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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has reopened the Flying Eagle Dead River Flats airboat slide after completing required maintenance. The airboat slide is located on the Flying Eagle berm between the Withlacoochee River and Flying Eagle Marsh in eastern Citrus County.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has closed all District managed campgrounds throughout our 16-county region during Florida's wildfire emergency event.The following District managed campgrounds are closed until further notice:•Cypress Creek Preserve•Deep Creek Preserve•Flying Eagle Preserve•Green Swamp – East Tract•Green Swamp – Hampton Tract•Green Swamp – West Tract•Lake Panasofkee•Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve•Potts Preserve•Starkey…

Are you looking for a quiet place for a bike ride, a hike or just a peaceful picnic? The Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is a great choice. The District’s sole Marion County property with regular public access, the preserve is named after Seminole leader Hálpata Tastanaki (Chief Alligator) who, along with Osceola, Jumper and approximately 1,000 warriors, took part in the largest battle of the Second Seminole Indian War in 1836. The preserve is located on the…

On Tuesday, the "Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ (District) adopted a FY2015-16 millage rate of 0.3488 mill, 4.6 percent lower than the current fiscal year. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $34.88 a year, or about $2.91 per month. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2015, through Sept. 30, 2016. The total FY2015-16 proposed…

The new year kicks off with a new District program aimed at recognizing outstanding stewards of Florida’s water resources. This new program is known as the Water Stewardship Awards. “Florida’s watersheds are being protected by people and entities that care about what happens to our freshwater supplies,” said Communications Director Linda McBride. “That’s why the Governing Board initiated this program, to recognize and award those who are impacting our water resources…

On Wednesday, the Legislative Budget Commission approved the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) proposed $69 million in springs projects leveraged by the $30 million Governor Scott secured in the "It's Your Money Tax Cut Budget" to bring the total invested in springs projects to more than $100 million in the last two years. Four springs in the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will see the benefit of this project plan, including…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Jan. 14-16. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold.…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March at the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, which includes the Green Swamp East Tract in Polk, Sumter and Lake counties; the Hampton Tract in Polk County; and the Green Swamp West Tract in Pasco County.…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March on Starkey Wilderness Preserve and Conner Preserve.Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54 and south of State Road 52. Approximately 500 acres will be burned in small,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Nov. 19-22. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have been…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise the schedule each year.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources or environment. The District…

Who:Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Hernando County Planning Department, Hernando County Audubon Society and volunteersWhat:As part of the 15th Annual National Public Lands Day, the District’s Land Resources Department is coordinating a volunteer work day at the Weekiwachee Preserve, which is located along the Hernando County Coast, west of the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA's National Weather Service will host a public information meeting about Lake Panasoffkee on Thursday, October 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Lake Panasoffkee Recreation Center, located at 1582 County Rd. 459 in Lake Panasoffkee.The District will present information about the lake levels and the…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) staff, Sen. Mike Bennett, Rep. Michael Grant, local elected officials, Department of Environmental Protection staff, Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center staff, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program staffWhat: The District will host an event in the Charlotte Harbor watershed to celebrate 20 years since the Florida Legislature passed the Surface Water Improvement and Management…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) staff, state and City of Winter Haven elected officials and staffWhat: The District will host an event on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes to celebrate 20 years since the Florida Legislature passed the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act. The District will provide a tour starting at Lake Hartridge Nature Park and heading south to Lake Howard. The tour will cover…

Tara Poulton has joined the Southwest Florida Water Management District as a Government Affairs program manager. Poulton will serve as a liaison between the District and the constituents of Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. She will work closely with county governments, municipalities and utilities staff.Prior to joining the District, Poulton was the communications manager at the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, a department of Manatee County…

With the citrus industry facing challenges due to hurricanes, greening and the lowest annual production since World War II, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is working to improve services and business processes for citrus industry customers. That’s why District Executive Director Brian Armstrong formed the Citrus Task Force, an initiative to solicit feedback from citrus industry customers on their interactions with the District’s…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Nov. 13-15.  The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected. Only permitted hunters will be…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Aqua Utilities Florida, Inc. will bring reclaimed water to the Corporate Park in Lakewood Ranch.The Lakewood Ranch Reuse Transmission Project includes the construction of 3,900 linear feet of 12-inch reclaimed water transmission main line and upgrading an existing pump station.This project will provide approximately 570,000 gallons of reclaimed water per day for irrigation. This reclaimed water, along…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of two parcels of environmentally sensitive land in the Annutteliga Hammock area of Hernando County.The first parcel of land is located on the north side of Centralia Road. The 4.43-acre parcel is being purchased for $35,994.The second parcel of land is also located on the north side of Centralia Road and is 1 mile east of Lalani Lane at the north end of Bareva road in the Royal…