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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…

_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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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:…