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The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on portions of the Braden River April 4-7. 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… Read more

Today, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of a perpetual conservation easement of more than 1,088 acres of Triangle Ranch in Manatee County, in the upper Myakka River watershed. This action will prevent future development on this property by securing $2 million toward the purchase of the conservation agreement, and is a key part in the permanent protection of this important piece of land. "The Board's action today… Read more

Region at highest alert level and subject to modified Phase IV water restrictionsThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted to enact Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use in the Tampa Bay Water service area. These are the District’s highest level of water shortage measures.The Tampa Bay Water’s six member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Thursday, April 27 at 5 p.m. at Crystal River Middle School, located at 344 N.E. Crystal Street in Crystal River. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum flow for the Crystal River/Kings Bay system in Citrus County. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels for priority water bodies within the District.… Read more

Almost half of the counties within the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 16-county region are now under a Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Alert.The District identifies four possible levels of water shortage, beginning with “moderate” and increasing in intensity through “severe,” “extreme” and “critical.”With river flows, aquifer levels, and lake levels remaining far below normal, the region… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will close all District-managed lands throughout its 16-county region on Wednesday, Sept. 6 in anticipation of impacts from Hurricane Irma.The following properties will be closed until further notice:•Annutteliga Hammock•Chassahowitzka River – Burnt Bridge Road entrance•Chito Branch Reserve•Conner Preserve•Cypress Creek Preserve•Deep Creek Preserve•Ed Chance Reserve- Coker Prairie Tract•Ed Chance Reserve- Gilley… Read more

In Marion County, order is limited to the city of Dunellon and the area encompassed by The Villages. The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted today to declare a Phase I Water Shortage effective March 10 for portions of Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. Due to an Interagency Agreement with the St. Johns River Water Management District, this order in Marion County would be limited to the city of Dunellon and the… Read more

Homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are invited to “play in the dirt” at the third annual Florida Yard Fandango March 8-9 at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI.)The goal of the Fandango is to promote Florida-friendly landscaping and lawn maintenance because it is beautiful and saves water, time and energy.This year the gardening event has grown to two days. The first day features gardening classes and a plant auction. Participants have the opportunity to… Read more

A two-year project aimed at measuring the effectiveness of the McIntosh Park enhanced stormwater treatment wetland (ESTW) is about to begin. The ESTW is a cooperatively funded project completed by Southwest Florida Water Management District, Plant City and Hillsborough County.Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. has been contracted to monitor the water quality and flow rates at the McIntosh Park ESTW, which removes sediment and pollutants from a 6,000-acre watershed that drains… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to an informational meeting on the Chassahowitzka Headsprings Restoration Dredging project. The meeting will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 13, 2011 at Citrus County's Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto.The District is preparing to conduct a restoration dredging project on the Chassahowitzka Headsprings. The project is… Read more

Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard calls it “another gem in the crown of Clearwater,” but Kapok Park wasn’t always a beautiful public green space, home to roseate spoonbills, wood storks, sandpipers and many other shorebirds. In December, Representative Gus Bilirakis joined members of the District’s Governing and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin boards, along with the Clearwater mayor and several city staff members, in celebrating the completion of a $19.3 million floodplain… Read more

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 "Shell and Prairie creeks(Prairie/Shell Creek)":/recreation/areas/prairie_shell_creek.html during the week of July 12–15.District workers will treat portions of the creeks upstream of the Henderson Dam.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations, and post warning signs… Read more

Region at highest alert level and subject to modified Phase IV water restrictionsThe Tampa Bay Water service area remains under the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use. These are the District’s highest level of water shortage measures.The Tampa Bay Water’s six member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the cities of Tampa, New… Read more

A water conservation project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pinellas County will reduce demand and conserve potable water.The project encourages the use of the surficial aquifer, Floridan aquifer, and surface water from lakes, ponds, rivers and streams for non-potable applications, such as lawn irrigation. Residents who live in portions of the county’s potable service area that will not be receiving reclaimed water service are eligible… Read more

_District partnering with Sarasota County on purchase_The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard approved the acquisition of conservation easements on the Walton and Longino ranches in Sarasota County today, which will link a regional corridor of conservation lands between the Myakka and Peace rivers.The "District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on portions of Shell and Prairie creeks June 18-21. The sites are located upstream of the Henderson Dam in Charlotte County.Treatment involves the spot application of the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs that display treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Treated river water should not be used… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on portions of Shell and Prairie creeks April 30 through May 3. The sites are located upstream of the Henderson Dam in Charlotte County.Treatment involves the spot application of the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs that display treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Treated river water should… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will conduct an inspection of the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure located in Levy County on the Inglis Bypass Channel. The inspection has been scheduled to take place Tuesday, June 9. During that time, the water control gates will need to be partially or fully closed. Closings are anticipated to occur during daylight hours and for a duration not exceeding eight hours per closing. The channel… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during January and February on the Prairie-Shell Creek property. The Charlotte County site is west of U.S. Hwy. 17 and east of the Peace River, approximately 8 miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Approximately 125 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Kurt Vargo and Lorna Ransom from DeSoto County’s Parks and Recreation Department for their work on Water Education Day, an outstanding water resources education project. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.“Water Education Day” targeted DeSoto County residents and their personal connection to the watershed. Participants… Read more