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In preparation for Tropical Storm Fay possibly making landfall tomorrow, the Southwest Florida Water Management District has initiatedLevel 1 activation of its Emergency Operations Center in Brooksville and is closing all District offices and recreation areas on Tuesday.Level 1 activation is required when a situation has developed into an emergency. Under Level 1 activation, the EOC…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on portions of Shell and Prairie creeks July 7-10. The sites are located upstream of the Henderson Dam in Charlotte County.Treatment involves the spot application of the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations. Treated areas will be posted with warning signs that display treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Surface water treated with Reward should…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the rest of March and April on the District’s Halpata Tastanaki Preserve. The property is approximately six miles east of Dunnellon. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July on the District’s Upper Hillsborough property in Pasco County.The Upper Hillsborough property is approximately 3 miles east of Zephyrhills. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the District’s Conner Preserve.The Conner Preserve is approximately five miles north of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Venice Golf and Country Club have agreed to jointly fund a project to recycle stormwater for irrigation purposes.The project consists of the design and construction of an alternate stormwater outfall, which will divert stormwater from the club’s property to a pond operated by Sarasota County where it will be stored for irrigation needs.By using the recycled stormwater as an irrigation source, nutrients in the…

Nearly a decade of public workshops, water resource analyses, and policy debates culminated this week in approval of the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) Recovery Strategy by the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board.This is an historic moment for the District, the public and the water resources, said Executive Director David L. Moore. Many years of labor and collaboration by Board members, staff, representatives of all the types of water users…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is partnering with the "Science and Environment Council (SEC) of Sarasota County":http://www.secsc.org to teach area residents about watersheds.Sarasota County's Fourth Annual WOW! Water Opportunities Week Nov. 5–13 will be filled with fun, nature-based activities for the whole family that teach awareness and good stewardship of watersheds."Watersheds ":/education/watersheds are…

A Hardee County project expected to reach up to 2,000 people was recently awarded a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/. The overall goal of the Community Education Grant program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues including conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the "District's Basin Boards(Basin Boards)":/about/basinboards/, the program is intended to…

A Marion County project expected to reach up to 30,000 people was recently awarded a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year the District approved 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $120,471. This is the 14th year "Community Education Grants(Community Education Grant program)":/business/communitygrants have been available. These grants offer reimbursement up to $5,000 to help…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual public meeting at 4 p.m., Wednesday, July 24, to discuss updates to the Weekiwachee Preserve Land Management Plan.The District adopts land management plans to ensure its public conservation lands are being managed in ways that are consistent with Florida Statutes and the District’s mission. District lands are acquired to preserve and protect water resources and natural systems while also…

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns July through September on Potts…

Dedication Celebrates Restoration A real time machine converted land back to a beautiful mosaic of habitats…” That’s what Ann Paul, Tampa Bay Regional Coordinator of Audubon of Florida, calls the completion of a restoration project in southeastern Hillsborough County. Paul and many other special guests joined the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hillsborough County in a recent celebration of the completion of the Fred & Idah Schultz Preserve.…

Volunteers Remove Invasive Plants Volunteers from the Tampa Bay Sea Aquarium, University of Tampa, and Sexton and 74th Street elementary schools picked air potatoes during a recent cleanup event at the park. Twenty-nine volunteers recently plucked potatoes at Sawgrass Lake Park, but these aren’t the spuds you’ll find on your dinner table. Volunteers from the Tampa Bay Sea Aquarium, University of Tampa, and Sexton and 74th Street elementary schools picked…

The Governing Board charged District staff in January with initiating a public process to receive input on four strategies aimed at protecting the natural resources in the northern portion of the District due to rapid growth and development. The four strategies include expansion of the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) per capita requirements Districtwide; expansion of the Northern Tampa Bay WUCA into northeastern Hillsborough and the remainder of Pasco counties…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise the schedule each year.A public workshop will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 at the District's Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301.The workshop will provide…

As Hermine descended on Florida’s west coast earlier this month, District staff sprang into action to help respond to and prevent flooding from the first hurricane to hit the state since Wilma in 2005.  With the EOC at a level two activation, it was all hands on deck as employees from across the District got involved.  Flash flood advisories issued in Pasco County had Fleet Services and Field Operations staff working up to 16-hour shifts deploying,…

Surrounding the crystal waters of Three Sisters Springs, visitors could easily spot exposed tree roots and an eroded shoreline. The erosion has caused sediments to enter spring vents and trees to collapse. It has meant a loss of habitat and dangerous conditions for visitors. That’s why the District is restoring the shoreline around Three Sisters Springs. A floating platform was placed inside the spring to allow access to the shoreline, which is surrounded by trees…

The District recently kicked off a new multimedia public service advertising campaign to educate residents on Florida-friendly fertilizing. “There are a lot of misconceptions about how to fertilize properly,” said Virginia Sternberger, senior communications coordinator in the District’s Public Education Section. “For example, some residents think that if a little fertilizer will help their lawns, a lot will be even better. Some think that the best time to fertilize is…

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of November and December on Edward W. Chance Preserve (Coker Prairie and Gilley Creek Tracts), Southfork Preserve, and the Myakka River- Flatford Swamp tract in Manatee County. The Coker Prairie tract is located south of State Road 64, six miles west of Wauchula Road. The Gilley Creek tract is located…