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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-… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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)… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, St. Johns River Water Management District and South Florida Water Management District have scheduled a virtual joint public meeting at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, to solicit stakeholder input on each district’s annual update of their priority list and schedule for the establishment of minimum flows and water levels as well as water reservations.Participants can join the virtual meeting at … Read more

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,… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

Left to right, Sumter County Commissioners Garry Breeden, Dick Hoffman, Doug Gilpin, Don Burgess and Randy Mask celebrate the April 27 reopening of the renovated Evan A. “Billy” Merritt & David C. Hanson Public Boat Ramp and Park at Coleman Landing on Lake Panasoffkee in Sumter County. The Coleman Landing site was closed during the $28.3 million restoration of Lake Panasoffkee, which was funded by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board and the state Surface… Read more

“Get Outside!” at Potts Preserve Oct. 23 The District is hosting a family-friendly community event at Potts Preserve from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 23, 2010. The event will offer guided nature hikes, a native animal presentation, an archery adventure for all ages, children’s activities, waterless fishing and scavenger hunts. River boat tours will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The District is inviting the community to “Get Outside… Read more

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… Read more

Two officers of the District Governing Board are stepping up to new leadership roles, and two Board members are serving their first terms as officers. The District Governing Board unanimously elected Ronald E. Oakley to serve as Governing Board chair during its May meeting. Oakley served as the Board treasurer and vice chair before his election as chair. “I’m excited to continue to work to protect our natural resources, and I’m humbled that the Board would place so… Read more

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Dorian and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during, and after an emergency weather event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout… Read more

 Clockwise from top left: Chair Todd Pressman; Vice Chair Ronald E. Oakley; Secretary Hugh M. Gramling; Treasurer Sallie Parks. Two Governing Board members are moving into new leadership roles this year, while two others have been given their first opportunity to serve as officers. Todd Pressman was unanimously elected by his peers in May to serve as the District’s Governing Board chair. Pressman served as the Board secretary and vice chair before being… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will temporarily close the Wysong-Coogler Dam airboat slide for maintenance and repairs beginning Tuesday, April 18 for approximately two weeks. The airboat slide is located on the Withlacoochee River in Citrus County. Temporary closure signs will be posted during the repairs.The District operates two additional airboat slides in that area, the Moccasin Slough slide and the Brogden Bridge slide. Both slides remain… Read more