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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with Pinellas County on two projects that will treat stormwater within the Lake Tarpon watershed, which will improve water quality discharging to the lake.The Lake Tarpon watershed consists of 52.4 square miles, extending from northern Pinellas County into northwest Hillsborough County. The watershed consists of three major drainage basins, including the Brooker Creek, South Creek and Lake Tarpon basins.Both… Read more

Hotels and motels can celebrate National Tourism Week by signing up to participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s successful water conservation program known as Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)National Tourism Week is May 13 through May 20. According to VISIT FLORIDA, the states official tourism marketing organization, approximately 85.8 million people visited the state last year. That translates to more than $57… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 5:30 p.m.The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Horse Creek and Charlie Creek. Horse Creek and Charlie Creek are located in portions of DeSoto, Hardee and Polk counties and are two tributaries of the Peace River.Members of the public may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams through this link… Read more

Fourteen Sumter County teachers are 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 Sumter County to… Read more

h3. Old World climbing fern threatening the Green SwampWith threats from new invasive plants and animal species continuing to rise in Florida, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is battling to keep a new invasive vine from infesting the "Green Swamp(Interactive Green Swamp)":/education/interactive/greenswamp/greenswamp.html."Old World climbing fern(Old World Climbing Fern)":/projects/invasives/old-world-fern.php… Read more

The City of Lakeland and the District have taken significant steps toward improving the water quality in Lake Parker. The first phase of a project was recently completed to reduce pollutants discharging into the lake. Prior to the completion of this project, stormwater runoff from this 530−acre drainage basin discharged to the lake without any form of treatment. Due to its dense urban development, this basin is particularly susceptible to common pollutants like… Read more

Name: Rufus C. Lazzell Basin Board: Peace River Term: First appointed Dec. 3, 2001. Currently in his third term, which expires March 1, 2009. Occupation: Retired Brigadier General, U.S. Army Town of residence: Punta Gorda Hometown: Huntington, West Virginia Reason you applied to be a Basin Board member: … Read more

Governing Board Secretary Doug Tharp, left, awards the Florida Water StarSM certification to Kenneth D. Colen, president of On Top of the World Communities, Inc. The developer of a major community in Marion County was recently certified as a builder of Florida Water StarSM (FWS) homes. Governing Board Secretary Doug Tharp presented the certification to On Top of the World Communities during the community’s conservation expo in September. The… Read more

Terra Ceia Preserve State Park will become habitat for many threatened animals, thanks to its recently completed restoration efforts. The 217-acre restoration effort, located in the southeastern reaches of Tampa Bay in Manatee County, is the third phase of a larger 2,308-acre restoration project. “We don’t often have the chance to work on projects of this size, especially in the Tampa Bay area,” said Stephanie Powers, District environmental scientist. “The numerous… Read more

Top: David Moore, District executive director, talks to Pasco County students before the ceremony. Bottom: Rep. Will Weatherford and Ronald Oakley, Governing Board member, discuss land preservation. The District and more than 150 members of the community celebrated the grand opening of Conner Preserve in January. The District purchased the 2,980-acre property in 2003 to preserve and restore this important natural… Read more

One of the founding leaders that helped shape the District passed away this week. Dale Twachtmann, the District’s first executive director, died May 17 following a battle with Leukemia.  Twachtmann spent most of his career championing water issues and programs that remain key components to protecting the state’s water resources. So passionate about new water technologies, he once famously drank a glass of treated wastewater to prove its safety to the public.… Read more

Gov. Charlie Crist has recognized former Governing Board Member Sallie Parks as a Governor’s Point of Light. “Sallie’s generous efforts are making Pinellas County a better place to live, work and play,” said Gov. Crist. “The extent of her philanthropy and involvement in the community is inspiring. I truly appreciate her selfless commitment to the Sunshine State.” The Governor’s Points of Light Award recognizes Florida residents who… Read more

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a DeSoto County citrus grower reduce groundwater pumping and improve water quality.This project at the Bright Hour Ranch involves deepening an existing stormwater pond to use as an irrigation reservoir and installing two surface water irrigation pumps, as well as the piping necessary to connect the reservoir to the existing irrigation system.The 743-acre citrus grove is located in the Myrtle Slough watershed of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Management District, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Town of Dundee are moving forward on a project that will improve water quality by treating stormwater runoff within the Ridge Lakes watershed.The goal of this multi-year project is to design, permit and construct stormwater treatment systems for 10 lakes located within the Lake Wales Ridge, Polk and Highlands counties.This phase of the project is based on the results of a study… Read more

Highlands County water resources projects receive recognitionThe Southwest Florida Water Management District honored three outstanding Highlands County projects that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.The Highlands County projects are listed below. Part of Highlands County is located within the District’s Peace River… Read more

Emergency Operations Center to OpenSouthwest Florida Water Management District officials began preparations today to activate its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in anticipation of the possible landfall of Hurricane Wilma in Florida.District officials today discussed coordination of activities with staff, state coordinators and the other water management districts.The District plans to fully activate its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Brooksville Friday or Saturday… Read more

District partnering with Sarasota County on purchaseThe Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has approved a purchase from Mabry Carlton Ranch, Inc. that will provide added conservation protection to more than 12,000 acres as part of the Districts Myakkahatchee Creek project.The District already owns a conservation easement for 4,746 acres and is now purchasing the remaining title to those conservation lands. In addition, the District is… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board has concurred with the Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, at Tuesday’s meeting.The water shortage order was declared earlier this month by the District’s Executive Director David L. Moore following a lengthy presentation by staff outlining the depressed hydrologic conditions. The order went into effect Jan. 16 and includes restrictions that apply to… Read more

Four Charlotte County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Charlotte County to the strong partnership with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. Rich Dorken and Jim Thomson from the center serve as the District's liaisons to teachers and helped… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Lower Shell Creek in Charlotte County. Members of the public may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams through this link https://bit.ly/3arKI1S. The Google Chrome browser is… Read more