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Your Questions Answered May 2022 Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season? A:  Year-round, the District operates 85 water-control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) acquires lands for the conservation and protection of the water and water-related resources, including lakes, rivers, wetlands and estuaries. These conservation lands serve as natural filters improving water quality, storing and retaining flood waters and helping recharge our aquifers. They also are home to many native plants and animals. The District is required to maintain a balance between public access,… Read more

As bureau chief of General Services, Dave Dickens oversees the District’s Document Services, Public Records, Fleet Services and Facilities sections.Dave has 12 years of experience managing transportation, facilities and safety programs for water management districts in Florida.He most recently served as the Transportation and Facilities Bureau chief for St. Johns River Water Management District, where he managed budget, procurement, capital projects and contract management.… Read more

The Springs Coast Watershed features one of the largest and most spectacular expanses of salt and brackish marshes found in Florida. Four of the five springs groups in the watershed discharge directly into the Gulf of America in a region that is the second largest seagrass area in the continental United States. With an estimated 700,000 acres — the size of more than 530,000 football fields — the Springs Coast seagrass area is one of the largest seagrass areas in the world.As… Read more

2007 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Surface Water Improvement and Management ActThe Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today passed a resolution announcing October 2007 “Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Month” to recognize 20 years of improving water quality and restoring habitats in 10 priority water bodies.In 1987, the Florida Legislature created the SWIM Act to protect, restoreand maintain Florida’s surface water bodies… Read more

The District has been working closely with the regional water supply authorities within its boundaries over the last several decades to reduce the region’s reliance on traditional groundwater supplies and achieve environmental recovery by developing alternative water supplies.There is a critical need to develop additional alternative water supplies to meet the region’s substantial population growth and its associated water supply needs. Population growth within the District… Read more

The Withlacoochee River is forecast to reach major flood stage in response to heavy rainfall from Hurricane Milton. The storm brought significant amounts of rain especially to the headwaters of the Withlacoochee River. Some areas of the Green Swamp received close to 16 inches of rain overnight Wednesday. The flooding is expected to reach higher levels than what was seen in Hurricane Irma (2017) and the 2004 hurricanes. Click here to see updates on how specific areas will be… Read more

Sharing Science With Students Joseph Haber, staff hydrologist, accompanied Dunnellon Middle School students on a trip to Rainbow Springs where he instructed them on how to test for water quality. More than 100 students at Dunnellon Middle School participate in the PAWS (Promoting Awesome Watershed Stewardship) Legacy Program, a District-funded project that receives matching grant funds from Florida Learn and Serve. The program is a hands-on learning experience that… Read more

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful staff and volunteersWhat:A volunteer river cleanup is being coordinated at Hillsborough River State Park. Volunteers will be provided with canoes, gloves, garbage bags and trash pickers to collect trash along the river. If there are enough participants, volunteers will also collect trash along the park’s trails and parking areas.The river cleanup is part of “Hillsborough… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Sandra Haynes, a Dunellon Middle School teacher, for her role in an outstanding school program that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.Haynes organizes the Promoting Awesome Watershed Stewardship (PAWS) Legacy project, which has given students the opportunity to undertake… Read more

Following the Seminole Wars, the Peace River Valley remained a sparsely settled wilderness, dotted with small farms, citrus groves and cattle ranches. Agriculture was forever changed with the discovery that phosphorus promotes plant growth. Phosphorus is a nonrenewable resource. Phosphate minerals formed millions of years ago when Florida was underwater. It is believed it formed when skeletal remains of animals, organic matter and dissolved phosphorus in seawater… Read more

May 2023 Q:  What does the District do to prepare for hurricane season? A:  Year-round, the District operates 84 water control structures in its 16-county area. These structures assist with flood protection, manage lake water levels and prevent saltwater from flowing up freshwater streams and creeks. To prepare for hurricane season, staff conduct annual hurricane readiness checks of all the District’s structures to ensure they… Read more

Environmental enthusiasts of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy a free community fair being held at the Hillsborough River State Park, May 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.The 9th Annual “A River Runs Through It” community fair features watershed education workshops, watershed educational bingo, children’s activities and educational displays. Visitors can also canoe, fish or take a nature hike.The workshops include the award-winning Frog Listening Network,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the media to tour the District’s restoration efforts at Weeki Wachee Springs on Monday, November 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.The project will improve water quality in the head spring and the upper river, as well as enhance the overall natural system. Project components include the removal of sediments, Lyngbya algae and other exotic vegetation as well as the revegetation of native plant species. The project area… Read more

Overview Applicants will be asked to break this down in more detail in the application. Students will learn about local freshwater ecosystems in west-central Florida, with a focus on our magnificent springs. After an introductory lesson on habitats and ecosystems, students will dive deeper to learn about springs, the wildlife they support and their connection to the aquifer below. As part of their exploration, students will complete the… Read more

Maritza Rovira-Forino, Governing Board member, assists visitors at the District’s display. The District celebrated the Hillsborough River and the Hillsborough River watershed by holding a series of events along the river during “Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week” in October. The District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board and the participating city and county governments declared the week of October 20–27 as Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week… Read more

Overview Applicants will be asked to break this down in more detail in the application. Students will work together to test various water quality parameters and conduct a macroinvertebrate sampling at locations along the Hillsborough River. To determine a healthy ecosystem, students will work in groups and use different monitoring tools to collect data on the river’s temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and nutrient levels. Students… Read more

District staff, Governing Board members and Hillsborough River Basin Board members recently welcomed the first wave of warm weather with a canoe trip down the upper Hillsborough River. The outing was an opportunity to see firsthand a highly protected natural river in its upper reaches, which ultimately provides water supplies to the City of Tampa and freshwater flows to Tampa Bay. “The upper Hillsborough River is in excellent ecological condition, with good water… Read more