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All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will close at noon Tuesday, Oct. 8 and will remain closed Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday Oct. 10 due to potential impacts from Hurricane Milton. The District anticipates reopening offices Friday, Oct. 11, but will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Milton to determine if future closings are necessary.District structure operations staff will continue to monitor water levels and operate all of… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is seeking public input about the order in which "minimum flows and levels(Minimum Flows and Levels)":/mfl (MFLs) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as… Read more

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $7.5 million in grants for water-quality enhancement projects in Citrus County to protect the health of Kings Bay and Crystal River's unique spring-fed systems comprised of more than 70 freshwater springs throughout a 600-acre bay. "We are pleased to provide springs funding for projects that will help restore and protect these important waterways," said DEP Secretary Jon Steverson. "This suite… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during April on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately 1 mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 200 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to… Read more

"Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District land this fall and winter to help reduce the wild hog population. Beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 10, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District's website at "WaterMatters.org/HogHunt/":/recreation/hoghunt/. Permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through 5 p.m. Monday,… Read more

Ed Armstrong recently was appointed to the District’s Governing Board by Gov. Rick Scott. Armstrong, of Dunedin, is an attorney with Hill Ward Henderson in Clearwater. He was appointed to succeed Todd Pressman and his term ends March 1, 2018. The Governing Board position represents Pinellas County.  A lifelong Florida resident, Armstrong graduated from Dunedin High School. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Cum Laude, from the University of… Read more

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed Tuesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Aug. 30, due to potential impacts from Tropical Storm Idalia. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District’s website at… Read more

Who: Countryside High School Parent, Teacher and Student Association (PTSA), Countryside High School band and color guard, Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictWhat: The Countryside High School PTSA will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new Florida-friendly landscaping in front of the school. The band and color guard will perform during the ceremony. A campus clean-up will follow the ribbon-cutting.The Florida-friendly landscaping was completed with… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us "Peace River Basin Board(Peace River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/peace.php has partnered with the "Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District(Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District)":http://www.highlandsswcd.org/ to help homeowners improve the efficiency of their irrigation systems.The pilot project involves bringing a "mobile… Read more

Due to the deteriorating weather conditions of Tropical Storm Hermine, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is cancelling tonight's public meeting soliciting stakeholder input on the annual update of the Priority List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels. The District will re-schedule the meeting as soon as possible.

Hotels and motels can celebrate National Tourism Week by signing up to participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s successful water conservation program known as Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)National Tourism Week is May 13 through May 20. According to VISIT FLORIDA, the states official tourism marketing organization, approximately 85.8 million people visited the state last year. That translates to more than $57… Read more

Florida may soon have a new 5,000-acre state park in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County.On April 24 the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will consider a joint acquisition of the property known as the Overstreet parcel with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Polk County.As the lead agency, District staff negotiated a price of approximately $53,700,000 for the 5,118-acre property. Under the agreement, Polk… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will reopen the Weekiwachee Preserve to the public effective Friday, May 8, 2020 for all uses. Weekiwachee Preserve is located in coastal Hernando County and has no affiliation with Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. In keeping with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ "Safe. Smart. Step-By-Step. Plan" to reopen Florida, visitors to the Weekiwachee Preserve should maximize physical distance from others and avoid socializing in… Read more

Caver Studies Effects on Springs Beneath your feet exists a part of Florida few ever see but all should value. Deep below the earth’s surface, caverns have formed by water seeping into cracks and slowly dissolving the rock below. Over thousands of years, these voids become larger and create sinkholes and caves. That water can flow into disappearing streams, and underground rivers and then flow back up to the land surface as springs. Photo Courtesy Jason Polk… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is soliciting stakeholder input on the annual update of the Priority List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels. A public meeting will be held at the District's Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North on Monday, Sept. 19 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Minimum flows and levels (MFLs) are limits set by the District Governing Board for surface waters and groundwater. MFLs are… Read more

*District to begin habitat improvement activities*The Morris Bridge Bicycle Area's off-road trails and parking lot will be closed intermittently from mid-December through mid-January, except for weekends and holidays. The Morris Bridge Bicycle Area is part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, located just south of Morris Bridge Road and just east of I-75 near Temple Terrace. The property is managed by the District in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will close all District-managed campgrounds and properties to include trails and day use areas throughout its 16-county region Saturday, Aug. 3, at 11 a.m., in anticipation of impacts from Potential Tropical Cyclone 4.Additionally, the District is in the process of canceling all existing camping reservations through Tuesday, Aug. 6.For the most updated information, please visit the District’s website at … Read more

Approximately 14 disabled hunters are expected to participate in a Hog Still Hunt, Jan. 27-29, on the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alston Tract, which is part of the Upper Hillsborough. The event is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen.The Alston Tract is located east of Zephyrhills in Pasco and Polk counties. The entrance is off S.R. 39. The property will be closed to the public during the event.During a hog… Read more

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 12 due to impacts from Hurricane Irma. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District's website at WaterMatters.org. As a reminder, you can find the latest information on… Read more

Terra Ceia Preserve State Park will become habitat for many threatened animals, thanks to its recently completed restoration efforts. The 217-acre restoration effort, located in the southeastern reaches of Tampa Bay in Manatee County, is the third phase of a larger 2,308-acre restoration project. “We don’t often have the chance to work on projects of this size, especially in the Tampa Bay area,” said Stephanie Powers, District environmental scientist. “The numerous… Read more