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h3. District lands offer a fun, easy and low-cost way to spend time with family and friends in 2010 Why make a New Year's resolution to join a gym in 2010, when you can "Get Outside!" on more than 343,000 acres of public recreation lands to hike, bike and camp for little or no cost?The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently revised its 152-page Recreation Guide, which features more than 50 parks and preserves in the region owned by the District and its… Read more

The Sumter County Extension Service Office will receive a $5,000 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 Community Education Grant Program.The Sumter County Extension Service Office was awarded the funds for the Lake Panasofkee Preservation Celebration, which will provide more than 500 residents with the opportunity to learn more about the history, restoration and future preservation of Lake Panasofkee. This one-day event will include a… Read more

The Spring Hill Garden Club will receive a $5,000 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 Community Education Grant Program.The Spring Hill Garden Club was awarded the funds for the “Florida Native Plant Garden” project. This Florida-friendly landscape project will use all native plants and is an expansion of the cooperator’s previous efforts. More than 250,000 visitors will learn about the advantages of Florida-friendly landscaping. Volunteers… Read more

The Southwest Florida Management District’s Governing Board agreed to increase funding for a cooperative funding project with the city of Belleair Beach to reduce flooding and improve water quality.The project’s budget has been increased from $100,000 to $192,000 because the bids the city received for the project exceeded the available funding. The cost will be divided equally between Belleair Beach and the District’s Pinellas Anclote River Basin Board… Read more

With spring break season approaching, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, wants to remind Chassahowitzka River visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts. Recreational activities can have a direct impact on the health of the river. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled vegetation and eroded riverbanks. Also… Read more

With spring break season approaching, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, wants to remind Weeki Wachee River visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts.  An ecologically based study found direct links between recreational use on the river and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled… Read more

Hillsborough and Pinellas County high schools participated in the 2017 Tampa Bay Regional Envirothon. This annual environmental education program allows students to use critical thinking skills to investigate and solve environmental issues in the field through hands-on activities.  The District has sponsored the program since it began in 1997 by providing funding to offset the cost of transporting students to the competition. Further support is given by supplying… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has released as much water out of Lake Tarpon as possible, however anticipated storm surge from Hurricane Helene is expected to overtop the structure. The District cannot prevent saltwater from the storm surge from entering the freshwater lake. Additionally, water cannot be released from the lake until the storm surge recedes. Once the water levels from the storm surge fall below the lake level, water discharge… 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 awareness… Read more

Elementary students at Lincoln Avenue Academy in Polk County painted rain barrels as part of their mini-grant. The barrels were then provided to school families and members of the community. Educators interested in securing a Splash! mini-grant for the 2008–2009 school year are invited to apply online on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/Education… Read more

Governing Board Chair H. Paul Senft, Jr. addresses dignitaries at the dedication of the Integrated Loop System Phase 3A Interconnect Project at the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Water Treatment Plant in Venice. Four counties in the District’s southern region have moved closer to a regional water system with the completion of a series of transmission pipelines. The Integrated Loop System Phase 3A Interconnect Project includes nine miles of new drinking water… Read more

A project jointly funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pasco County will allow approximately 300 residential customers to connect to reclaimed water service.The Timber Greens Golf Course currently pumps reclaimed water directly from the Pasco County Reuse Transmission System, which lowers reclaimed water pressure in the area near the golf course. Because of this loss in pressure, the county has not been able to offer reclaimed water to some nearby… Read more

Environmental enthusiasts of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy a free community fair being held at the Hillsborough River State Park, May 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.The 9th Annual “A River Runs Through It” community fair features watershed education workshops, watershed educational bingo, children’s activities and educational displays. Visitors can also canoe, fish or take a nature hike.The workshops include the award-winning Frog Listening Network,… Read more

Hernando County residents interested in learning about how to create beautiful landscapes, conserve water and protect the environment can take advantage of a unique educational opportunity. A “Florida-Friendly Landscaping Grow Smart” workshop will be conducted in Hernando County at the SNPJ Lodge on March 2. The SNPJ Lodge is located at 13383 County Line Road in Brooksville.The half-day program, open to all Hernando County residents, starts at 8:30 a.m. The… Read more

From toddlers to grandparents, volunteers of all ages recently planted salt marsh at the District’s Rock Ponds restoration site.  About 275 volunteers from across the Tampa Bay area joined the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management Program and Tampa Bay Watch in the planting of 32,000 marsh grass plugs. Hillsborough County and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped organize the event.  The plants were installed at the… 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

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 educators 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 awareness… 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

Left: Competitors in the Nature Coast Envirothon. Right: Pictured from left: Clay Black, senior professional engineer; Robin Coburn, staff engineer; and Michelle Dachsteiner, environmental scientist, were among the District staff that volunteered at this year’s Envirothon. Each year high school students from Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Sumter counties compete in a battle of the brains. The contest, known as Envirothon, is organized by Canon, with $2,500 in… Read more

Who: Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of InvernessWhat: The city is holding a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on a reclaimed water transmission line. This $2 million project is being funded by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board and the city.When: Monday, Feb. 4, 5 p.m.Where: The Inverness Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at 3900 S. Florida Ave., Inverness.Why: The District and the… Read more