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Atop Hillsborough County’s newest “mountain,” visitors got a glimpse of the largest coastal restoration project ever performed for Tampa Bay. Community leaders helped the District dedicate the Rock Ponds Ecosystem Restoration Project during a ceremony Wednesday. Located just north of the Manatee County line in Ruskin, the project will create coastal habitats and… Read more

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Elijah “Ed” Armstrong, III and John Mitten to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. Armstrong represents Pinellas County and Mitten represents Hernando and Marion counties. Armstrong, of Dunedin, is an attorney with Hill Ward Henderson, P.A. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Maryland and his juris doctor from Vanderbilt University. Armstrong is appointed to a four-year term… Read more

Hurricane season started and that means people should be stocked up on batteries and bottled watered for the storm season. But people also should be thinking about preparing their yards. Not only does it protect homes and people, it could also reduce water pollution caused by stormwater runoff. Here are some ways to prepare your landscaping for a hurricane: 

• Choose wind-resistant trees. Some trees are more wind-resistant than others so do…

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  With the rainy season upon us, now is the perfect time to build a rain barrel. The water savings from using stored rainwater rather than municipal or well water can be substantial over a period of time. A rain barrel also can help reduce the amount of water that may settle around the foundation of your home. A typical ½-inch rainfall will fill a 50-gallon barrel. In fact, during a ½-inch rainstorm, a normal roof of about 1,000 square feet can fill more… Read more

Four Polk County projects that are expected to reach approximately 6,000 residents were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored three outstanding Pinellas County projects that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.The Pinellas County recipients are listed below. Pinellas County is in the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin, which also includes a portion of Pasco County.Dale Armstrong and Wilma Holley were… Read more

  The Environmental Data Portal (EDP) is your source for hydrologic, atmospheric, and water-quality data collected by the District. Access the EDP here or use one of the advanced search options to retrieve larger data sets, more parameters, or additional station metadata. … Read more

A soon-to-be-completed restoration project at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park began as an idea Denise Tenuto had several years ago while waiting in the former attraction’s parking lot to pick up her daughter, who worked there as a lifeguard. “As I was waiting for her, I noticed the rain in the parking lot was flowing toward the springs,” said Tenuto, a District environmental coordinator who recently retired. When the District began its springs protection initiative… Read more

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing and Basin Board members and staff, hundreds of volunteersWhat:District volunteers awards presentation, exhibits, picnic lunch and nature hike. Speakers include Governing Board chair, Heidi McCree; and Martha Garcia, Tampa Bay Watch environmental scientist.When:Saturday, April 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The award ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m.Where:Green… Read more

Fellowship, Day in the Woods Highlight Hunt It doesn’t matter if you go home with game or not,” said Jay Leonard, a hunter from Crawfordville, Florida. “I just enjoy getting out in the woods.” Leonard’s sentiments were echoed by the other hunters participating in the first National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)/Wheelin’ Sportsmen event hosted on District land. The Wheelin’ Sportsmen group is dedicated to providing people with disabilities the opportunity to… Read more

Ten Hillsborough County projects were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. 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 overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to… Read more

Five Sarasota County projects expected to reach more than 7,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community… Read more

Whether you enjoy camping with modern amenities or you prefer to camp in the backcountry, the beauty of Florida’s wilderness is waiting to be experienced.Types of Camping on the DistrictPrimitive Camp AreasPrimitive campsites are provided for campers with tents. Only personal vehicles are allowed in the campsites. Primitive campsites are generally equipped with picnic tables, fire rings and/or grills and usually have portable toilets available for use by campers. Campsites… Read more

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District Basin Board members and staff; Mike Hickman, Hickman Homes, Inc. president; and the Polk County Builders AssociationWhat: The District will celebrate the completion of a Florida Water StarSM Gold (FWSG) certified home that will be featured in the Polk County Parade of Homes. The fall Parade of Homes is Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25.FWSG is a certification program for builders and developers. The program encourages water… Read more

h2. District Suggests Six Easy and Fun Resolution Ideas That Help Promote Healthy Water Resources.Are you looking for ideas for a New Year's resolution? The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ has some suggestions for 2012 resolutions that will promote healthy water resources. This year make a resolution to:* Help promote water conservation and "skip at least every other week of watering your lawn in January and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board Thursday adopted a fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board covers portions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as certified by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 9.9 percent decrease in ad valorem… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. 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 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,… Read more