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Top: David Moore, District executive director, talks to Pasco County students before the ceremony. Bottom: Rep. Will Weatherford and Ronald Oakley, Governing Board member, discuss land preservation. The District and more than 150 members of the community celebrated the grand opening of Conner Preserve in January. The District purchased the 2,980-acre property in 2003 to preserve and restore this important natural… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is unveiling a new tool to help residents determine how much water they can conserve at home.The new tool is an online water conservation calculator that allows residents to estimate how much water they use, and provides tips on how they can reduce that amount.Participants will then have the opportunity to pledge to conserve at least 10 percent of their daily use. Visit the District’s web site at… Read more

Editor’s note: See below for map of county and watershedsThe Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hernando County are working together to gather input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in the county.The information will be used to update area floodplain information and develop preliminary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Most of the current FIRMs are 10 to 30 years old and are… Read more

With the hustle and bustle of the season, there’s one thing residents can skip on their “to do” list watering their lawns.Faced with an increasingly severe drought, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to “skip a week” during the cooler months to save water.“Over-watering makes your lawn less drought tolerant and can encourage disease and pests,” said Sylvia Durell,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Wednesday extendedthe water shortage emergency order that allows Tampa Bay Water to withdraw additional water from the Alafia River to store in the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir. This is the second time the District has extended this emergency order, which is necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare. Drought… Read more

Two cooperatively funded projects between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the WateReuse Foundation will help water managers gain a better understanding of different reclaimed water treatment methods.Soil Aquifer Treatment StudyThe goal of the soil aquifer treatment and membrane treatment study is to determine how effective the soils and the aquifer treat or remove undesirable compounds in reclaimed water. Soil aquifer treatment occurs… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of North Port are working together on two projects that will help reduce demand and conserve water.North Port Water Conservation and Retrofit ProgramThe North Port Water Conservation and Retrofit Program will offer financial incentives to residents who retrofit their homes with water efficient fixtures such as low-flow toilets, low-flow showerheads and rain sensors. Residents who install a low-… Read more

A two-year project aimed at measuring the effectiveness of the McIntosh Park enhanced stormwater treatment wetland (ESTW) is about to begin. The ESTW is a cooperatively funded project completed by Southwest Florida Water Management District, Plant City and Hillsborough County.Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. has been contracted to monitor the water quality and flow rates at the McIntosh Park ESTW, which removes sediment and pollutants from a 6,000-acre watershed that drains… Read more

Hundreds of volunteers were honored this weekend for the valuable contribution they have made to help improve public lands and restore Tampa Bay.The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Volunteer Appreciation Day, which was held at the Green Swamp West Field Office, featured an awards presentation, exhibits, live music, a picnic lunch and a nature hike.Approximately 300 volunteers are involved with the District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program. More… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board recently adopted policies to ensure that District funding is spent on water supply projects that are consistent with regional water supply goals and provide relief to stressed groundwater sources.In two separate decisions, the Governing Board detailed District funding requirements for water supply projects within Water Supply Authority service areas and reaffirmed that it will not fund the construction of… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District staff water conservation restrooms are expected to be a “home run” with Threshers fans.The District is bringing its water conservation restrooms to Bright House Networks Stadium on May 6 when the Clearwater Threshers battle the Vero Beach Dodgers. This is the first time the District will bring the comforts of a private, water-conserving bathroom trailer to a baseball game.“Bringing the trailer to the ball field… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is bringing its water conservation restrooms to a new venue, the Sharks Tooth Festival. The event is being held April 8-10 near Venice.Community festivals allow the District to spread the word about water conservation to a variety of audiences by bringing the comforts of a private, water-conserving bathroom to a variety of people.Last year more than 100,000 people visited the trailer during the 16 days it spent at festivals in… Read more

Gov. Charlie Crist has recognized former Governing Board Member Sallie Parks as a Governor’s Point of Light. “Sallie’s generous efforts are making Pinellas County a better place to live, work and play,” said Gov. Crist. “The extent of her philanthropy and involvement in the community is inspiring. I truly appreciate her selfless commitment to the Sunshine State.” The Governor’s Points of Light Award recognizes Florida residents who… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pasco County are working together to gather input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in the county.The information will be used to update area floodplain information and develop preliminary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Most of the current FIRMs are 10 to 30 years old and are outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and… Read more

Did you know that a dripping faucet can waste up to 30 gallons of water per day and a leaky toilet can waste up to 100 gallons of water per day?Governments and water management districts throughout the state have declared April Water Conservation Month. While the Southwest Florida Water Management District staff advocates water conservation year-round, an extra effort is being made to promote conservation throughout April because it is typically marks the start of the peak… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board has concurred with the Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, at Tuesday’s meeting.The water shortage order was declared earlier this month by the District’s Executive Director David L. Moore following a lengthy presentation by staff outlining the depressed hydrologic conditions. The order went into effect Jan. 16 and includes restrictions that apply to… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Polk County for the Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project. Polk County is scheduled to consider the MOA on Aug. 9.The MOA outlines what each party is responsible for and addresses the county’s North Central landfill. The county’s North Central landfill is located near the Lake Hancock Project. It was originally permitted in 1974… Read more

As we prepare to "fall back" with the end of daylight saving time next weekend, it's not just your clocks that need adjusting—your irrigation system could use a quick check too! When we turn our clocks back an hour Saturday, Nov. 2, take a moment to ensure your sprinkler timers are set correctly. This simple step helps your system run efficiently and keeps you in line with water conservation practices.At the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), we’re all… Read more

Water Management on the Move A cooperative project between Pinellas County and the District has restored the natural flow of water between two back bays at Fort DeSoto Park near the mouth of Tampa Bay. Restoring the circulation will help improve water quality and habitats in the estuary. When the park was being developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s, a dredge-and-fill project connected a series of small mangrove islands from the mainland to a barrier… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Lower Shell Creek in Charlotte County. Members of the public may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams through this link https://bit.ly/3arKI1S. The Google Chrome browser is… Read more