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The Southwest Florida Water Management District today declared a water shortage emergency for the city of Tampa’s main water supply. Drought conditions have caused an acute water shortage within the Hillsborough River Reservoir so emergency actions are necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare.The emergency order authorizes Tampa Bay Water, the region’s wholesale water…

Southwest Florida Water Management District employees and Board members, as well as their friends and families, will be among the hundreds of volunteers taking part in this weekend’s 21st Annual Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. The cleanup begins Saturday at 8 a.m. at the Lowry Park Boat Ramp.The annual event is one of Tampa’s largest volunteer activities. Each year volunteers scour dozens of shoreline locations along the Hillsborough River and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to combine the Hillsborough River and Northwest Hillsborough Basin Boards.The decision comes after the Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation and the state’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability both suggested the District consider merging Basin Boards where appropriate.In response to these recommendations, District staff thoroughly…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed several members to one of the seven Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Alafia River Basin Board:

• Steve Bissonnette of Lakeland was reappointed. He is assistant director of community development for the City of Lakeland. His term began June 23 and ends March 1, 2010.
• Cheryl Johnson of Brandon was reappointed. She is a real estate associate with Tampa Electric Company. Her term began…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed several members to one of the seven Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Peace River Basin Board:

• Rufus Lazzell of Punta Gorda was reappointed. He is a retired US Army Brigadier General and former mayor of Punta Gorda. His term began June 22 and ends March 1, 2012.
• Fred Trippensee of Avon Park was reappointed. He is the president of Trippensee & Co. Inc. His term began June 22 and…

At its August 17 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.285 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY2005 is $11,817,325, which represents an increase of $405,679 over the approvedFY 2004 budget. The increase in the budget is due to additional ad valorem property taxes resulting from new growth and increases in existing property values.FY…

At its June 5 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.1827 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Peace River Basin Board area includes Hardee, DeSoto and portions of Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties.This proposed millage rate combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the five county property appraisers will result…

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 Thursday, Jan. 6. The workshop will be held from 6 to approximately 8:45 p.m. at Citrus County's Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto.The District has already held one public…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on the Peace River during the week of Aug. 2–6.District workers will treat portions of the river from Fort Meade south to Bowling Green.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicides Reward® or Aqua Star™ to scattered infestations, and post warning signs in the treatment areas noting treatment dates and…

At its Aug. 5 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2300 mill, which 0.0121 lower than the current fiscal year. This lowered millage rate, combined with a reduction in property values as certified by the Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk county property appraisers, will result in a $2.5 million…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has rescheduled the workshop to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum flow for the Pithlachascotee River in Pasco County. The workshop will take place on Thursday, Feb. 15 from 6 – 7:30 p.m.at the New Port Richey Public Library, located at 5939 Main Street in New Port Richey. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels for priority water bodies within the District. A…

At its June 20 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a tentative fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.265 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The tentative budget for FY2006 is $7,604,321, which is a decrease of $3,708,017 from the approved FY2005 budget. The main reason for this major budget decrease is because the District received a $4,320,000 state appropriation for the Lake…

At its June 7 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.240 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.Further, in the event that a tax reduction is mandated by the Legislature during its special session later this month, the Basin Board has authorized the Executive Director to recalculate its millage rate to reflect the change in revenue prescribed by the…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed Mitchell Hammer to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.Hammer is a senior appraiser for the Internal Revenue Service who lives in New Port Richey. He was first appointed to the Board in June 2005. His current term ends March 1, 2011.The Pinellas-Anclote River Basin area includes Pinellas County and the southern portion of Pasco County.The District has seven regional Basin Boards that…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on portions of the Braden River July 24-27. The sites are located south of State Road 70 in Manatee County.Treatment involves using the aquatic herbicide Reward. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Restrictions on Reward include no livestock watering for one day, no irrigation of turf or ornamental…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on portions of the Braden River July 10-13. The sites are located south of State Road 70 in Manatee County.Treatment involves using the aquatic herbicide Reward. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Restrictions on Reward include no livestock watering for one day, no irrigation of turf or ornamental…

The Three Sisters Springs Wetland Treatment Project is helping improve the quality of stormwater before it enters Kings Bay. Project OverviewThe Southwest Florida Water Management District constructed a wetland area on the Three Sisters Springs property to treat stormwater runoff and improve the quality of stormwater before it enters Kings Bay. The Three Sisters property is co-owned by the District and the City of Crystal River. It is managed by the U.S. Fish and…

At today’s meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.400 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2007 is $41,385,128, which is an increase of $2,729,817 from the approved FY2006 budget. The main reason for this increase is higher property values and balances carried over from the prior year. FY2007 will run from Oct. 1, 2006,…