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The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board will hold its December meeting at the Villages.The meeting will be held Thursday, Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. at the Coconut Cove Recreation Center, 1398 Stillwater Trail.The basin board usually holds its meetings at the District’s Headquarters in Brooksville.“Holding the meeting at a new location within the basin benefits the board members and the community,” said Lou Kavouras,… Read more

Families coming out to see the Friday Extra Concert series this week will be treated to some extra entertainment before the main event.Stages Productions will perform “Aesop’s Aqua Adventures,” a live, interactive water resource and conservation theatre presentation, at 6:15 p.m. this Friday, April 29 at Lowry Park band shell. A concert featuring Molten Mike and Freight Train Annie will follow the performance.Updating several classic fables, “Aesop… Read more

West Hernando Middle School students and teachers will get their hands dirty this month when they work side by side with Southwest Florida Water Management District staff restoring the Weekiwachee Preserve.The student workdays are April 13 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.During the workdays students will plant soft-stemmed bulrush along the banks of several water bodies within the preserve and monitor the water quality. The goal of the project is to revegetate and develop the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board is dedicating an additional $448,340 to clean up debris related to Hurricane Charley.The District had previously approved $472,340 to clean up debris in the Peace Creek Drainage Canal in Polk County.The latest funding will be used to remove Hurricane Charley-related debris from Flint Creek in Hillsborough County and portions of the Peace River.The total cost of the Flint Creek cleanup project is $220,000… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Inc. (CHEC) Peace Talks Tour as an outstanding water resources education program.Th – eace Talks Tour was a two-part educational workshop that took upper Peace River residents to the lower river area and lower Peace River residents to the upper river area. The goal was to provide education and experiences related to the varying use the water resources of the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October and November on three District sites in Pasco County. The sites are the Upper Hillsborough property, the Connerton property, and the Starkey property.The Upper Hillsborough property is approximately 3 miles east of Zephyrhills. Approximately 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Connerton property is approximately 7 miles… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA), reopening the S-155 structure allowing normal flow down the river. Boat barriers have been removed to allow normal navigation along that portion of the Hillsborough River. In July, the Hillsborough River reached an elevation of 25 feet above sea level, which triggered the Army Corps of Engineers activation level of the Lower Hillsborough Flood… Read more

The resolution earmarks $5 million a year for the next five years Traditional water sources are nearing their sustainable limits in Polk County and alternative water sources will need to be developed to meet the projected needs. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District)… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to let all water shortage orders expire on July 31. Residents living within the District's boundaries are asked to observe the District's year-round conservation measures beginning August 1. However, some local governments may impose different schedules or retain stricter measures. Residents should check with their local governments… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA), reopening the S-155 structure and allowing boat traffic to resume along that portion of the Hillsborough River. High water levels caused by Hurricane Irma have receded, allowing the Hillsborough River to return to its natural flow pattern.In September, the Hillsborough River reached an elevation of 25 feet above sea level, which triggered the Army… Read more

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 continue to monitor Hurricane Irma. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is evaluating potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region. Numerous lake levels in Northwest Hillsborough County were above normal… Read more

Twelve Highlands 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… Read more

Six projects in the Manasota Basin were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Manasota Basin includes Manatee and Sarasota counties. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 49 grants Districtwide for a total of $171,444. This is the 10th year Community Education Grants have been available.The… Read more

At today’s meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.265 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2006 is $8,656,121, which is a decrease of $2,656,217 from the approved FY2005 budget. The main reason for the decrease is a reduction in the state appropriation for the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Project from $4.3 million in FY2005 to… Read more

History buffs can now get an up-close look at the artifacts recovered during the Chassahowitzka Springs Restoration Project. More than 700 artifacts were recovered during the District’s project, which removed sediments with a pump that had accumulated in the springs. Now, some of those artifacts are on display in a new exhibit at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum in Inverness.  The “Changing People, Changing Springs: Chassahowitzka Discovered” exhibit… 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 Citrus County's Homosassa River North, Homosassa River South and Homosassa South Fork 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 Homosassa… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org is working to move water out of Lake Tarpon; however, the sustained winds and high tides caused by Tropical Storm Debby are pushing water in from Old Tampa Bay, hampering efforts.The Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal is one of 81 water "control structures":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/newsroom/fact_sheets/details/8/ throughout the District's 16-county area. The three-mile canal extends from the south end… Read more

Outdoor water use typically accounts for up to 50 percent of water consumed by households. You can reduce your outdoor water consumption by taking a few simple steps.While the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org advocates water conservation year-round, an extra effort is being made to promote conservation throughout April. Governments and water management districts throughout the state have declared April Water Conservation Month because… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board members this week will begin evaluating proposed projects for the FY2013 Cooperative Funding Initiative.Governing Board members will meet as regional subcommittees to review proposals and make recommendations to the full board. The meetings at District service offices provide an opportunity for subcommittee members to ask questions of staff and the applicants, and to hear public and stakeholder input. The… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.WaterMatters.org Governing Board yesterday approved funding for a project that will reduce groundwater withdrawals in DeSoto County by an estimated annual average savings of 160,000 gallons per day.J.R. Paul Properties, Inc. will be reimbursed up to $128,000 for a surface water irrigation reservoir and tailwater recovery system at its 1,833-acre citrus grove and 17-acre field nursery. The property is located… Read more