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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFL) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the delicate balance between meeting human water needs and those… Read more

Regions IV and X of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (FSAWWA) held their respective drinking water taste-testing competition at the Three Sisters Springs National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River and at the District’s Sarasota office on Friday April 8.  The winners were the City of Wildwood for the Region IV competition in Crystal River and Charlotte County for the Region X competition held in Sarasota.  The entries are… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will hold three public workshops about the draft 2015 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) and one public workshop for agricultural stakeholders. The plan presents the projected water demands across the District and all water use sectors for a 20-year planning period as well as identifies water supply sources and potential water supply project options. Most workshops will be accessible… Read more

The Sumter County Extension will receive a $3,500 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2007 Community Education Grant Program.The Sumter County Extension was awarded the funds for the Lake Panasoffkee Preservation Celebration, which will provide more than 1,000 residents with the opportunity to learn more about the history, restoration and future preservation of Lake Panasoffkee. This one-day event will include a fishing derby, a river cleanup… Read more

Homeowners planning to spruce up their yards have a new tool to use, but it’s not a tool found in the garage. This tool is the web site FloridaYards.orgThe web site features a Florida-friendly plant database, which includes hundreds of color photographs of plants, shrubs and trees. The web site also has pictures of Florida-friendly landscaping in yards throughout the state and an interactive yard tool to help homeowners plan their landscapes.“FloridaYards.org… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board celebrated the success of the “Florida-Friendly Yards, Grow Smart” public awareness campaign Tuesday. The Tampa Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) recently presented the District with a Bronze Quill Award for the campaign. The Bronze Quill award recognizes excellence in business communications.Winners of the Bronze Quill Award are eligible for the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping at a nursery in southeastern Hillsborough County.The project will connect an existing 1.5-acre surface water reservoir to the irrigation system at Spring Valley Tree Farm, a 15-acre container nursery located along State Highway 574, west of Plant City, which is part of the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area.The project will allow the Spring… Read more

Residents encouraged to make a commitment to themselves to “Get Outside!” more oftenThis September the Southwest Florida Water Management District is launching its new “Get Outside!” campaign and revised Recreation Guide to promote the recreational opportunities available to the public on District-owned lands.The District and its partners have acquired more than 436,000 acres of conservation lands primarily through the state’s land acquisition… Read more

A sold-out crowd at the Tampa Theatre erupted in thunderous applause after an hour of stunning scenery, funny moments in nature and important messages about conservation. It was the premiere of “The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida,” a documentary of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition that took a team of explorers across 1,000 miles of natural lands… Read more

Just two days into their weeklong summer camp and the students of Camp Citrus were looking at water in a whole new way. Their snorkel at Three Sisters Springs wasn’t just a leisurely swim in the pristine waterway. The middle school students examined vegetation, discussed flows and looked for habitats. And that’s the point of Camp Citrus, according to Earnie Olsen lead teacher at the summer camp hosted by the Marine Science Station in Citrus County.  “We not… 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 is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the delicate balance between meeting human water needs and… Read more

table(webalert). |Who:|Students and staff from Wildwood Middle High School and field experts from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ .||*What:*|Sumter County School District personnel and District field experts will engage 85 seventh-grade students in activities that integrate the use of technology tools with the collection and recording of data about the site. The highlights include conducting water quality… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the public to come out for a special event focusing on the Brooker Creek watershed on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Target in the Shoppes at Boot Ranch. The event takes place from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.This event allows kids of all ages to learn about water through hands-on activities that focus on the importance of protecting the Brooker Creek watershed. This event is part of Watershed Wonders Week, a grass roots campaign… Read more

District staff helped community leaders celebrate the completion of the Lutz Lake Fern Road Trailhead and new section of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, which now connects to the Suncoast Trail. Hillsborough County recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new segment. The 4.35-mile section marks the completion of the northernmost segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail.  Colleen Kruk, the District’s lead land use specialist, spoke at the event, noting this… Read more

Education in Action Mother Earth didn’t change the way she moves water through the cycle, District staff just thought of a better way to teach it. That’s the story behind the new and improved hydrologic cycle poster that’s hitting elementary school classrooms across the District. The new poster was developed because Youth Education staff felt the circular model was teaching a… Read more

The Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) Steering Committee recently accepted the amended Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) and the draft 2035 Water Resources Protection and Water Supply Strategies Plan (Solutions Plan). That action sends the documents to the Governing Boards of three central Florida water management districts for consideration. The RWSP charts a long-term course for water supply in Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and south Lake counties through 2035.… Read more

Michael Sole, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, applauds Dr. David York as he receives a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from David Moore, District executive director. This spring the District proudly presented its first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Dr. David York for his leadership, vision and contributions to reclaimed water and sustainable water resources in Florida. York has been the state’s only Florida Department of… Read more