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The Southwest Florida Management District’s Governing Board approved funding Tuesday to use the remaining funds from a project that evaluates alternatives for reducing flooding and improving water quality within the Brooker Creek Watershed to do the same for three adjacent watersheds.The Brooker Creek Watershed is approximately 30 square miles located within Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. This area has experienced significant hydrologic changes due to rapid…

The Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering to one-day-per-week throughout the 16 counties within the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is in effect.The restrictions apply to the use of water from public and private water utilities as well as the use of all wells and surface water sources (ponds, rivers, etc.). The order will remain in place until July 31 unless otherwise modified or rescinded by the executive director or the District Governing Board.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Town of Redington Beach recently signed an agreement for a project that will reduce flooding and improve water quality.This project involves upgrading the stormwater system by adding inlets and storm piping, a Continuous Deflective Separation (CDS) unit, that filters out sediment from the stormwater runoff and the associated roadway reconstruction. These infrastructure improvements will be built within the area of 1st…

Gardeners will have the opportunity to learn some new gardening techniques at a Florida-Friendly Native Plant Landscaping Workshop being held this Saturday, Feb. 11 at South Florida Community College (SFCC), Hardee Campus.The free workshop is a cooperative effort among the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP), SFCC, and WGCU Public Media.Workshop participants will learn how to solve…

Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director David L. Moore today declared a modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage which restricts lawn watering to one-day-per-week throughout the 16-county District.The restrictions apply to the use of water from public and private water utilities as well as the use of all wells and surface water sources (ponds, rivers, etc.). The order goes into effect January 16 and remains in place until July 31 unless otherwise…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/, the "US Fish and Wildlife Service(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)":http://www.fws.gov/, and the "Friends of Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge(Friends of Chassahowitzka)":http://friendsofchazz.org/ are holding a public open house at the newly acquired Three Sisters Springs property on "National Public Lands Day(National Public Lands Day)":http://www.publiclandsday.org/,…

*DeSoto County High School's* Jerry Waters was among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in DeSoto…

Water Conservation Is Critical During Drought The District is continuing to step up its water conservation efforts during the state’s annual “Water Conservation Month” in April. Each year the District joins with the state Legislature, Tampa Bay Water and dozens of local governments to make the declaration. However, because the state is experiencing a severe drought, the message is even more timely. “Because April is part of Florida’s dry season, it…

Top: The finished baffle boxes at Lake Eva. Above: The Lake Menzie outfall before and after the restoration project. Stormwater runoff from urban areas flowing into Lake Eva in Haines City and Lake Menzie in Dundee is 60 to 80 percent less polluted thanks to projects cooperatively funded by the District. The two Polk County lakes were suffering from polluted runoff that flowed unchecked from urban areas. Since the local governments didn’t have the resources to…

For years the land was about the cattle, not about the water. Ranchers, wanting to take advantage of vast tracts of unspoiled land, built roads through the marsh to connect islands. The roads blocked the flow of water, the marsh dried up and cattle began wandering from island to island to graze. But the marsh is returning. Water is now flowing naturally between the Hernando pool of Tsala Apopka Lake and Potts Preserve, thanks to a restoration project the District…

One of the best places to take on actions that help protect water quality and conserve water resources is in your own yard. If you’re not allowed to or don’t have a yard, check in with your teachers to see if you and your friends can make positive changes right at school! Small changes outdoors can make a big difference in protecting Florida’s environment and keeping your local watershed healthy. The number of people moving to Florida is growing every…

Due to lingering drought effects and water resources not recovering as quickly as other areas, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to maintain once-per-week lawn watering and other restrictions in the District’s northern region, which includes Citrus, Hernando, Levy and portions of Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. This order in Marion County would be limited to the city of Dunnellon and the area encompassed by The Villages because…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, August 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Eva Community Center located at 555 Ledwith Ave. in Haines City. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lake Eva in Haines City.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the District. A minimum…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the District’s Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed reevaluation of minimum levels for 41 wetlands in the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area. During the workshop, District staff will present the technical basis for the proposed…

Homebuilders in the District will soon have an edge over their competitors through a new certification program that will bring “gold” to “green” homebuilding practices. The District’s Florida Water Star℠ Gold (FWSG) certification program, launching this January, will certify and recognize builders who incorporate water-saving efforts into new homes. The program is a points-based certification that addresses indoor, irrigation and landscape conservation components…

The District’s executive director recently declared an emergency order to increase water restrictions including limiting lawn watering to once per week in the Tampa Bay area due to continued drought conditions. Executive Director Blake Guillory declared a Modified Phase II emergency water shortage order for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. Under the emergency order, the allowable lawn and landscape watering schedule is reduced to once per week on a specified…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop onMonday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lutz Branch Library, located at 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Deer Lake in Hillsborough County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the District. A…

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Highlands County citrus grower reduce groundwater pumping.The project involves installing an integrated irrigation system that includes soil moisture sensors connected to automated value controllers at Alpine Grove, which is owned by Running W Citrus, Limited Partnership.Soil moisture sensors increase irrigation efficiency by only irrigating when water is needed.According to the Alpine Grove water use permit,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop onTuesday, Nov. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at the Jack Stroup Civic Center, located at 355 W. Center Ave. in Sebring. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lakes Jackson and Little Jackson in Highlands County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 5:30 p.m. at the Jack Stroup Civic Center, located at 355 W. Center Ave. in Sebring. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lakes Letta and Lotela in Highlands County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the…