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The District is evaluating the established strategy needed to recover minimum flows adopted for the Lower Hillsborough River. Minimum flows are established to help protect the system from significant harm caused by ground and surface water withdrawals. OverviewMinimum flows are limits established by the District’s Governing Board for surface watercourses that are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may… Read more
The Weekiwachee Preserve is an area of protected land owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District). Covering over 11,200 acres, the preserve is in Hernando County. It provides a wide array of wildlife habitats, including several miles along the Weeki Wachee River, portions of the Mud River, dense hardwood swamps, freshwater and saltwater marshes and pine-… Read more
Birding »
Whether you are a casual viewer or an avid birder working on your life birding list, bird-watching opportunities abound on all District lands.
Sites with the best bird-watching opportunities are part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and are listed in the column on the right side of this page. Maps of the west coast portion of the trail can be obtained from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site at… Read more
1. Summary
Students will complete a unit on fresh waterways and the native life that lives there. They will complete computer research, make observations and collect data, graph data collected, and complete a STEAM project on the natural filtration systems in Florida, mainly focusing on swamplands. They will then compete the Myakka Mysteries field trip. At the Myakka River State Park, students will explore the Myakka River and the surrounding wetlands,…Read more
As director of the Employee, Outreach and General Services Division, Michelle Weaver oversees the Human Resources Office, Ombudsman Office, Government & Community Affairs Office, Communications & Board Services Bureau and General Services Bureau.Weaver has been… Read more
WUP Introduction
A quick introduction to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Water Use Permitting (WUP) program and instructions on becoming an online registered user.
What is ePIC
A quick introduction to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s new Online Water Use Permit Information Center (ePIC).
Intro to ePIC
An instructional video for utilizing the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s new Online… Read more
Highlights
- Lake Panasoffkee is the third largest lake (4,820 acres) in west central Florida
- Designated an Outstanding Florida Water
- Located in Sumter County
- Loss of lake area due to sedimentation
- Loss of desirable habitat for fisheries
- Increased shoreline vegetation and…
In addition to flow from springs, the Withlacoochee River also receives water from several tributaries. The most notable are the Little Withlacoochee River, Gum Slough, Jumper Creek and the Outlet River from Lake Panasoffkee.Several lakes, including Lake Panasoffkee, Tsala Apopka and Lake Rousseau, are also key features that affect river flows. Along with the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers, these lakes are all designated Outstanding Florida Waters by the State of Florida.… Read more
As the District’s Inspector General, Brian Werthmiller provides independent, objective analyses and appraisals of programs to help the District’s Governing Board, Executive leadership, and operating management teams assess business risks, evaluate and improve District performance, and prevent and detect fraud and abuse.Werthmiller began his career working at KPMG, one of the Big 4 accounting firms, providing financial audits to a wide range of clients in the public and… Read more
The Peace River watershed is home to an extraordinary assortment of plants and animals. Some are common; some are extremely rare.Coreopsis, the state wildflower, is widespread. Its delicate yellow blooms brighten the riverbanks year-round. The riverbanks are also lined with palmettos, cypress, water locust, sweet gum, cabbage palm and live oak. Some of the trees have dark, muddy skirts. These are the high-water marks of the seasonal floods. Nearing the estuary, red,… Read more
The Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program, or Water CHAMPSM, is a free towel and linen reuse program that encourages hotel and motel guests to use their towels and linens more than once during their stay.
Tourists flock to Florida to enjoy the sandy beaches, scenic lakes and meandering rivers. Water CHAMP lodging facilities protect Florida's water resources by conserving water and reducing pollutants entering the environment.
You can help keep… Read more
Have you ever seen a bald eagle in flight or watched a group of river otters playing in the water? These are just a few of the creatures you may see walking along one of the trails at Oscar Scherer State Park, which offers 1,400 acres for visitors to explore and experience the real Florida.The area includes two special plant upland communities of pine… Read more
In 1987 the Florida Legislature created the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act to protect, restore and maintain Florida's highly threatened surface water bodies. Under this act, the state's five water management districts identify a list of priority water bodies within their authority and implement plans to improve them. The District's SWIM ProgramThe Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management… Read more
As bureau chief of Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP), Dave Kramer is responsible for setting goals and objectives for the bureau, developing and managing the budget and financial decisions, managing direct reports (ERP managers, chief environmental scientists, agricultural team staff) and executing environmental resource permitting and compliance. In addition, Kramer collaborates with other bureaus and divisions, serving as a member of the Senior Staff team,… Read more
Fifty-two Hillsborough County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Hillsborough County to the strong partnership with Hillsborough County Schools. Four school district staff serve as the District's liaisons to teachers: Pam Caffery, middle school… Read more
In addition to groundwater, Florida also has many different surface water bodies. Surface waters are those found above ground. In Florida, that includes around 7,700 lakes, 50,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 700 springs! Surface waters are home to many different types of plants and animals. They also provide a place for people who live in Florida, or come to visit, to enjoy many recreational activities, such as swimming, kayaking,… Read more
The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is cherished for its exquisite scenic beauty and is an ideal place to experience natural Florida. Be sure to check out the District’s Recreation website to learn more and plan your visit to the Green Swamp. Footpaths and trails abound in the Preserve for extensive hiking and the Florida National Scenic Trail bisects the area. Trails for… Read more
The sandy coastal beaches of the Gulf of America attract many vacationing visitors. As part of these coastal beaches, the Southern Coastal watershed stretches 60 miles along the southern part of central Florida’s gulf coast. Visitors to the watershed will encounter the culture of Sarasota’s art community, the shark teeth-covered beaches of Venice and the fish-filled waters of Charlotte Harbor. In between these locations are some of Florida’s most productive estuaries,… Read more