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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 at 5 p.m. Monday, July 5, in anticipation of impacts from Tropical Storm Elsa. For the most updated information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org…

Who: Approximately 12 children and their parents or guardians, Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, representatives from Bass Pro Shops and the group American Disability AdventuresWhat: The District is coordinating a free camping trip at theGreen Swamp Wilderness Preserve, West Tract in Pasco County for a dozen children who applied for the trip and were randomly…

Several members of the District’s Basin Boards and District staff were able to get a closer look at some innovative, water-conserving farming techniques when they visited two area commercial nurseries. The tour, which was organized by the Florida Nurserymen, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA), featured the Riverview Flower Farm’s Wimauma location and the Sun City Tree Farm, as well as a tour of the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect a new slate of officers for the 2019-2020 term. Mark Taylor was elected chair of the Governing Board. Taylor represents Hernando and Marion counties and is president of TTG Properties, Inc., a real estate management, investment and development firm. Taylor was appointed to the Governing Board in August 2016. Michelle Williamson was elected vice chair of the Governing Board.…

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 11 in accordance with Governor Rick Scott's direction to close state offices for Hurricane Irma. The District will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Irma to determine if future closings are necessary. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District's website at…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is seeking public input to determine the priority of minimum flows and levels (MFLs) establishment for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District as well as the establishment of water reservations. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise this schedule each year.The District will hold a virtual public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Members of the public can…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to comment on proposed "minimum flows and levels(Minimum Flows and Levels)":/mfl (MFLs) for the Homosassa River and associated springs at a public workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The workshop will be held from 6:30 to approximately 9 p.m. at the Homosassa Civic Club, 5530 S. Mason Creek Road in Homosassa.The state Legislature requires the District to set…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to comment on proposed "minimum flows and levels(Minimum Flows and Levels)":/mfl (MFLs) for the Chassahowitzka River at a public workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 6. The workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the "District's headquarters(Google map)":http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=2379+Broad+Street,+Brooksville,+FL+34604, 2379 Broad Street in…

Tampa Tribune food critic Jeff Houck, left, and Governing Board Secretary Paul Senft, right, put water samples to the test. Governing Board Secretary Paul Senft set out to find the best drinking water in the region. When he found it, he helped crown Hernando County as the winner of the Region IV 2010 Best-Tasting Drinking Water Contest on Feb. 26 in Zephyrhills. The contest was sponsored by Region IV of the Florida Section of the American Water Works…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, to discuss updates to several of the District’s land management plans. The purpose of this meeting is to inform the public about updates to these plans, to solicit input from stakeholders, and to incorporate feedback from the public and stakeholders into the development of the new 10-year plans. The land management plans to be updated include…

Website Enhancement The District recently launched two new WaterMatters.org microsites featuring information on the Alafia River watershed and the Florida Water StarSM program. Alafia River Watershed Excursion WaterMatters.org/alafia takes you on a virtual journey…

Funds Available Individuals and groups concerned about water-related issues in their communities can apply for a Southwest Florida Water Management District community education grant. Grant recipients can receive up to $5,000 funding for projects involving water-related issues. The projects are to take place between March 15 and June 30, 2004. Grant applications are due Oct. 17, 2003. To receive an application package, call 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4756 or visit the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a modification of a water use permit that will allow the City of Davenport to construct a third well.The permitted quantity of approximately 1 million gallons of water per day will remain unchanged. Under the modified permit, the third well will be constructed at a new water treatment facility.This permit will supply water primarily for single and multi-family residential, landscape irrigation,…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have postponed its Sept. 12 Governing Board tentative budget hearing due to emergency conditions facing the District from Hurricane Irma. The public hearing will be rescheduled at a later date. Information concerning District-related meeting cancellations and office closures will also be provided to the media and made available on the District's website at…

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed on Friday, Sept. 8 in accordance with Governor Rick Scott's direction to close state offices in preparation for Hurricane Irma. The District will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Irma throughout the weekend to determine if future closings are necessary. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District's…

District scientists have been working in conjunction with staff at the St. Johns River and South Florida water management districts to set up wetland monitoring sites as part of a regional monitoring program. The collaboration is a result of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), a water planning effort among government agencies, water utilities, environmental groups,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August and September on both the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract."Deer Prairie Creek Preserve(Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/myakka-deerprairie.html, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, lies between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which lies north and south of…

Charlotte Harbor has about 985 acres of seagrass beds, according to the 2014 seagrass mapping study by the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program. The District’s study results show Charlotte Harbor now supports 19,896 acres of seagrass beds. That’s the largest amount of seagrass measured since 1996.  Seagrasses are an important barometer of a bay’s health because they require relatively clean water to flourish, thus they are…

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be open Thursday, July 8, as the District returns to normal operations after Tropical Storm Elsa. The District will lower the activation level of its Emergency Operations Center to a Level 3 at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. Level 3 activation is a general state of monitoring during the hurricane season. All District-managed campgrounds and properties to include trails and day use areas throughout…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is soliciting stakeholder input on the annual update of the Priority List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels. A workshop will be held at the District's Tampa Service Office, 7601 Highway 301 North on Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Minimum flows and levels are limits set by the District Governing Board for surface waters and groundwater that are…