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The District recently launched a campaign to encourage residents who irrigate their lawns to skip a week of watering during December, January and February. The “Skip a Week” campaign was developed based on research from the University of Florida, which determined that grass doesn’t need to be watered every week during the cooler months. In fact, one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. “Residents should water only when their…

Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order remains in effect DistrictwideThe Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to extend one-day-per-week watering restrictions again for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties until September 1. This also includes the existing water shortage order currently in effect for Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Manatee, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and…

West-central Florida has had an abnormally wet winter and spring, but water conservation is as important as ever. The area is still recovering from a four-year drought, and lake levels are still low. The District’s Governing Board recently extended Modified Phase II water shortage restrictions to help the region in its drought recovery and keep the subject of …

At the final budget hearing on Sept. 28, the Governing Board adopted a total fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget of $279.8 million and a millage rate of 0.3770 mill for the Districtwide General Fund. The approved budget is $19.1 million, or 6.4 percent, lower than the FY2010 budget, continuing a downward trend that began with FY2009. The $19.1 million decrease in the budget from FY2010 brings the District budget down to levels last seen in FY2005, when the budget was $279.3…

Five counties within the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s region are now under a Modified Phase III water shortage order due to below-normal rainfall this winter. The District’s Governing Board voted last month to declare the Phase III order for northern counties in the District’s region, which are: Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, and Sumter as well as the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County. A Modified Phase I alert remains in effect for the…

At its August 27 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board reduced its millage rate to 0.3200 mill for fiscal year 2010 (FY2010), which is .0400 lower than the current fiscal year. The Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board area includes Pinellas County and the southern portion of Pasco County.This lowered millage rate, combined with a reduction in property values as certified by the Pinellas and Pasco county property…

At its August 26 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s newly merged Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.2421 mill. The Hillsborough River Basin Board area covers portions of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties.The Hillsborough River and the Northwest Hillsborough Basin were merged effective Jan. 1, 2009. For FY2009, the Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a millage rate of 0.2547 mill and the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Sarasota County continue to work diligently to gather input needed to update the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The county is also working with staff from the cities of North Port, Venice, Sarasota and the Town of Longboat KeyMost 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 erosion.…

Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director David Moore signed two water shortage emergency orders last week that will allow the City of Tampa to withdraw additional water from Sulphur Springs and Tampa Bay Water (TBW) to withdraw additional water from the Tampa Bypass Canal to help meet the potable water demand of its member governments.Ongoing drought conditions have caused an acute water shortage within the region, so emergency actions are necessary to…

Shephard’s Beach Resort has signed up to become the 400th establishment to participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water CHAMP).As a Water CHAMP property, the popular Clearwater Beach resort agrees to participate in the District’s linen and towel reuse program. By implementing the program, the hotel or motel management agrees to launder linens every third day of a guest…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extended the water shortage emergency order for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents. The order is now scheduled to expire on June 25, 2008 unless it is rescinded or extended by Districts Governing Board or executive director. The order was slated to expire April 19, 2008.The executive order (…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has implemented the first project in the Lower Hillsborough River recovery effort.The District began pumping 11 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water, or 7.1 million gallons per day (gpd), from the Tampa Bypass Canal to the Hillsborough River Reservoir on December 31 as part of the Tampa Bypass Canal Diversion Project. In turn, 8.25 cfs, or 5.3 million gallons per day, is being pumped from the reservoir to the base of the dam…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extendedthe water shortage emergency order issued Aug. 13 for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s reservoir and two Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wellfields to help protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents.An executive order signed Wednesday will allow the Authority to continue to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a water shortage emergency for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s reservoir and two Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wellfields to help protect the drinking water supply for over 250,000 residents.Executive orderSWF 07-045 signed Monday by Richard Owen, deputy executive director of the District’s Division of Resource…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is celebrating the signing of the 300th establishment to participate in the District’s award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites on North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa became the 300th establishment to come on board with Water C.H.A.M.P., the District’s linens and towels reuse program. By implementing the program, the hotel or motel management agrees to…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed several members to five of the eight Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The governor also appointed a new Basin Board member to the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.Manasota Basin Board:Betsy Benac of Sarasota has been reappointed to the Manasota Basin Board. She is a land planner with Wilson Miller, Inc. Her term ends March 1, 2010.Jack Bispham of Sarasota has been reappointed to…

The District is collecting public input on the updated draft of the Regional Water Supply Plan, the tool that points the way to a water supply that can meet the needs of today and tomorrow. The challenge will be meeting growing water supply needs while also protecting the natural resources. The challenge can be met through vigorous planning, regional cooperation among governments and a commitment to conserve water and develop alternative water resources like reclaimed…

Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties will be limited to once-per-week lawn watering beginning Dec. 1The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to declare a Modified Phase I Water Shortage due to ongoing dry conditions throughout the region and increasing water supply concerns. The restrictions apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota…

District land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the wild hog population.  Wild hogs, which are not native to Florida, feed on roots, tubors and grubs by rooting with their broad snouts and can leave an area looking like a plowed field. They also prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock and humans. Additionally, hogs may facilitate the…