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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) announced changes to rules governing camping reservations on District lands after the draft rules were submitted to the Florida Legislature during the 2021 legislative session. These rules went into effect June 23 and will be enforced beginning Oct. 1, 2021. The updated rules provide more fair opportunities for all users and create greater consistency with the other water management districts. Some changes to…

Representatives from the Tampa Water Department were honored Tuesday with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board.The board chose the Tampa Water Department “Sensible Sprinkling and Irrigation Evaluation” program because it educates participants about outdoor water use efficiency. Participants receive a free evaluation performed by a certified irrigation auditor and a detailed report with…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration on Monday, Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. The District holds a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the wild hog population. What you need to know about Phase 2 hunts:

• Phase 2 will include six hunts that occur in January and February 2018.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase 2 will…

For three decades, District staff have managed hundreds of projects that provided water quality improvement for surface water bodies and restored thousands of acres of habitats through the SWIM program. The Surface Water Improvement and Management Program was created by the Florida Legislature in 1987 to protect, restore and maintain Florida’s…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m. The District holds a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population. What you need to know about Phase 2 hunts:

• Phase 2 will include five hunts that occur January through February 2023.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase…

District partnering with Sarasota County on purchaseThe Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has approved a purchase from Mabry Carlton Ranch, Inc. that will provide added conservation protection to more than 12,000 acres as part of the Districts Myakkahatchee Creek project.The District already owns a conservation easement for 4,746 acres and is now purchasing the remaining title to those conservation lands. In addition, the District is…

Tom Campbell, Green Swamp marathon winner, planned to bike to Sarasota County after the race. A group of extreme runners known as “Dances With Dirt” (DWD) are considering a return to the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve after holding a series of runs in the swamp in February. “We enjoyed the Florida hospitality and the area’s natural beauty,” said Randy Step, event director. “We hope to make the extreme DWD run in the Green Swamp an annual winter break event,…

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10, due to potential impacts from Tropical Storm Nicole. District offices are scheduled to be closed Friday for Veteran’s Day. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District’s website at…

Surrounding the crystal waters of Three Sisters Springs, visitors could easily spot exposed tree roots and an eroded shoreline. The erosion has caused sediments to enter spring vents and trees to collapse. It has meant a loss of habitat and dangerous conditions for visitors. That’s why the District is restoring the shoreline around Three Sisters Springs. A floating platform was placed inside the spring to allow access to the shoreline, which is surrounded by trees…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 9 a.m. The District holds a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population. What you need to know about Phase 2 hunts:

• Phase 2 will include six hunts that occur January through February 2021.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Brooksville office will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 13 due to impacts from Hurricane Irma. All other District offices will be open. 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…

Dollars and Cents     In the development of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 budget, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing and Basin Boards took many factors into account. “The budget reflects the District’s goal of providing cost-effective quality services while protecting and enhancing the public’s water resources,” said Tom Dabney, Governing Board Chair. Millage rates in the District did not increase this year. In fact, this…

Two Hernando County projects expected to reach up to 5,700 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.state.…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) land management staff have completed evaluations of all District-managed campgrounds and properties after Hurricane Helene and all trails and day use areas and the majority of campgrounds throughout its 16-county region are now open to the public. However, several campgrounds will remain closed until further notice, including Hampton Tract in Polk County, McNeil primitive campground in Pasco County and the Hooty…

Chassahowitzka Property Offers Much to Do at an Outstanding Waterway Camping, hiking, boating, freshwater and saltwater fishing; a full range of outdoor activities are available at the District’s Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps property in southwestern Citrus County. Purchased in the early 1990s, the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will conduct an inspection of the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure located in Levy County on the Inglis Bypass Channel. The inspection has been scheduled to take place Tuesday, June 9. During that time, the water control gates will need to be partially or fully closed. Closings are anticipated to occur during daylight hours and for a duration not exceeding eight hours per closing. The channel…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted today to declare a Phase I Water Shortage for the District’s central and southern regions, which include Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. The primary purpose for a Phase I water shortage is to alert the public that watering…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will hold a Final Evaluation Committee Meeting on Thursday, January 15, at 2:00 p.m. (local time) to evaluate responses to RFP 25-4871 CEMP/COOP for Emergency Operations.

Wetland and upland areas in Manatee County's new Tom Bennett Park are being restored thanks to a partnership between the county and the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Manatee County began construction of the 180-acre park, located just east of Bradenton, in May 2010, and the park is scheduled to open Nov. 12. The county turned former pasture and woodlands into a passive park, offering residents a tranquil place to…

As the District stepped into its second decade, the hints of change that began in the late 1960s moved to the forefront. One of the District’s largest flood control systems, the Tampa Bypass Canal and its flood control structures, became fully operational in the 1970s. The flood protection mission that sparked the District’s birth continued on schedule. By 1970, major flood protection projects were complete, or nearly so in Pinellas, Citrus, Hernando…