Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the delicate balance between meeting human water needs and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Crystal River recently signed an agreement for a project to improve water quality within Kings Bay.The project involves constructing a stormwater treatment system that will treat runoff from Kings Bay Plaza, a large commercial center. Untreated stormwater runoff from the center currently enters a canal that discharges directly into Kings Bay, which is a priority water body of the District’s Surface Water… Read more

Emergency watering restrictions may be extended past July 31 deadlineA continuing rainfall deficit reaffirms the need to maintain emergency watering restrictions, resolved the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board this week.At its next meeting on July 31 the Board will consider extending the one-day watering restrictions which are due to expire that day.Rainfall for the last 12 months remains down more than 12 inches from normal, while June… Read more

Asks the public to help our water resources recoverThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted unanimously today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, through Sept. 30.The Governing Board chose to extend the term of the water shortage order because impacts from the two-year drought continue despite the start of the annual rainy season. In… Read more

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with Pasco County to move forward on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with typical summer rainfalls near Tank Lake.Tank Lake is part of the Duck Lake Watershed, which spans 42 miles in east central Pasco County. Several roads and homes within the Tank Lake and Hickory Hills area have been flooded repeatedly.The Tank Lake portion of the Duck Lake Watershed project involves removing… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns January through March on the Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County.Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located 2 miles east of Dunnellon and 7 miles northeast of the city of Hernando and is bounded by County Road 484 on the north, State Road 200 on the southeast… Read more

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday appointed Randall S. (Randy) Maggard to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard.Maggard is from Pasco County and serves as vice president of Sonny's Discount Appliances Inc. He was appointed to succeed Ronald E. Oakley, and his term ends March 1, 2015. Maggard was a member of the Coastal Rivers Basin Board from 2004 to 2010,… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 600 acres will be… Read more

h2. One-day-per-week watering limit remainsEditor's note: Contact Robyn Felix at Robyn.Felix@WaterMatters.org to receive a color map via email.The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted today to ease water restrictions for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. The Board voted to lift the Modified Phase III (or Extreme) restrictions for the Tampa Bay area because Tampa Bay Water has made substantial progress in reducing its groundwater… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a public open house to gather input on future conservation land purchases.The District is evaluating properties that may be eligible for purchase under the Florida Forever Program.The public is invited to attend an open house Sept. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Sarasota Service Office, 6750 Fruitville Rd. in Sarasota. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective… Read more

Whether your favorite outdoor activity is camping, kayaking, hiking or horseback riding, the District has the place for you to get outside and do your thing. The District owns a variety of properties that include more than 343,000 acres of land open for public recreation. And while about 2.5 million people visit these properties each year, many people don’t realize these recreational opportunities are located just minutes from their homes. That’s why WaterMatters… Read more

*_District urges conservation during moderate drought_*This year's drier than normal conditions following last year's below average rainfall have caused low water levels throughout the Southwest Florida Water Management District."We are currently in a moderate drought District-wide, with our northern region more heavily affected," said Granville Kinsman, District Hydrologic Data manager. "Dry conditions are expected to last until June, so further declines are anticipated."… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) draft 2020 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) is now available on the District’s website for review and comment by stakeholders and the public. The plan identifies existing and projected water demands across all water use categories, available potential water sources, and projects and funding sources to meet those demands within the District’s four planning regions over the next 20 years. Two online webinar… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns January through March on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 272 acres will be… Read more

Sixty-nine Hillsborough County teachers are 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.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a public workshop Tuesday, April 16, to share information about the Weeki Wachee Channel Restoration Project. The meeting will take place at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Meeting Hall, located at 4340 Calienta St. in Hernando Beach. The workshop will be an open-house style allowing the public to arrive at their convenience between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Staff will give a brief presentation about the project at… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns October through December on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 300 acres will be… 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 10 a.m. on Friday, September 1, 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

The sun sparkled on the lakes at Colt Creek State Park as dozens of anglers sank their lines while hundreds of other visitors gathered to celebrate the park’s grand opening. “It really made me feel good when we came in this morning and saw people fishing and enjoying the park,” said Michael Bullock, Florida State Parks Service director. “That’s what state parks are all about.” The 5,118-acre park, located within the District’s Green Swamp Preserve in Polk… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board this week recognized two District employees for their roles on a successful restoration project that received national recognition. Senior Environmental Scientist Mark Brown and Professional Engineer Paul Miselis were recently presented with the 2005 Coastal America Partnership Award for their work on the Fort DeSoto Ecosystem Restoration Project. The two also received a congratulatory letter from President… Read more