…