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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 Oct. 1, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Tampa Service Office, 7601 U.S. Hwy. 301 in Tampa. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective…

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. 24, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Headquarters, 2379 Broad St., in Brooksville. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective properties…

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. 23, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Bartow Service Office, 170 Century Blvd. in Bartow. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective…

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…

A former student intern used her District experience to emphasize the importance of fresh, clean water to residents along the Amazon.  Kaylie Kushmer traveled to the Amazon River in Southern Colombia and Brazil last month to help drill wells, run potable water lines to a school and educate children on the hydrologic cycle. Kushmer is the daughter of Danny Kushmer, government affairs program manager.  Kaylie’s trip was in coordination with Wine to Water…

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…

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…

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…

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…

At its June 11 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.1484 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Manasota Basin Board area includes Manatee and Sarasota counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 14 percent decrease in ad valorem…

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…

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects when the Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council meets on Oct. 19.The Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council will meet at 3 p.m. in Conference Rooms A & B, 1st Floor, at the Southwest Florida Water Management District Headquarters, 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.The Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council was formed by the state Legislature in 2003. The…

Two Charlotte County teachers and one private school teacher are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is seeking public input about the order in which "minimum flows and levels(Minimum Flows and Levels)":/mfl (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…

 Whitehead was recognized at the November Governing Board meeting. Judy Whitehead was recently recognized for her years of service on the Governing Board. “Everyone on this Board is fully dedicated and passionate about what they do,” Whitehead said during the recognition. “I’m very honored to have worked with them.” Whitehead was appointed to the Governing Board in March 2003 and has served as Governing Board chair, vice chair and secretary. She…

DeSoto County residents are invited to attend the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org "Get Outside!" event at Deep Creek Preserve on Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The free event includes family-friendly activities such as guided nature hikes, "I Spy" scavenger hunts, boat tours, a native plant raffle and more.The 2,000-acre "Deep Creek Preserve(Deep Creek Preserve)":http://www.swfwmd…

  The District conducts “controlled, prescribed burns” on about 20,000 acres of District-managed lands annually. Many of Florida’s native plants and animals are dependent on fire to maintain balance within the ecosystem. Prior to human intervention, lightning-caused fires burned out of control until they were extinguished by rain or reached a natural barrier, such as a river. Due to development and population growth, natural wildfires are no longer allowed to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored six outstanding Polk County projects that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.The Polk County recipients are listed below. Portions of Polk County are represented by each of these District Basin Boards, Alafia River, Hillsborough River, and Peace River.Scott Nelson, a…

Working Together The District is among a diverse group of stakeholders that recently joined forces to improve water quality in the Shell Creek and Prairie Creek watersheds, Punta Gorda’s primary water supply source. The stakeholders, including several government agencies, the City of Punta Gorda, citrus growers and agricultural organizations, took part in signing the Shell, Prairie and Joshua Creeks Watershed Management Plan Stakeholders Agreement. By signing the…

Heidi B. McCree was selected during the spring election by unanimous vote as the first female Governing Board chair in the 44-year history of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Other Board officers elected include Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice, vice chair; Judith C. “Judy” Whitehead, treasurer; and Patsy C. Symons, secretary. “I want to thank the Board for this honor and look forward to carrying on an important legacy,” McCree said. “We have achieved great…