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Two Polk County projects, cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, to improve water quality by treating stormwater runoff within the Ridge Lakes watershed will be complete in July.The first project consists of a stormwater treatment system for Lake Menzie. The project includes retrofitting two stormwater pipes that directly discharge into Lake Menzie. These retrofits include two swales, a retention basin, and a long infiltration basin. These… 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's":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) team of springs experts will begin the Chassahowitzka Springs sediment removal project the week of May 27, 2013. Eliminating the sand and organic materials that have deposited at the bottom of the spring over time will improve the recreational, economical and ecological value of the Chassahowitzka waterway, resulting in a cleaner, more historic looking body of water.The District… Read more

Area Returns to Phase III Water Restrictions In August the District’s Governing Board voted to reduce the water restrictions in the Tampa Bay Water service area from Modified Phase IV (or Critical) to Modified Phase III (or Extreme) for potable water use. The Board voted to ease the water restrictions because Tampa Bay Water has been able to store 8.3 billion gallons of water in the 15-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir. However, District staff… Read more

J.D. Durham, behavioral specialist at Moore-Mickens Education Center, shows Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, and Mary Alice Makoid, communications coordinator, the hydroponics garden her students built with funding from a mini-grant. District youth education staff recently visited more than 30 schools to observe student water resources projects developed with Splash! mini-grant funds. The District’s youth education sharing days are held… Read more

WhoSusan Roberts, Brookside Middle School teacher; eighth-grade students; and Southwest Florida Water Management District Youth Education staffWhatDistrict Youth Education staff will visit Brookside Middle School to observe a water education project funded through its Splash! mini-grant program.Eighth-grade students will demonstrate their project, Water The Adventure Begins. As part of their water education project, the students were given a… Read more

An annual Marion County event is growing! This year the 3rd Annual Springs Festival will be held Sept. 24-26, in three different locations. In past years the festival was a one-day event.“We are excited about being able to engage more children in learning about the spring’s preservation with programs such as our art show and our community outreach efforts,” said Criss Specht, Environment, Government & Tourism Director, Ocala/Marion County Chamber of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is releasing as much water out of Lake Tarpon as possible, however anticipated storm surge from Hurricane Milton is expected to overtop the structure. Hurricane Milton is also forecasted to bring heavy rainfall to the region, which Hurricane Helene did not. The storm surge combined with the excessive rain could cause catastrophic flooding all around the lake and the outfall canal. Residents who live in and around… 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

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,937 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 project cooperatively funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Citrus County will improve water quality entering Lake Tsala Apopka.The project includes the design, permitting and construction of stormwater treatment areas at five county-maintained boat ramps and the associated parking areas.A study of the lake was conducted to choose and prioritize the treatment sites. Further, a hydrologic and hydraulic model of each site will be developed as part of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,… Read more

Paddling down the calm flows of the Chassahowitzka River, you might come across a barge humming with machinery. All seems calm on the surface to the casual boater floating nearby. But in the depths below the water line, divers are hard at work restoring a portion of the treasured waterway in Citrus County. Workers are removing sediments that have accumulated in the springs. It’s part of the District’s Chassahowitzka Springs Restoration Project.  Sand and… Read more

At its September 10 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.195 mills, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY 2005 is $10,194,810, which is a decrease of $5,839,024 from the approvedFY2004 budget. The decrease is due primarily to a reduction in Florida Forever funding for the Lake Hancock Outfall project, which was part of theFY 2004 budget.FY2005… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping at LallyMix Farms in Hardee County.The farm recently converted from growing citrus to blueberries.The project involves installing a weather station, soil moisture sensors and automated pump controls in addition to constructing a surface water reservoir and the associated water control structures and ditches for an irrigation system.Using a surface… Read more

Ian Smith, Learning Gate Community School student, and Heidi McCree, former Governing Board member, admire the trailer billboard featuring Smith. Volunteers who give their time to help the District maintain and improve public lands, as well as restore Tampa Bay, were honored in April during the District’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Day. Volunteers play an important role in the District’s efforts to improve recreation on District lands, restore valuable… Read more

Twenty-two Pinellas County teachers and seven private school 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… Read more

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board adopted a $211.7 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2023, including approximately $90.6 million for the Cooperative Funding Initiative and District grants for water resources projects. The budget reflects the District’s commitment to protect Florida’s water resources and to… Read more

Dozens of Pinellas County homeowners are taking part in the second phase of landscaping irrigation research project that will help homeowners conserve water while maintaining their lawns. The project will test soil moisture sensor technology on residential landscapes, quantify irrigation water savings and monitor and document landscape quality.The project is a joint effort by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pinellas County and the University of Florida… Read more

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Department staff and volunteersWhat:The District’s Land Resources Department is coordinating a volunteer work day at the District’s Jack Creek property. Volunteers will help install trail signs and pick up trash.When:Thursday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m.Where:The Jack Creek property is located south of Sebring near Josephine Creek in Highlands County. Volunteers will meet at the property gate at Grand… Read more