Search Content

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering information to improve identification of flooding risks and to evaluate stormwater improvements for the Peck Sink watershed in Hernando County.The District is asking for help from residents with identifying local flood risks and stormwater issues. If residents have any knowledge of flooding and/or stormwater issues in the area (experiences or photos) or have any… Read more

_More than 272,000 acres of dense seagrass digitally mapped_The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently completed a seagrass mapping project to monitor the long-term health of seagrass beds along the Springs Coast. The project involved digitally mapping more than 525,000 acres of submerged land from the mouth of the Anclote River near Tarpon Springs to the mouth of the Withlacoochee River. Seagrass generally grows in waters less than 14 feet deep and is an… Read more

At its June 15 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.160 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The tentative budget for FY2006 is $15,625,419, which represents an increase of $1,249,410 from the approved FY2005 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to an increase in property values and an increase in carryover funds from prior years as… Read more

As the District continues its efforts to protect the Weeki Wachee River, the public should be aware they may see District staff and contractors working in and along the river, including the portion deemed a springs protection zone.  The District regularly conducts important work that helps protect… Read more

Teachers interested in securing a Splash! mini-grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District can begin applying online. The application is available on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/mini-grants.This year the District improved the online application process and will no longer have printed applications.“Last year we received 110 applications and only two of them were submitted on paper, the rest were all submitted online,” said… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will hold a series of public workshops to gather feedback for the biennial assessment of surplus lands. The meetings will take place at the following times and locations:•March 19, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.*Bartow - Carver Recreation Center*, 520 Idlewood Avenue S, Bartow, FL 33830 •March 24, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.*Sarasota Service Office*, 6750 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34240•April 1, 2015 at… Read more

At its August 18 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.160 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY2005 is $14,376,009, which represents an increase of $3,516,099 from the approvedFY2004 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to additional state funding for the Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program and… Read more

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board  adopted a $198 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2022, including approximately $63.5 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 improve Florida’s economic vitality. Some of the key initiatives in the District’s FY2022 budget… Read more

As citrus greening becomes an increasing problem across Florida, the District is working with growers that are exceeding their permitted water quantities due to the disease plaguing their groves. Citrus greening, formal name Huanglongbing, is a bacterial disease that causes trees to produce sour, deformed fruit. Citrus greening has spread to all of the state’s 32 citrus-growing counties. University of Florida economists estimate the disease has caused $4.5 billion in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the renewal and modification of a water use permit (WUP) for the City of Eagle Lake to meet the projected population growth through 2013.Eagle Lake is located approximately four miles south-southwest of the intersection of State Road 542 and U.S. Highway 17 in Polk County.The renewed permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 380,000 gallons of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping at a citrus grove in Polk County.The project involves installing an integrated irrigation system that will include a weather station, soil moisture sensors, and automated valves at the Camp Mack Grove, owned by Lykes Brothers, Inc. The grove is located northeast of Lake Wales.Installing a weather station helps farmers irrigate more precisely, based… Read more

Ken Herd, water supply program director, Resource Projects Department A District employee with more than 20 years experience in regional water supply development will continue to make an impact in the field as a member of the National Research Council’s Water Science and Technology Board. Ken Herd, the District’s water supply program director, accepted a three-year appointment to the Water Science and Technology Board, which studies water… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), this week is beginning removal of hurricane-generated debris.Removal will focus on the Peace River and its tributaries within Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, and Polk Counties. Portions of the Alafia River and Flint Creek in Hillsborough County are also within the scope of this project.The first work areas include… Read more

At the park dedication, Bo Rooks, Withlacoochee River Basin Board member, talked of how the partnership between the District and the civic association benefits everyone. Citrus County residents have a new park to visit thanks to a partnership between the District and the Withlapopka Civic Association. The Withlapopka Community Park, which is located within the District’s Flying Eagle Preserve in Floral City, was dedicated in April. During the dedication, Bo… Read more

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board adopted a $183.5 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2021, including more than $65.7 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 improve Florida’s economic vitality. Some of the key initiatives in the District’s FY2021 budget include:… Read more

 Left: Jim W. Veal, Sr., George L. Buhmeyer and Phyllis Hanson-Moffitt unveiled the plaque that recognizes Evan A. “Billy” Merritt, David C. Hanson and the other Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council members. Right: Attendees set off on a lake tour following the ceremony. District Board members and staff, as well as members of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council, recently celebrated the completion of a ten-year project to restore Lake Panasoffkee. The… Read more

A devastating weather year led to the creation of the District and weather continues to guide the District’s policies and procedures during the last six decades. As the District celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, today’s water management decisions are strongly guided by the floods, freezes and droughts of the past. The District was founded in response to a destructive year of flooding in 1960 caused by a spring rainfall event that brought 27 inches of rain… Read more