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On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board adopted a $183.5 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2021, including more than $65.7 million for the Cooperative Funding Initiative and District grants for water resources projects. The budget reflects the District’s commitment to protect Florida’s water resources and to improve Florida’s economic vitality. Some of the key initiatives in the District’s FY2021 budget include:… Read more

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 last spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns March through September 2018 on Potts Preserve and the Two Mile Prairie Connector parcel in Citrus County. Potts Preserve is located approximately two miles east of the City of Hernando… Read more

Super Saver Some Hillsborough County and Tampa hotels and motels participating in the District’s Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (C.H.A.M.P.) received special recognition at a recent Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association’s monthly meeting. Heidi McCree, Governing Board Vice-Chair and Hillsborough River Basin Board Chair ex officio, congratulated the participants for taking an active role in conserving water. During 2004 while participating… Read more

Left: Judy Whitehead, Right: Patricia Glass. Governor Charlie Crist made two appointments to the District’s Governing Board in April. Judy Whitehead and Pat Glass were sworn in at the April Governing Board meeting. Judy Whitehead was reappointed. She is the current Governing Board vice chair and chair ex officio of the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board. She was first appointed to the Governing Board in March 2003. Her term ends March 1, 2011.… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $119,000 in grants to 65 schools within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12. Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through… Read more

District scientists have been working in conjunction with staff at the St. Johns River and South Florida water management districts to set up wetland monitoring sites as part of a regional monitoring program. The collaboration is a result of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), a water planning effort among government agencies, water utilities, environmental groups,… Read more

Who: Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Department, Springs Coast Environmental Education Center, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Division of Forestry, Hernando County Planning Department, Hernando County Audubon Society and volunteersWhat: As part of the 16th Annual National Public Lands Day, the District’s Land Resources Department is promoting a volunteer work day at the Springs… Read more

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 last year. That’s why the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) successfully collaborated with the City of Mulberry to approve a new conservation ordinance based on Florida Water Star℠ (FWS) standards. FWS is a water conservation certification program… Read more

There is a new house on the block in north Tampa, and behind the doors of this quaint cottage is a powerful system that will bring significant reductions to flooding in the area. The City of Tampa recently held a ribbon cutting for the Donut Pond pump station, which is part of the larger Duck Pond Project to ease flooding issues in the North Tampa area. Governing Board member Wendy Griffin attended the event.  The project features two pump stations, one in the… Read more

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 last year. That’s why the… 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 minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources or environment. The District… Read more

A reclaimed water project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Marion County will provide approximately 500,000 gallons of water per day (gpd) to the Oak Run Golf Course, which will offset an estimated 375,000 gpd of potable water currently being used for irrigation.This project involves the design, permitting and construction of a reclaimed water storage and transmission system for the golf course. The system will include approximately 13,500 feet… Read more

TheHighlands Soil and Water Conservation District will receive a $4,950 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District to talk to homeowner associations about water conservation and rain sensors.During the presentations, homeowners will also be able to sign up for free rain sensors. The Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District and volunteers will then visit the sites where the rain sensors are installed to ensure that the devices were… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recognized Stephanie Dunda, a Phoenix Academy teacher, for her outstanding water resources education program. A total of 26 projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.Dunda’s eighth-grade class studied Florida-friendly gardens and created a hydroponics system for the school after conducting research at Selby Botanical Gardens… Read more

Gov. Charlie Crist recently appointed Douglas B. Tharp to the Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Tharp was appointed to a restructured seat representing Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties. The Governing Board was previously made up of 11 seats. Last year the State Legislature added two new seats for a total of 13. Tharp was appointed to the seat once held by Judy Whitehead. In April 2008, Whitehead was reassigned to represent Hernando and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is monitoring and preparing for the possible landfall of Tropical Storm Fay in Florida.The District has initiated Level 2 activation of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Brooksville. Level 2 activation is required when a situation develops where the District may be adversely affected. Under Level 2 activation, the District’s Emergency Response Team reports to the EOC during extended business hours and assumes… Read more

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Clearwater will bring reclaimed water to approximately 500 residents who live in the Chautauqua and Coachman Ridge areas of the city.The project includes the design and construction of more than 59,000 linear feet of reclaimed water transmission lines and distribution piping.The Chautauqua portion of the project will take place south of Enterprise Road, north of Lake Chautauqua, west of… Read more

Lasting Impression Through Learning A unique environmental education program is giving Dunnellon students the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the community. The students are participating in the Legacy Program, a Southwest Florida Water Management District-funded project that receives matching grant funds from Florida Learn and Serve. The Legacy Program is a hands-on learning experience that allows seventh- and eighth-grade students the opportunity to… Read more

The Rotonda West Homeowners Association, Inc. will receive a $2,875 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for a project that will enhance water quality in the area’s canal system.The grant will be used to plant aquatic plants along the White Marsh Park canals. In addition, the homeowners association will help homeowner volunteers in building and installing a brochure demonstration box that will include information on what… Read more