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The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on two District sites in Pasco County. The sites are the Conner Preserve and the Cypress Creek property.The Conner Preserve is approximately 7 miles north of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately 215 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Cypress Creek property is approximately 3 miles east of Land O’ Lakes.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), this week is beginning removal of hurricane-generated debris.Removal will focus on the Peace River and its tributaries within Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, and Polk Counties. Portions of the Alafia River and Flint Creek in Hillsborough County are also within the scope of this project.The first work areas include…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during May and June on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during May and June on two District sites in Pasco County. The sites are the Conner Preserve and the Cypress Creek property.The Conner Preserve is approximately 7 miles north of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately 215 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Cypress Creek property is approximately 3 miles east of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has contracted with Team Spirit, Inc. to help coordinate the District’s Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.) in Citrus and Hernando counties.As part of the program, the District invites hotel and motel owners, operators and management to participate in a “linens and towels reuse program.” The District supplies printed materials for guest rooms and educational materials for employees…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during March and April on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4…

Groups and individuals interested in applying for a Southwest Florida Water Management District community education grant are invited to attend a grant advisory session for residents who live in the area represented by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board. The area includes portions of Pasco, Sumter, Hernando, Citrus, Marion, and Levy counties.The advisory session will be held Tuesday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be closing the WeekiWachee Preserve, located in coastal Hernando County, effective Thursday, April 2 for all uses until further notice. The District took steps to remind recreational users to follow the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis and to uphold the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to practice social distancing by avoiding gatherings larger than 10 people and distancing…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during January and February on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $119,000 in grants to 65 schools 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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $119,000 in grants to 65 schools 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…

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…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Michael and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during, and after an emergency weather event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region. Since we are at the end of the four-…

Pirate Parrot, Pittsburg Pirates mascot, gives Governing Board Chairman Todd Pressman the ball after Pressman threw out the first pitch. The District teamed up with the Pittsburgh Pirates to promote water conservation, dubbing the March 8 spring training game against the New York Yankees as Water Matters Day. The District gave the first 2,000 fans a free baseball-shaped shower timer, and Governing Board Chairman Todd Pressman threw out the first pitch.…

Volunteers and District staff are pulling together to help keep public lands clean from the uplands to the coastline. They were scheduled to take part in the 17th annual National Public Lands Day and the 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup Day. Both days were recognized on Sept. 25 this year, and volunteers across the country and around the world worked to clean up public lands and coastal waterways. The District owns and manages approximately 436,000 acres of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board recognized Earnie Olsen of Citrus County as one of this year’s springs community partners at its May Governing Board meeting. Olsen is the supervisor of the Marine Science Station in Crystal River and has taught at the center since 2008. Olsen and his staff lead daily field trips, taking Citrus County students by…

From an early age, Senior Environmental Scientist Philip Rhinesmith knew he wanted to work in natural resources.  Through an independent study course at Saint Leo University, Philip worked in the District’s Environmental section (now Springs & Environmental Flows). A year later, Philip returned to the District as a co-op student and moved to a full-time chemist position in 1987.  One of Philip’s first projects was collecting wetland and vegetation…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 Activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Irma and have raised the activation level of the District's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county…

Hillsborough and Pinellas County high schools participated in the 2017 Tampa Bay Regional Envirothon. This annual environmental education program allows students to use critical thinking skills to investigate and solve environmental issues in the field through hands-on activities.  The District has sponsored the program since it began in 1997 by providing funding to offset the cost of transporting students to the competition. Further support is given by supplying…