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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Pasco County. Residents living in the Double Hammock Creek watershed are invited to attend an open house on Monday, June 26 at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at Pepin Academies, located at 9804 Little Road in New Port Richey. District representatives will present preliminary data for flood prone areas, explain the basis behind the… Read more

h2. Effort Increases Efficiency, Reduces Costs and Retains Major ProgramsThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ this week completed its organizational restructuring which is expected to reduce District expenses by more than $15 million a year. The reorganization increases efficiencies, reduces operational costs and meets the District's core mission responsibilities in the areas of water supply, flood protection, water… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Sumter County. Residents living in the Bushnell watershed are invited to attend an open house on Thursday, September 1, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Bushnell Community Center, located at 407 E. Belt Avenue in Bushnell.District representatives will present preliminary flood prone area information, explain the basis… Read more

When residents set their clocks back one hour this weekend, the Southwest Florida Water Management District would like them to also check the timers on their irrigation system controllers.The time change is a good reminder to make sure your irrigation system timer is set correctly so you do not run the risk of receiving a water restriction citation because your system was set incorrectly.All 16 counties within the District are under one-day-per-week lawn watering… Read more

Citrus County residents recently benefited from a grass giveaway.  About 50 people left with more than 1,000 peat pots of eelgrass grown as part of the District’s Hunters Cove Revegetation Project.  The District has been growing mats of eelgrass in ponds at the Duke Energy Mariculture Center in Crystal River. After the mats were grown, they were rolled up and transported to Hunters Cove in Crystal River and placed on the bottom in sections, similar to… Read more

Who: Suncoast Earth Force, Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, educators and approximately 600 students from Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, 21 local environmental agenciesWhat: 9th Annual Youth SummitThe annual summit is sponsored by Suncoast Earth Force, a Tampa Bay area nonprofit educational organization.The summit brings together hundreds of youth, educators and community partners who have been involved in Earth Force programs during the past… Read more

Outdoor water use can account for up to 50 percent of water consumed by households, which means it is where water conservation practices can make the biggest impact.As part of Water Conservation Month, each week in April the Southwest Florida Water Management District is providing a few simple water conservation tips that the average resident can use. This week the concentration is on how you can reduce your outdoor water consumption by inspecting your irrigation system and… Read more

_Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 Activation_Southwest Florida Water Management District officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Colin and have raised the activation level of the District's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction and controls District activities during an emergency weather event.The District is continuing to monitor potential flooding that could occur throughout our 16-county region due to heavy and sustained rainfall… Read more

Susanna Martinez Tarokh1-800-423-1476, ext. 2008 orCell Phone: (813) 781-9817The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted today to exchange properties with Hillsborough County in an effort to work together to protect conservation land. The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve this same effort at their regular meeting on April 20.The District agreed to exchange approximately 205 acres of land with the County for… Read more

District scientists already are seeing benefits from the Hunters Cove Revegetation Pilot Project after just a couple months.  Senior environmental scientists from the District, with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, conducted fish surveys in January of the fenced areas of eelgrass, which are part of the District’s revegetation project. They found 11 different species of freshwater, estuarine and saltwater fish in the fenced… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has reached an agreement with four homeowners to purchase their property as part of the Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project, which was authorized by the District’s Governing Board on Sept. 25.The Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project, will raise the lakes water level to store additional water that later can be released into the Upper Peace River during dry periods. The project is a critical component of… Read more

District leaders recently helped celebrate the ribbon cutting of the Crystal River to Duke Energy Reclaimed Water Project. It will provide highly treated wastewater, known as reclaimed water, from the City of Crystal River to the Duke Energy power plant facility in Citrus County.  Infrastructure was built to transport all reclaimed water from the City of Crystal River’s wastewater sprayfield to the Duke Energy power generation complex, located west of US 19.… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Levy County. Residents living in the Town of Bronson watershed are invited to attend an open house on Thursday, Oct. 8 beginning at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Dogan Cobb Building, located at 660 E. Hathaway Ave. in Bronson. District representatives will present preliminary flood prone area… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District amended its agreements with the cities of Sebring and Avon Park to include annexed land into each city’s comprehensive watershed management plan.The plans will be used to determine feasible drainage alternatives that may be constructed to enhance and restore water quality and natural systems, or for flood protection. The plan will also assist local governments with their land management responsibilities and further the local… Read more

Twenty Manatee County teachers and one private school teacher are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 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 awareness… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Hernando and Pasco Counties' Squirrel Prairie and Pithlachascotee River Headwaters watersheds. Most of the currently available floodplain information is 10 to 30 years old and is outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.Residents living in the Squirrel Prairie… Read more

Twelve Hernando County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’s school… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of June, July and August on the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract.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 Interstate 75 just… Read more

At its June 11 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.1484 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Manasota Basin Board area includes Manatee and Sarasota counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 14 percent decrease in ad valorem… Read more