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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.… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold an independent, scientific peer review of recommended minimum flows for Horse Creek and Charlie Creek beginning this month. Horse Creek and Charlie Creek are located in portions of DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties and are two tributaries of the Peace River.A minimum flow sets a limit on how much water can be withdrawn from various water resources to prevent significant harm occurring to those… Read more

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,… Read more

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… Read more

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 this schedule each year. A public workshop will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the District’s Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301. The… Read more

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… Read more

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August and September on the Coker Prairie Tract and Gilley Creek Tracts of the Edward W. Chance Preserve, 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… Read more

Blog note: Projects and Partners is a new WaterMatters Blog series that highlights various innovative projects of the District and its partners to benefit the community. District leaders recently celebrated with other community partners the new reclaimed water project at Tampa Electric Company’s Polk Power Station. When in operation later this year, the City of Lakeland plants will pump waste water to a treatment plant about 15 miles away.… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to elect new officers to the board. *Michael A. Babb* was elected chair of the Governing Board. Babb represents Hillsborough County, and is president of Two Rivers Ranch, Inc. in Thonotosassa. Babb was appointed to the Board in June 2011. He was re-appointed in March 2014.*Randall S. Maggard* was elected vice-chair of the Governing Board. Maggard… Read more

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 26, 2013 – The draft Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) Regional Water Supply Plan is available for public review and comment at CFWIwater.com. Comments can be provided online or by mail and email. Details are available on the web page. The comment period will close on Jan. 10, 2014.A public workshop will be held to discuss the draft plan. The workshop will include a presentation and an informal, open-house format. CFWI experts will be available to… Read more

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 to 6:30 p.m… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring the tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico, and the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains at its lowest activation, Level 3 – monitoring only. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is currently operating water control… Read more

h2. District Seeking Public Input on Proposals for Four PropertiesThe Southwest Florida Water Management District recently completed an evaluation of eight District-managed lands to determine if additional hunting opportunities are available. Draft proposals for four of these lands will be presented at a public meeting on Thursday, Jan. 5. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 West Sovereign Path, Suite 166, Lecanto. The draft proposals… Read more