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Sarasota County students at eight 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 Sarasota County awardees are:* Celestine Campbell, *Emma E. Booker Elementary*, was awarded $1,070. On a field trip to Emerson Point Preserve, students will learn about the habitats and wildlife adaptations of an estuary. They will… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August and September on both the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract."Deer Prairie Creek Preserve(Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/myakka-deerprairie.html, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, lies between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which lies north and south of… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during May and June on both the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract."Deer Prairie Creek Preserve(Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/myakka-deerprairie.html, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, lies between Interstate 75… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with the City of Winter Haven Utilities to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet replaced with a low-flow model.High-volume toilets can use three gallons or more per flush, while low-flow toilets use up to 1.6 gallons per flush.Residential customers within the Winter Haven service area are eligible to participate in the low-flow toilet rebate program. Single… Read more

Two Highlands County projects expected to reach nearly 6,000 residents were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, Hernando County and the developers of Hickory Hill signed an agreement to work together to bring reclaimed water to the proposed Hickory Hill community.The project includes the design, permitting and construction of a reclaimed water storage and transmission system, which will involve constructing a one-million-gallon ground storage tank, two pump stations, three lined retention ponds and 31,000 linear feet of reclaimed water… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today approved a project to reduce groundwater pumping up to 148,000 gallons per day (gpd) at a DeSoto County citrus grove. The Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program is a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and protects water quality. The FARMS project, proposed by Adrian R. Chapman, for 220 acres of the 2,100-acre citrus grove, is located west of Highway 31, on… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently signed an agreement with Pinellas County for a project to improve water quality and restore habitat in Sutherland Bayou.Pop Stansell Park is a 4.5-acre park that sits on Sutherland Bayou. Approximately 57,000 people visit the park each year, which is also used for marine access to St Joseph Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. Years of unrestricted public access as a launching point for boating, canoeing, kayaking and… Read more

A cooperatively funded project among the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Polk County and the City of Frostproof will reduce flooding in the Lake Clinch area by improving flow between Lake Clinch and Reedy Lake.Lake Clinch is part of a chain of lakes in Polk County. Water flows from Crooked Lake into Lake Clinch and then into Reedy Lake. However, the conveyance system between these lakes has been altered many times over the years, significantly reducing the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pinellas County are looking for industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) businesses to participate in a pilot program to help them conserve water and save money.The ICI pilot project involves offering rebates to ICI customers within Pinellas Countys retail and wholesale water service areas who demonstrate they have taken steps to save water such as installing water-conserving equipment, appliances or devices. Water… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director David L. Moore Wednesday issued emergency orders for Punta Gorda and North Port related to Hurricane Charley impacts.The emergency order for Punta Gorda allows the city’s water utility system to use as much water as is necessary to maintain system pressure and complete the required line flushing, chlorine residuals testing, and bacteriological sampling in order to open the water service distribution system… Read more

Board Elects New Officers During the spring election, the Governing Board chose four people to provide the Board’s leadership during the next year. Watson L. Haynes, II was elected chair. Haynes was appointed to the Governing Board in March 1999 and previously served as the Governing Board’s vice chair and treasurer. Haynes is the first African-American to be elected to serve a full-term as Governing Board chair. He thanked the Governing Board members for their… Read more

A devastating weather year led to the creation of the District and weather continues to guide the District’s policies and procedures during the last six decades. As the District celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, today’s water management decisions are strongly guided by the floods, freezes and droughts of the past. The District was founded in response to a destructive year of flooding in 1960 caused by a spring rainfall event that brought 27 inches of rain… Read more

Slough Going Sarasota County is experiencing the benefits of the recently completed Deer Prairie Slough Restoration Project. The project goal was to restore the historic hydrology and improve the habitat value of the 3,200-acre Deer Prairie Slough, which is part of Sarasota County’s T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve. The reserve, parts of which have been adversely impacted by ditching and draining efforts, lies within the Myakka River watershed, is part of 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 this schedule each year. Following the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically to reduce the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lutz Community Center located at 98 1st Ave. NW in Lutz. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Brant Lake in Hillsborough County.   During the workshop, District staff will present the technical basis for the proposed minimum levels for Brant Lake. Minimum levels… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Aurora Christian Camp and Retreat Center located at 237 Golden Bough Road east of Lake Wales. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lake Aurora in Polk County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies… Read more

The Governing Board voted June 29 to let water shortage restrictions expire on June 30. The Governing Board voted to lift the restrictions in response to significant improvements in aquifer and river levels as a result of this winter’s above-average rainfall. Moreover, the region’s major public water suppliers have been able to capture and store large supplies of water to meet the needs of residents. However, the Board urged residents to continue the water conservation… Read more

Scientists with the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program are optimistic about an overall increase in the growth of seagrass in Tampa Bay, as well as nearby Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor and St. Joseph Sound. Seagrass generally grows in waters less than six feet deep and is an important barometer of a bay’s health because it requires relatively clean water to flourish. Seagrass beds serve as “nurseries of the bay,” sheltering and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Aurora Christian Camp and Retreat Center located at 237 Golden Bough Road east of Lake Wales. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lake Aurora in Polk County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies… Read more