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Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September at the following Pasco County properties:

• Starkey Wilderness Preserve
• Cypress Creek Preserve
• Upper Hillsborough Preserve
• …

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 October through December on Potts…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) deactivated the "Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area ":https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/pdf/2005_Lower_Hillsborough_FDA_LU-Mgmt_Plan.pdf (LHFDA) today, reopening Structure S-155 and allowing boat traffic to resume along that portion of the Hillsborough River. High water levels caused by recent heavy rains have receded, allowing the Hillsborough River to return to its…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in western Marion County. Residents living in the Lake Stafford/Priest Prairie/West Marion watersheds are invited to attend an open house on Thursday, Aug. 20, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Dunnellon Public Library, located at 20351 Robinson Road in Dunnellon. District representatives…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a series of public workshops to gather feedback about the preliminary results of 19 model scenarios for the Withlacoochee River Watershed Initiative. These scenarios were evaluated to better understand how past or future changes may affect the Withlacoochee River and its surrounding watershed.The public is invited to provide input at any of five scheduled regional public information workshops. These…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will hold a series of public workshops to gather feedback for the biennial assessment of surplus lands. The meetings will take place at the following times and locations:•March 19, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.*Bartow - Carver Recreation Center*, 520 Idlewood Avenue S, Bartow, FL 33830 •March 24, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.*Sarasota Service Office*, 6750 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34240•April 1, 2015 at…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 1 as they monitor Tropical Depression Fred. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is evaluating potential impacts from the tropical depression that could occur throughout its 16-county region. District staff are operating structures in anticipation…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will hold a series of public meetings for the 2013 Recreation Evaluation process.District staff has conducted a review and evaluation of recreational opportunities on District-managed lands. The public is invited to review staff's preliminary findings and provide input at any of four scheduled regional public information meetings. These meetings will be an open house format and take…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ Tuesday adopted its fiscal year 2013-14 (FY2013-14) millage rate and budget.The Governing Board adopted a FY2013-14 millage rate of 0.3818 mill, which is 2.8 percent lower than the current fiscal year. This millage rate is 0.5 percent below the rolled-back millage rate, and will result in a $2.9 million reduction in ad valorem taxes for the District's…

Who's Who at the District At a time when most people often begin planning for their retirement, Betty Rushton was beginning her career in environmental science. “This is my second career,” said Rushton. “My first was a homemaker.” After raising four sons, Rushton went back to school at age 50 to finish her undergraduate degree in environmental studies at New College in Sarasota. But Rushton didn’t stop there, she continued on until she received her master’s in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is now on Pinterest. The social media page, found at "Pinterest.com/SWFWMD ":http://pinterest.com/SWFWMD/ marks the District's continued expansion into the growing world of social media.Pinterest is an information-sharing website designed like a virtual bulletin board. Users can "pin" links to boards, manage themed collections of information and share with others. Pinterest is the third most popular social media site behind…

Top: Marianne Korosy conducts her research on migrating birds. Bottom: Mary Barnwell, senior land management specialist, and Clay Black, senior professional engineer, assisted. In the early morning hours volunteers flushed birds out of the brush and into an awaiting net. But the birds didn’t stay in the nets long. They were carefully captured and banded in an effort to assist a University of Central Florida (UCF)…

While tropical storm Debby provided increased rainfall to the region, it was not enough to recover from drought conditions. That's why the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to extend its "Modified Phase I water shortage order":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/phase1.php for the District's southern and eastern portions.Modified Phase I restrictions were…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the public to comment on proposed minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for Gum Slough Spring Run and associated springs in northwestern Sumter County and southwestern Marion County at a public meeting on Wednesday, April 4.The rule development public workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane, Ocala.The state Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will present its frost/freeze management plan and associated draft rules to the public 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the "Hillsborough Community College Trinkle Center(HCC Trinkle Center)":http://www.hccfl.edu/pc/trinkle-center.aspx, 1206 N. Park Road, Plant City.During the 11-day January 2010 freeze event, the combined pumping by Dover/Plant City area farmers dropped the aquifer level 60 feet in some locations, causing 140 sinkholes…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed Terry England and appointed Housh Ghovaee to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.England is from Indian Rocks Beach. He is president of England Brothers Construction Company, Inc. and was first appointed to the Board in Aug. 1999. His current term ends March 1, 2012.Ghovaee is from Clearwater. He is chief executive officer of Northside Engineering and was appointed to succeed…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during August and September on the District’s Annuteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve.The Annuteliga Hammock tract is located in Hernando County, near Royal Highlands and U.S. Hwy. 19. Approximately 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Weekiwachee Preserve is located in Hernando and Pasco counties. Controlled burns will be…

A reclaimed water project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Marion County will provide approximately 500,000 gallons of water per day (gpd) to the Oak Run Golf Course, which will offset an estimated 375,000 gpd of potable water currently being used for irrigation.This project involves the design, permitting and construction of a reclaimed water storage and transmission system for the golf course. The system will include approximately 13,500 feet…

Community members who want to make a positive impact on the water resources in their area may apply online for a Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The goal of the District’s Community Education Grant program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District’s Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recognized Stephanie Dunda, a Phoenix Academy teacher, for her outstanding water resources education program. A total of 26 projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.Dunda’s eighth-grade class studied Florida-friendly gardens and created a hydroponics system for the school after conducting research at Selby Botanical Gardens…