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The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October and November for two District sites in Sarasota County the Schewe Ranch property and the Deer Prairie Creek property.Both tracts are located to the north and south of I-75 between mile markers 186 and 190, with U.S. Hwy. 41 as its far southern boundary. The property is also located between the Myakka River and the cities of North Port and Warm…

West Hernando Middle School students and teachers will get their hands dirty this month when they work side by side with Southwest Florida Water Management District staff restoring the Weekiwachee Preserve.The student workdays are April 13 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.During the workdays students will plant soft-stemmed bulrush along the banks of several water bodies within the preserve and monitor the water quality. The goal of the project is to revegetate and develop the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hillsborough County will celebrate the completion of the Fred & Idah Schultz Preserve with a dedication ceremony Wednesday, Nov 10th at 3 p.m.The preserve, which is located in southeastern Hillsborough County, is part of a 204-acre ecosystem restoration project known as the “Kitchen.” This area includes Port Redwing, Dug Creek and the Davis Tract. Restoration of the 60-acre Davis Tract was completed in 2002…

Charlotte County Utilities residential customers are now eligible to participate in a toilet rebate program aimed at conserving water.The toilet rebate program, which is a cooperatively funded program by the county and the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board, offers rebates to replace high-volume toilets with water efficient low-flow toilets or high-efficiency toilets. Low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush or less while high-…

Sheri Glastonbury from Laurel Oaks Academy is among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Glastonbury will receive $3,000. Students will take field trips to the Peace River and the Everglades, establish a water-conserving garden…

Growing public demand in Pasco County has led to a water conservation program that will provide toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet replaced with a low-flow model.The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pasco County Utilities are working together to provide the toilet rebates.High-volume toilets can use three gallons or more per flush, while low-flow toilets use up to 1.6 gallons per flush.This is the first year of the two-year project. This…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management Districts Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and the City of Clearwater will improve water quality, reduce erosion and increase flood protection along the Stevensons Creek Watershed.The watershed encompasses an area of approximately 10 square miles in western Pinellas that includes the cities of Dunedin and Clearwater.This multi-year project will allow the implementation of the Best Management Practices (BMPs)…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board approved an agreement Tuesday with the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (PR/MRWSA) to study the feasibility of three potential alternative water supplies, which include the Dona Bay, Flatford Swamp/Upper Myakka River and Shell Creek systems.The PR/MRWSA serves Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties as well as the City of North Port, and is responsible for developing new water supply…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a project to reduce groundwater pumping up to 365,000 gallons per day (gpd) at two Manatee County farms.The Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program is a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and protects water quality.The FARMS project, proposed by the owner of 4-Star Tomato Long Creek Farm and Clay Gully Tree Farm, will voluntarily reduce actual…

A multi-year aerial mapping project funded by the Southwest Florida Management District and Sumter County will help predict flooding and water quality problems by updating the county’s topographical maps.During the first phase of the project, the entire county will be flown over with light detection and ranging laser-based technology (LiDAR) to collect topographic information, which will be used to create detailed elevation maps that show the area’s physical…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials deactivated the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 2 p.m. today. In addition, the District deactivated the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area/Tampa Bypass Canal system and removed boat barriers where I-75 crosses the Hillsborough River restoring navigation in that area. The District’s EOC provides unified command for activities before, during and after emergency events, like hurricanes…

Seven springs restoration projects in Citrus and Hernando Counties will receive $12 million in state funding from Legacy Florida through the department’s Division of Water Restoration Assistance program. This funding is expected to leverage nearly $3 million in matching funds for a total of $15 million. The District’s projects are part of 35 springs projects across the state to receive more than $56.6 million  included in the 2016-17 “FLORIDA FIRST” budget,…

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, United States Geological Survey, the American Ground Water Trust and middle and high school teachers from Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Manatee and Polk countiesWhat:The goal of this free, two-and-a-half-day workshop for teachers is to increase water awareness among teachers and students so that they are empowered to play an active role in protecting water resources.When:Thursday night through Saturday, June 19-21. Media…

The District has been receiving questions about its ability to move water out of Lake Thonotosassa through the Flint Creek water control structure. The lake was lowered to the maximum amount possible before the storm. However, due to historic rainfall from Hurricane Milton, the Flint Creek water control structure on Lake Thonotosassa is completely under water and the water is flowing over the land around the structure. Under normal circumstances, water naturally…

Veteran and incoming Governing Board and Basin Board members recently took part in a planning workshop at the Tampa Service Office. More than half of the 56 board members attended the workshop that featured District projects and departments. The workshop featured in-depth lectures, panel discussions and thematic exhibits. It also allowed the Board members the opportunity to talk with Governing Board Chair Heidi McCree. Jennifer Closshey, Governing Board member and…

Pasco County students at six schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Pasco County awardees are:* Donna Hoaque Koljeski, *Energy and Marine Center*, was awarded $2,700. Students will learn what a watershed is and how humans contribute to pollution entering a watershed. Through literature and hands-on…

Terese Power, a staff engineer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, uses a watershed model to show Lacy Garman from Brooksville how pollution works its way into rivers and lakes. District employees combined the annual Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day to teach children about conservation, pollution prevention, and environmental stewardship. If you would like a high-resolution photograph for publication, contact…