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A District restoration project in Sarasota County recently won an award from the Florida Stormwater Association (FSA). The Hudson Bayou In-Stream Restoration and Water Quality Improvements Project recently received a 2020 Excellence Award from FSA. The award recognizes projects with an outstanding commitment to stormwater management practices that benefit the environment and residents. This project treats stormwater from about an 800-acre urbanized watershed.…

The public is welcome to attend an information meeting to discuss water resources issues and watershed planning in the Roberts Bay North Watershed in Sarasota County.This public workshop will be held March 15, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Southgate Community Association Building, located at 3145 Southgate Circle in Sarasota.The Southwest Florida Management District and Sarasota County are evaluating conditions in the watershed, which is located in northwest Sarasota County and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the consolidation of three water use permits (WUP) for Sarasota County Utilities.The consolidated permit does not include an increase in quantities. The three permits that were consolidated allowed an annual average permitted quantity of 13,737,400 gallons per day (gpd). Additional quantities needed during the term of the permit will be met by the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Manatee County. The District will provide a virtual public comment period now through Nov. 30 at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during March and April on both the "Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract(Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/myakka-deerprairie.html.Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, lies between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which lies north and south of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted to decrease property taxes by adopting a proposed rolled-back millage rate of 0.2801 mill for the proposed fiscal year 2020 budget. The millage rate is more than 5.2 percent lower than the current fiscal year adopted millage rate of 0.2955 mill, a savings to taxpayers of approximately $6.5 million. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the…

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 June through August at Annuteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annuteliga Hammock is located east of U.S. Highway 19, north of Centralia Road and south of the county…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has developed a new conservation program to incentivize utilities, institutions and commercial water users to reduce their water use. This 50 percent cost-share reimbursement program, known as Water Incentives Supporting Efficiency or WISE, will support water conservation efforts Districtwide. WISE will award applicants up…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials will deactivate the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) from a Level 2 to a Level 3 at 6 p.m. today. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during and after an emergency weather event. District officials had raised the activation level of the EOC Oct. 8 as Hurricane Michael moved through the Gulf of Mexico. Level 3 activation is a general state of monitoring used during…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during November and December on the Jack Creek property in Highlands County.The Jack Creek property is located in the Leisure Lakes area, approximately one mile west of US 27, three miles south of SR 66 and six miles northwest of Lake Placid. Approximately 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance…

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 Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the rest of January through March 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 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with the group “Outdoors Without Limits,” to provide disabled outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to go hunting on District lands.“Outdoors Without Limits” is an organization built around communities creating opportunities for disabled individuals to enjoy outdoor activities. The group organizes hunting and fishing events, as well as recreational shooting and other outdoor activities.Here…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Brenda Rogers from the Manatee County Extension for organizing the Manatee County Water School. A total of 26 water resources education projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.The 2008 Manatee County Water School reached 50 community, county and municipal decision-makers. The two-day educational program included a…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the remaining days in November and December 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 100 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 will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the rest of November and throughout December and January on the District’s Upper Hillsborough property in Pasco County.The Upper Hillsborough property is approximately one mile east of Zephyrhills. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during September and October on the District’s Jack Creek property in Highlands County.The property, which is in the Leisure Lakes area, is approximately one mile west of U.S. Hwy. 27, three miles south of S.R. 66 and six miles northwest of Lake Placid. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the District’s Halpata Tastanaki Preserve. The property is approximately five miles east of Dunnellon. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 1,000 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns…