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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

The District celebrated the Peace River and the Peace River watershed by holding a series of events along the river during “Peace River Watershed Awareness Week” in April. The week was recognized by the District’s Peace River Basin Board, the state legislature and participating county governments. Each of the four events within the Peace River watershed was designed to create watershed awareness, showcase the commitment to protecting the watershed and foster proper… Read more

District staffers and Board members who participated in the Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup spent their Saturday cleaning up the shoreline at DeSoto Park on McKay Bay. More than a dozen District employees and Board members recently took part in one of Tampa’s largest volunteer events — the 20th Annual Mayor’s Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. The District joined forces with more than 1,200 volunteers to scour the banks of the Hillsborough… Read more

What:“A River Runs Through It” celebration at Hillsborough River State Park. This event wraps up Hillsborough Watershed Awareness Week. The event goal is to teach the public about the watershed through a variety of activities, including a canoe race on the river, hiking and other environmental educational activities focusing on the Hillsborough River. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to sign a watershed pledge and commit to behaviors… Read more

Drawdowns in aquifer levels in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), due primarily to groundwater withdrawals, are affecting rates of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan aquifer along the coast, especially in the Most Impacted… Read more

Relief is on the way for the lower Hillsborough River thanks to a series of actions taken by the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday.The Board approved new minimum flows for the lower portion of the river, a Recovery Strategy to restore flows to the river, and a funding agreement with Tampa on a series of minimum flow-related projects.Aminimum flow or level (MFL) is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause… Read more

District springs could receive about 40 percent of funding in a proposed state plan to pay for projects to help protect local springs. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) submitted a plan to the Florida Legislature earlier this month to invest $50 million in springs restoration from this year’s budget. When leveraged with funding from local partners, this plan proposes a total investment of nearly $86 million in 35 springs projects across the… Read more

The District’s Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) is updated every five years. It assesses projected water demands and potential sources of water to meet demands over a 20-year period.2020 Regional Water Supply Plan              2015 Regional Water Supply Plan

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Daily Rainfall UpdateThe rainfall data below provide a summary of daily and month-to-date rainfall totals at 125 locations in the District. The Rainfall Data Collection Sites map shows the locations of the measurement stations and the Daily Rainfall Data chart shows rainfall accumulations in inches. (Click any image to view full size.) … Read more

6000 B.C.While archaeologists report evidence of human activity in the Green Swamp dating back to as early as 6000 B.C., permanent ancient human settlements have never been discovered. However, it has always been home to an abundance of plant and animal life, making it attractive for human use. The land was used by ancient peoples for hunting and food gathering, as well as collecting material to make weapons.1513-1542 A.D. Hernando de Soto explored the area  … Read more

The Hillsborough River watershed begins in the Green Swamp and travels south until it meets Tampa Bay.The Hillsborough River watershed encompasses more than 675 square miles.The Hillsborough River watershed includes parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties.There are four sub-basins within the Hillsborough River watershed: Blackwater Creek, Lake Thonotosassa/Flint Creek, Cypress Creek, and Mainstem (which includes the Upper, Middle, and Lower stretches of the river).The… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board approved the purchase of two Peace River islands consisting of approximately 61.51 acres of uplands in Charlotte and DeSoto counties. The acquisition will be added to the 1,988 that the District owns within the Lower Peace River Corridor project.The property, commonly known as the Liverpool Islands, is located in the Peace River near the District’s Deep Creek tract. DeSoto County manages the public… Read more

Pictured from left to right are Ronnie Oliver, Mayor’s Beautification Program director; Raina O’Neil, development director; Debra Evenson, executive director; Virginia Sternberger, District senior communications coordinator; Maritza Rovira-Forino, Governing Board member and co-chair ex officio of the Hillsborough River Basin Board; David Moore, District executive director; Cheryl Johnson, Alafia River Basin Board member; and Mary Margaret Hull, District lead… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is one of five regional agencies directed by state law to protect and preserve water resources within its boundaries. Established in 1961 to operate and maintain several large flood protection projects, the District’s responsibilities have expanded to include managing water supply and protecting water quality and the natural systems — rivers, lakes, wetlands and associated uplands.Origin and EvolutionThe Southwest… Read more

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This grant is being written on behalf of three overlapping groups of students: AP Environmental Science (APES) students, AP Biology students, and members of our Keep Our School Beautiful Club (KOSB), which focuses on environmental stewardship. As part of a collaborative learning unit, students will investigate water quality throughout the Hillsborough River Watershed by developing a data profile of water quality as it moves through natural…

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More than 90 tons of debris removed from area sinkholesThe Southwest Florida Water Management District has completed a three-year project to improve water quality in the District’s springs by removing debris from sinkholes and areas with high aquifer permeability.Over the three-year period, 90.77 tons of debris were removed from 18 sinkholes and other karst features in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Some of the items removed from the sinkholes included shopping… Read more

Your Questions Answered April 2020 You may have noticed, we haven’t seen much rainfall around the District. Southwest Florida Water Management District Hydrologic Data Manager Granville Kinsman is our resident expert on hydrologic conditions and has details about our current rainfall pattern. Q:  What is the normal rainfall cycle in central Florida? A:  Rainfall is seasonal. Our rainy season is a four-month… Read more

The osprey, or sea eagle, is a large bird of prey that is commonly seen circling above lakes, rivers, streams and ponds, or perched on dead trees (also known as "snags") or telephone poles. It is almost the size of an eagle and is dark brown with a white head and a brown mask from the eyes down to the cheeks. It also has a white and brown breast and underside. The osprey has large talons that allow it to "fish" by diving down and gripping onto fish. Additionally, the… Read more

As the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) continues its efforts to protect the Weeki Wachee River, the public should be aware they may see District staff and contractors working in and along the river, including the portion deemed a springs protection zone. … Read more