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Ronald E. Oakley was elected today by his peers to serve as Governing Board chair of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us.Other "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard officers selected today include Hugh M. Gramling, vice chair; H. Paul Senft Jr., secretary, and Douglas B. Tharp, treasurer."Chair Ronald E. Oakley(Ronald E. Oakley)":/about/governingboard/profiles/…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns July through September on Potts Preserve and Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps in Citrus County. Potts Preserve…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a water shortage emergency for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s reservoir and two Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wellfields to help protect the drinking water supply for over 250,000 residents.Executive orderSWF 07-045 signed Monday by Richard Owen, deputy executive director of the District’s Division of Resource…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved a plan that will provide electricity to the District’s Green Swamp West property.Last May, the District signed a no-cost lease agreement which allows the Pasco High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) to use a 100-acre bahia pasture on the property for a cattle project. The FFA project area is located near the River Road entrance of the property.The cattle grazing lease allows FFA…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a project that will help a DeSoto County blueberry farm further reduce groundwater pumping.Island Grove Agricultural Products has three farms located in the Joshua Creek and Prairie Creek watersheds and are within five miles of each other. The project involves constructing an integrated, automated irrigation system for these three farms.The irrigation system includes two weather…

Following Hurricane Milton, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Tampa Bypass Canal System and the Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (HFDA), as water levels in the Hillsborough River have returned to normal. This marks a positive step as the region recovers from the heavy rainfall caused by the storm. To assist with flood control during the storm, the District activated the Tampa Bypass Canal System on October 8 to protect…

District leaders recently attended the dedication of Water Works Park in the City of Tampa, which included the restoration of Ulele Springs. The 5-acre park is part of the city’s plan to revitalize the Riverwalk District and Tampa Heights. Ulele Springs is a unique natural spring systems within downtown Tampa. Initiated in 2012, the Ulele Springs Restoration project is a  cooperative funding partnership between the District, city and Ecosphere Restoration…

Modified Phase III "Extreme" Water Shortage Restrictions Begin April 3Always refer to your city or county regulations first.Effective Date and Areas

• The District’s Modified Phase III one-day-per-week water shortage…

Guest speakers, songs and outdoor activities will be featured at the 7th Annual Marion County Springs Festival, which is being held Saturday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Silver River State Park. On Sunday, Sept. 21, several guided hikes and paddling trips are planned.On Saturday a variety of experts will speak about Florida’s aquifer system, as well as Florida’s springs and springs protection. Speakers include Fay Baird, a senior hydrologist with…

A Southwest Florida Water Management District community education grant workshop scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed.The advisory session for groups and individuals who live in the area represented by the District’s Peace River Basin Board will be rescheduled for a later date. The Peace River Basin includes portions of Charlotte, Hardee, Desoto, Highlands, and Polk Counties.For more information about the community education grants, please call 1-800-423-1476, ext…

Five Polk County projects that are expected to reach approximately 27,100 residents were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 32 grants Districtwide. This is the 12th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Town of Inglis will soon begin implementing projects to improve water quality and reduce flooding in Cason Acres and surrounding areas.The 19-acre watershed, located in southern Levy County, has a history ofwidespread flooding in the areas between Vicki, Sapp, Daisy and Lori streets. A watershed is an area of land that water flows across as it moves toward a common body of water. This watershed discharges to the…

Todd Pressman, Governing Board secretary and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board co-chair ex officio, is pictured on the far right as Ronnie Duncan, Pinellas County commissioner and former Governing Board chair, cuts the vine. Weedon Island Preserve received District support for the signage along the interpretive trail. More than 20 interpretive signs stretch along a mile of boardwalk and paved trails, educating visitors about the Tampa Bay watershed and the…

Watson Haynes II, Governing Board chair, and Ronnie Duncan, Governing Board member, were on hand to celebrate the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center grand opening. The $1.4 million center is equipped with an auditorium that seats 250 people, three fully equipped classroom/laboratories, an exhibit gallery with hands-on displays, and a system of boardwalks and trails that will provide wilderness experiences to an estimated 175,000 visitors annually…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.WaterMatters.org will begin work May 12 in "Potts Preserve(Potts Preserve)":http://www.WaterMatters.org/recreation/areas/potts.html to restore the historic natural flow patterns of water between the preserve's marsh and the Hernando pool of Lake Tsala Apopka.District workers will remove the fill material associated with the "western dike" and the "middle road" which have…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on "Shell and Prairie creeks(Prairie-Shell Creek)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/prairie_shell_creek.html during the week of April 26–29. District workers will treat portions of the creeks upstream of the Henderson Dam. Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations…

Governing Board Chair H. Paul Senft, Jr. addresses dignitaries at the dedication of the Integrated Loop System Phase 3A Interconnect Project at the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Water Treatment Plant in Venice. Four counties in the District’s southern region have moved closer to a regional water system with the completion of a series of transmission pipelines. The Integrated Loop System Phase 3A Interconnect Project includes nine miles of new drinking water…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a water shortage emergency and authorized the Englewood Water District to help the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (Authority) by providing water to Charlotte County Utilities.The Authority requested the emergency authorization, in conjunction with Englewood and Charlotte County, to temporarily offset water demand that is normally supplied exclusively by the Authority. The Authority’s…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering information to improve identification of flooding risks for three Marion County watersheds.This information is being developed as part of the *Withlacoochee River*, *Withlacoochee River 2* and *Withlacoochee Region* watershed management plans. The plans were cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Marion County.The District is…

Clockwise, from top left: Paul Senft, Judith C. Whitehead, Hugh M. Gramling and Bryan K. Beswick. Henry “Paul” Senft, Jr., the second Governing Board member to serve in a newly created position, took his oath of office at the March Governing Board meeting. Senft was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to a newly created seat representing Polk County. The Governing Board was previously made up of 11 seats. Last year the state Legislature added two…