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Two former Governing Board members, Watson Haynes II and Janet Kovach, were honored for their service at a barbecue lunch with District staff and afterward at the April Governing Board meeting. Haynes served on the Board from March 1999 to March 2006. During that time, he served a one-year term as the Governing Board chair, after previously serving terms as the Governing Board’s vice chair and treasurer. “Watson is a dedicated worker for the region and the state,”…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized six Polk County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by teachers…

           A piece of “Old Florida” sprang to life this October as men and women on horseback drove dozens of cattle across the open-range and dusty trails of the Potts Preserve in Citrus County. The Seventh Annual Cracker Cattle Drive was coordinated by the Hernando Heritage Council and the Citrus County Cattlemen’s Association. Approximately 75 head of cattle were driven across private land and portions of Potts Preserve until they…

The public is invited to an open house Thursday, June 28 for a plan to address the current and long-term water supply needs in the central Florida region.A regional water supply plan is being developed by the Central Florida Water Initiative, a collaboration of agencies to address water issues in southern Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole counties. The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org is part of the initiative, which is focused…

Audubon of Florida honored a District employee this fall for his role in saving the land that makes Florida a special place to live, work, visit and explore. Henry Dean, Audubon board member and former executive director of the St. Johns River and South Florida water management districts, presented the Florida Audubon Special Places Award to Fritz Musselmann, land resources director, during Audubon’s Annual Assembly. “In the face of decades of explosive growth, he…

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 early spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns November through March 2018 on Potts Preserve and the Two Mile Prairie Connector parcel in Citrus County. Potts Preserve is located approximately two miles east of the City of…

The Florida Senate has confirmed the appointments of five Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board members.

• Jack Bispham represents Manatee County and his term ends March 1, 2021.
• Joel Schleicher represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties and his term ends March 1, 2023.
• Kelly Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties and his term ends March 1, 2023.
• Roger Germann represents…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is celebrating February as Florida Hiking Trails Month by inviting the public to explore the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands. Florida Hiking Trails month, recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, encourages Floridians to take advantage of Florida's extensive trail system. Many trails on District lands are nearby and are also open for related activities such as nature…

Susan Douglas, Florida Water StarSM program coordinator, presents employee Fred Hartless with his Florida Water StarSM certificate. Hartless is the first District employee to earn the certification. For every drop of water conserved, Fred Hartless knows more money will stay in his wallet. That’s why Hartless made sure his new Wesley Chapel home was water efficient. He recently made it official by becoming the first District employee to get his home…

Left, Harry Downing accepts a first-place award for equitation at a horse show in Homosassa, FL; Center, Harry and wife Diane; Right, Harry waterskiing on Hunter’s Lake in Hernando County. A Florida native with a love of the outdoors, Harry Downing was drawn to work in support of the environment. Downing was born in St. Petersburg and moved with his family to Brooksville at age 10. He took to his new environment right away, naturally favoring the outdoors and…

Your Questions Answered March 2021During the past year, we’ve come to appreciate the recreational opportunities of natural Florida like never before. The Weeki Wachee River is one of those breath-taking jewels people love to visit. This river flows about 7 miles from the headspring to where it meets the Gulf of America at Bayport in Hernando County. It’s a popular spot for kayaking and boating, but a recent study found certain recreational activities…

Second-grade students from Learning Gate Community School collect specimens at a pond on the school property as part of their 2011 Splash! school grant project. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Environmental Education has recognized three schools in the District with 2011 Florida Green Schools Awards. The Florida Green Schools Awards is a partnership between DEP, the Department of Education, Florida’s Foundation and the…

District Honored For Medard Reservoir Rehabilitation Project The District’s Operations Department has some new “hardware” to show off. The District recently received the American Public Works Association (APWA) Contractor of the Year Award for its excellent work on the Medard Reservoir Rehabilitation Project. The District was one of three private and public organizations that received the award in the state of Florida. “The Operations Department is very pleased to…

The Florida Audubon Society has recognized a Southwest Florida Water Management District employee for his extraordinary contribution to saving places that make Florida special.Henry Dean, Audubon Board member and former Executive Director of the St. Johns River and South Florida Water Management Districts, presented the Florida Audubon Special Places Award to Fritz Musselmann, land resources director, during Audubon’s Annual Assembly.The award was presented to…

The District’s Governing Board voted to extend the Phase II Water Shortage the Tampa Bay; however, the extended order will allow up to two watering days per week.  In December 2013, the Governing Board enacted Phase II restrictions for lawn watering throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, which allowed one day per week lawn…

Celebrate February as Florida Hiking Trails Month exploring the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands.  Florida Hiking Trails month, recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, encourages Floridians to take advantage of Florida’s extensive trail system. Many trails on District lands are nearby and also are open for related activities such as nature study, bird watching, photography, jogging and backpacking.  The…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the end of Daylight Saving Time.Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks back one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with current water restrictions.Under the…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District staff and approximately 70 childrenWhat: The District’s 13th Annual “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” Students between the ages of nine and 18 will spend the day at the District headquarters and service offices learning about District careers. This year the event will focus on empowering the youth to conserve water.The opening ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. Following the ceremony, the students will…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us is celebrating February as Florida Hiking Trails Month by inviting the public to ""Get Outside!"(Get outside and explore more than 50 recreation sites on conservation lands)":/recreation/ and explore the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands. The "Florida Department of Environmental Protection(Florida Department of Environmental…

Spring is the time when many people start thinking about gardening. This spring, Citrus County residents have the opportunity to learn about Florida-friendly landscaping and water-conserving irrigation practices. A “Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101” workshop will be conducted in Lecanto at the Citrus County Canning Center on April 30, 8 a.m to 2 p.m. The workshop will focus on these topics:Right plant, right placeEfficient irrigation and water useFertilizing…