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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is monitoring and preparing for the possible landfall of Tropical Storm Fay in Florida.The District has initiated Level 2 activation of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Brooksville. Level 2 activation is required when a situation develops where the District may be adversely affected. Under Level 2 activation, the District’s Emergency Response Team reports to the EOC during extended business hours and assumes…

The Rotonda West Homeowners Association, Inc. will receive a $2,875 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for a project that will enhance water quality in the area’s canal system.The grant will be used to plant aquatic plants along the White Marsh Park canals. In addition, the homeowners association will help homeowner volunteers in building and installing a brochure demonstration box that will include information on what…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about proposed minimum flows for the upper segment of the Hillsborough River. The Upper Hillsborough River is the portion of the river from Crystal Springs to Morris Bridge Road.A minimum flow or level (MFL) 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 part of achieving a balance…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program to determine the potential environmental impact of mucky sediments in the Safety Harbor area of Old Tampa Bay.The Safety Harbor watershed, located within Pinellas County, has changed significantly over the past 100 years. The watershed has gone from being primarily rural to primarily urban. In addition, the construction of the Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal increased the size of the…

Educators interested in securing a Splash! mini-grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District are invited to apply online on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/mini-grants/.The District’s Splash! mini-grants provide teachers with funding for classroom projects on water quality, natural systems, water conservation, alternative water sources, flood protection or watersheds. The goal of the mini-grant program is to promote hands-on water…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a public workshop Tuesday, June 11, to share information about the proposed minimum flow reevaluations for the Chassahowitzka and Homosassa River Systems. The meeting will take place at the College of Central Florida, Citrus Campus, Citrus Conference Center Building C4, located at 3800 S. Lecanto Highway…

The Town of Lake Placid will receive a $4,332 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2007 Community Education Grant Program.As part of the project, approximately 20,000 Lake Placid residents will be sent packages containing information about watersheds, an identification sheet for nonnative, invasive plants and an invitation to attend a local Earth Day event. Recipients will learn how their behavior impacts the watershed and how to identify…

The Sumter County Extension will receive a $3,500 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2007 Community Education Grant Program.The Sumter County Extension was awarded the funds for the Lake Panasoffkee Preservation Celebration, which will provide more than 1,000 residents with the opportunity to learn more about the history, restoration and future preservation of Lake Panasoffkee. This one-day event will include a fishing derby, a river cleanup…

The Heritage Pines environmental committee will receive a $4,989 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2007 Community Education Grant Program.The residents of Heritage Pines, located in Pasco County, were awarded the funds for a series of Florida-friendly lectures and workshops, which will include planting a Florida-friendly demonstration garden. Approximately 2,400 residents live in the Heritage Pines community. Many of the residents are…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Town of Indian Shores recently signed an agreement to move forward on the fourth phase of a water quality improvement project that will collect and treat stormwater runoff prior to discharging into the Intracoastal Waterway.This phase includes the design, permit and construction of flow-through stormwater treatment systems at five locations. The systems allow storm water to pass through while the solids and heavier…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board on July 31 passed a resolution honoring the late Edward W. Chance for his outstanding service as a member of the District Governing Board.The resolution recognized Chance for his exceptional skills in coalition-building, environmental leadership, foresight, wisdom and administrative abilities that were instrumental in ensuring responsible stewardship of water resources and related natural systems.In appreciation…

Polk County residents are invited to celebrate Earth Day with “Water, Wings and Wild Things,” a family event being held Saturday at IMC Park, next to the Bartow Civic Center.The celebration, which is from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., will feature environmental presentations, exhibits and educational displays. The displays will highlight Polk County’s environmental resources, plants, animals and water conservation.Participants who answer water conservation…

The third phase of a water quality improvement project that will collect and treat stormwater runoff prior to discharging into the Intracoastal Waterway is about to begin.The project is cooperatively funded between the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and the Town of Indian Shores.The first two phases involved the construction of 12 improvement areas, or treatment systems. These treatment systems are a combination of dry…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North.To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input as it updates its long-range Water Management Plan.The District’s Water Management Plan addresses the District’s water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems goals and responsibilities. The current plan, developed in 2000, is being updated and will be provided to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by May. The update will focus on key resource management…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input as it updates its long-range Water Management Plan.The District’s Water Management Plan addresses the District’s water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems goals and responsibilities. The current plan, developed in 2000, is being updated and will be provided to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by May. The update will focus on key resource management…

Students and teachers from Twin Lakes Elementary in Tampa were honored today with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Hillsborough River Basin Board.The board chose the Twin Lakes Elementary “Water Everywhere, Put It First, Make It Last” project to receive the Water Stewardship Award because of the student involvement. The school used a District grant to educate and engage students in water resources by planting a…

Representatives from the Citrus County Aquatic Services were honored today with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board.The board chose the Citrus County Aquatic Services’ ‘Moccasin Slough Water Conveyance Canal’ project to receive the Water Stewardship Award because the project entails the restoration of a “once natural” water conveyance area that, after several decades, had…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard voted to renew Tampa Bay Water's 90 million-gallon-per-day northern Tampa Bay consolidated water use permit for 10 years while continuing extensive environmental monitoring.Tampa Bay Water's consolidated permit was first issued in December 1998 and is made up of 11 wellfield facilities in Pasco County as well as northern…

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 Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public can join the…