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h2. District to Brief the Public on Lake Isis, Tulane Stormwater Treatment ProjectsThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to an informational meeting on the Lake Isis and Lake Tulane stormwater treatment projects, which will improve water quality in the lakes. The meeting will be held from *6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18*, 2011 at the *City of Avon Park Council Chambers*, 123 East Pine Street in… Read more

h2. District to Brief the Public on Stormwater Treatment ProjectThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to an informational meeting on the Lake Wailes stormwater treatment project, which will improve water quality in the lake. The meeting will be held from *6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, 2011* at the *Lake Wales Municipal Administration Building*, 201 Central Avenue West in Lake Wales.The… Read more

When visitors arrive at the Brooker Creek Preserve, their education begins the minute they leave their vehicles. A series of interpretive signage now lines the main trail between the parking lot and the environmental education center. Additional signs are located at key locations, including the butterfly garden and a mini wetland. The Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center is located within the Brooker Creek watershed, which covers 39 square miles in… Read more

Polk County students at 11 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 Polk County awardees are:* Herbert Maysonet, *Auburndale High*, was awarded $2,930. Students will learn to collect and test water samples from local ponds. They will explore various pollutants and learn how water is treated to eliminate… Read more

A cooperative project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pinellas County and the City of Dunedin will reduce flooding and improve water quality entering St. Joseph Sound.The project involves conducting a survey and the design, permitting and construction of a box culvert to connect Curlew Creek Channel A to an existing detention pond owned by the county. Curlew Creek, which is located in the Spanish Oaks Diversion improvement area, flows into St.… Read more

As the drought continues to make front-page news across the country, the District is taking steps to stretch our limited water supply and raise public awareness about what people can do to help. The District has had below-average rainfall since January 2006. As of December, the Districtwide 24-month rainfall deficit is approximately 23 inches. “Conditions have not improved, particularly in the southern portion of the District,” said Richard Owen, District deputy… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with willing property owners to improve the flood control capability of the Peace Creek Canal by treating aquatic vegetation in select areas.Approximately 20 miles of the canal will be targeted for treatment Nov. 14, 15 or 16. If weather conditions are not favorable, an alternative date is set for Nov. 28-30.The Peace Creek Canal runs from Lake Hamilton to the Peace River and provides necessary drainage for a large… Read more

Dazed But Not Defeated   West-central Florida was rocked against the ropes by a one-two punch combination — Hurricanes Charley and Frances. Charley was a quick, compact, uppercut with winds in excess of 145 mph ramming into the underbelly of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and ripping through the rural Peace River Basin. Then, still reeling from Charley, the area was slammed by Frances, a large, infuriatingly slow but devastating roundhouse… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is seeking public input to determine the priority of minimum flows and levels (MFLs) establishment for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District as well as the establishment of water reservations. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise this schedule each year.The District will hold a virtual public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Members of the public can… Read more

A national program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls the District’s Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.) a “Gulf Guardian.” The District’s water conservation program took second place among government programs at the Gulf Guardian Awards in Corpus Christi, Texas. Water C.H.A.M.P. began in September 2002 as a two-year pilot program in the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin of the Southwest Florida Water Management… Read more

Patsy Nathe, the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board vice chair, was recently named “Woman of the Year in Agriculture” for 2008. The award, which is sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida State Fair Authority, recognizes outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture. Charles H. Bronson, the state’s agriculture commissioner, will present the award to Nathe on Feb. 5 during the opening day… Read more

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects when the Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council and the Hernando County Task Force meet on Oct. 20.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, Brooksville. The Hernando County Task Force will meet in the same location at 3:… Read more

Tougher Restrictions Aim to Conserve Dwindling Water Supplies Faced with the impacts from an ongoing, three-year drought, the District’s Governing Board enacted its strongest water shortage restrictions in February and March to address water needs while protecting the water resources. Seven of the counties within the District’s 16-county region are now under critical or extreme water shortage alerts. The District identifies four possible levels of water shortage,… Read more

Regions IV and X of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (FSAWWA) held their respective drinking water taste-testing competition at the Three Sisters Springs National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River and at the District’s Sarasota office on Friday April 8.  The winners were the City of Wildwood for the Region IV competition in Crystal River and Charlotte County for the Region X competition held in Sarasota.  The entries are… Read more

h2. District, County Cooperate to Help Manage and Treat StormwaterResidents of the Garden Grove neighborhood in the Cypress Gardens area will see less flooding and better water quality in nearby lakes thanks to a project funded by Polk County and the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard.Construction began this fall on the project, which will help reduce flooding… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during November and December on the Prairie-Shell Creek property in Charlotte County.The site is west of US 17 and east of the Peace River, approximately eight miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Approximately 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. According… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during June, July and August on the Deep Creek property in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during September and October on the Deep Creek property in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the Deep Creek property in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land Manager… Read more

Q: What are the new water restrictions for the Southwest Florida Water Management District?A: The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted to extend one-day-per-week watering restrictions again for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties until Dec. 31 due to ongoing… Read more