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At its June 9 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.2547 mill, which is the same rate as the current fiscal year. The Hillsborough River Basin Board area covers portions of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties.The proposed budget for FY2009 is $20,020,887 which is an increase of $1,971,863 from the approved FY2008 budget. The increase is primarily due…

At its June 7 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.240 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.Further, in the event that a tax reduction is mandated by the Legislature during its special session later this month, the Basin Board has authorized the Executive Director to recalculate its millage rate to reflect the change in revenue prescribed by the…

At today’s meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.160 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2007 is $24,977,189, which is an increase of $4,741,656 from the approved FY2006 budget. The increase is attributed to increased property values and additional revenue from the State Water Protection and Sustainability Program for alternative water supply…

*_Phase III Could Be Declared for Tampa Bay Area if Conditions Worsen_*The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to give the District's executive director the authority to issue an emergency order to increase water restrictions in the Tampa Bay area if conditions continue to worsen.Executive Director Blake Guillory is expected to declare a "Modified Phase III":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl…

*Editor's note: See included map of county and watersheds* The Southwest Florida Water Management District is gathering input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in the county. The District is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on their national effort to update and modernize the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Most of the current FIRMs are 10 to 30 years old and are outdated because of…

Who: Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing and Basin Boards, Pasco County elected officials, Bay City Flyers and Pasco County elementary school studentsWhat: The District is celebrating the grand opening of the Conner Preserve. The event includes a ceremony, guided hikes, model airplane demonstrations, children’s activities, water quality monitoring demonstrations and more. The District…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is building upon the success of its award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water CHAMP) by launching a new companion program for restaurants.The program, known as the Water Program for Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO), is being launched to coincide with National Tourism Week, May 10-18.A restaurant uses an average of 5,800 gallons of water per day, which equals more than two million gallons of water per year.…

Don Kubiak, director of the botanical gardens, and Dick Keller, co-director, share a laugh with Fox 13’s Bill Murphy during the taping of a One Tank Trips segment featuring the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens. The District is celebrating an educational milestone with the 10th anniversary of the Community Education Grant Program, a program that motivates adults to get involved in projects that promote water resources protection. The grants are used for…

Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director David L. Moore this month declared a modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage that restricts lawn watering to one day per week throughout the 16-county District. The restrictions apply to the use of water from public and private water utilities, as well as the use of all wells and surface water sources (ponds, rivers, etc.). The order went into effect January 16 and will remain in place until July 31 unless…

Eugene Schiller, the District’s deputy executive director of the Division of Management Services, has been selected to serve a two-year term on the Department of the Interior’s National Geospatial Advisory Committee. Schiller was appointed by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to represent regional government. “I am honored to be selected to serve on this committee,” said Schiller. “The District has been recognized nationally for its…

Judy Whitehead, Governing Board chair, presents the outgoing chair, Jerry Rice, with a plaque honoring his service to the District. The District’s Governing Board recently recognized the outgoing chair, Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice, for his dedication to public service as a member of the Governing Board and the Withlacoochee River Basin Board. “Throughout the years I worked with Jerry on the Board, I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time…

Justin Torre is a shining example of how hard work, loyalty and patience can pay dividends. He started with the District in 2000 as an administrative officer in the Information Resources Department. It was a convenient job while he studied for his bachelor’s degree in management information systems at the University of South Florida. After only a couple of months, however, Torre got his first break and began working in IT as a student intern.…

Governing Board Chair Neil Combee (second from right) joined former Governing Board chairs Joe Davis, Jim Allen, Mike Zagorac, Judy Whitehead, Tom Dabney, Heidi McCree and Jerry Rice on a discussion panel at the State of the Water Resources conference. The state of the District’s water resources was the focus of a one-day workshop that brought together decision-makers from across the region and the state. The November workshop provided attendees an update on…

 Photo left: Monica Dorken is ready with a bucket as Susan Harris, Hill-Gustat Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade teacher, holds a puffer fish she captured during their wading tour as Liz Abell, Sun ’n Lake Elementary fourth-grade teacher, looks on. Photo right: Monica Dorken, Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center educator/program coordinator, checks to see what Dorothea Strickland, K–12 science resource teacher, caught in her net. Highlands County…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Water Program for Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO) is off to a great start thanks to support from dozens of area Beef O’ Brady’s restaurants.Water PRO is a free program that helps restaurants conserve water by educating staff and customers. By implementing Water PRO, the restaurant management agrees to only serve water upon request, display water conservation materials on tables, conduct self-audits and…

From building water-conserving gardens to visiting a local estuary, District Splash! grants provide students the opportunity to learn about water resources in a hands-on way. The Splash! school grant program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources. The grants help teachers build on existing classroom lessons by providing hands-on activities. “Splash! grants are a great way to support activities that empower students to…

An expanse of peaceful campgrounds, wooded trails and cypress and hardwoods rise to pine flatwoods nestled in Pasco County’s Land O’ Lakes. The District’s Cypress Creek Preserve is an oasis of natural systems that stretches north from SR 54 between US 41 and I-75. Cypress Creek’s floodplain helps filter nutrients in runoff waters. The property was purchased to preserve Cypress Creek Swamp, provide flood protection, protect and improve water quality and serve as a…

Parcels With No Water Resource Benefits May Be Offered for Sale The District is hoping to increase efficiencies and save taxpayer dollars by returning surplus parcels of land to the private sector. The Governing Board asked staff members to assess the District’s land holdings, looking for properties that may not be needed. The District protects more than 436,000 acres of land within its boundaries. District lands include natural floodplains, aquifer recharge areas…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is opening its doors and welcoming those interested in helping protect the region’s water resources by hosting a career and internship fair at its Sarasota service office.  The District has career and internship opportunities across a wide variety of disciplines, including administrative, business and finance, trades work, mechanical, heavy equipment operation, well drilling, natural sciences and engineering, and much more…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will hold three public workshops about the draft 2015 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) and one public workshop for agricultural stakeholders. The plan presents the projected water demands across the District and all water use sectors for a 20-year planning period as well as identifies water supply sources and potential water supply project options. Most workshops will be accessible…