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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. 30 – Dec. 2. 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…

Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ "Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/swim/ released the results of the 2012 seagrass mapping study showing a 4.4 percent increase in seagrass coverage in Charlotte Harbor. The District maps seagrass in five estuaries spanning the five coastal counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte.…

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…

A Sarasota condominium association received statewide recognition for a project it completed with the help of a Southwest Florida Water Management District Community Education Grant.The Pelican Cove Condominium Association was one of nine condominium and homeowners associations recognized at the Florida Community Association Journal’s Florida Communities of Excellence Awards. The associations were honored for their achievement in addressing the needs and concerns of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alston Tract, which is part of the Upper Hillsborough, will be reserved Nov. 4-6 for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors. The property will be closed to the public during this time.The hunt, which is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen, is one of more than 24 events the group holds throughout Florida each year. Other outings include…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Serenova Tract will be reserved Oct. 21-23for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors. The property will be closed to the public during this time.The hunt, which is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen, is one of more than 24 events the group holds throughout Florida each year. Other outings include fishing events, recreational shooting, and other…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Serenova Tract will be closed to the public Oct. 22-24. The District is limiting access to the property to prepare for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors.The hunt, which is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen, is one of more than 24 events the group holds throughout Florida each year. Other outings include fishing events, recreational…

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…

Three Marion 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…

Festival coincides with first Springs Awareness WeekThis year’s Marion County Master Gardeners’ Spring Festival, which is being held March 14 – 15 at the Marion County Extension Service Office in Ocala, coincides with the first Springs Awareness Week.The Southwest Florida Water Management District has partnered with Citrus and Marion counties and the cities of Crystal River and Dunnellon to proclaim March 14-21 as Springs Awareness Week. The goal is to…

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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Jan. 12-14. 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.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will reopen all District managed campgrounds throughout our 16-county region on Wednesday, June 14, due to increased rainfall and the reduced threat of wildfire. The District closed these properties in April during Florida's wildfire emergency event. The following District managed campgrounds will be reopened:

• Cypress Creek Preserve
• Deep Creek Preserve
• Flying Eagle Preserve…

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. 17-19. 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…

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…

h3. *_Improperly Applied Fertilizers Are Harmful to Our Water Bodies_*The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ kicked off a new multi-media public service advertising campaign this week to educate residents on how to fertilize their lawns appropriately.Recent studies have shown that rising nitrate levels in many local water bodies can be traced to fertilizer. Nitrate is a form of nitrogen that is found in inorganic…

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed Burton Eno and Alan Grubman to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Withlacoochee River Basin Board(Withlacoochee River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/withlacoochee.php.Eno is from Dunnellon in Marion County. He is a retired University of Central Florida professor, and has been appointed to succeed John "Jack" Dennis, for a term beginning Sept. 15, 2010, and ending…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has developed online tools to help residents find ways to continue saving water beyond Water Conservation Month. While the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us advocates "water conservation(Water conservation)":/conservation/ year-round, an extra effort is being made to promote conservation throughout April. Governments and water management…

h2. *_Charlotte Harbor Shows Rebound After 2008 Decline_*Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program(SWIM)":/projects/swim/ have recorded increases in seagrass presence in Lemon Bay, Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor over the past two years.According to the "District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ 2010 seagrass mapping study, seagrass acreage in the three water bodies has…

*Lecanto Primary School* will educate community members regarding efficient ways to conserve water in gardens or plantings around the home through a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org.Through a workshop, residents will learn about water conservation and rainbarrel installation and care techniques. The workshop will be held 5:30 p.m. March 25 in the school's…