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Governing Board Secretary Doug Tharp, left, awards the Florida Water StarSM certification to Kenneth D. Colen, president of On Top of the World Communities, Inc. The developer of a major community in Marion County was recently certified as a builder of Florida Water StarSM (FWS) homes. Governing Board Secretary Doug Tharp presented the certification to On Top of the World Communities during the community’s conservation expo in September. The…

Eileen Hart recently received special recognition from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board for her commitment to water resources.Hart received a special recognition award for her role as a citizen advocate for the protection of water resources. Hart has regularly attended the Governing Board meetings to speak out about the issues impacting the wellfields, lakes and wetlands in her neighborhood.Her advocacy played a role in the…

A cooperatively funded project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Manatee County Audubon Society will restore almost 10 acres of freshwater wetlands and uplands habitat, which will improve water quality, act as a buffer against erosion and provide exceptional habitat for wading birds.The FELTS Preserve, located in northern Manatee County, consists of approximately 29 acres. The preserve drains into Terra Ceia Bay, and ultimately Tampa Bay,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is joining with the Science and Environment Council (SEC) to celebrate Sarasota’s watersheds and promote watershed awareness by declaring Oct. 13 through 19 as “Watershed Awareness Week.”The District’s Manasota Basin Board is co-sponsoring Watershed Awareness Week in an effort to foster good watershed stewardship.The SEC is a group of nonprofit and government organizations that operate to support…

Bobby Lue, Utility Services Program Manager For 27 years, Bobby Lue has tackled environmental and water issues for several agencies including 12 years at the District. In that time, Lue has learned the balance between conservation efforts and community needs. Now, he’s using that experience to head up the District’s Utility Services Program. The program was designed to strengthen communication with public supply utilities. Traditionally, the District…

Left: Chris Busser, left, and Corbin Bassingwaite plant marsh grass at Clam Bayou. Right: Kyle Carey helped organize the planting of 3,500 units of marsh grasses. Eagle Scout candidate Kyle Carey of Boy Scout Troop 45 and 30 volunteers spent about 5½ hours planting 3,500 units of marsh grasses at the District’s Clam Bayou Ecosystem Restoration and Stormwater Treatment Project in St. Petersburg. Carey spearheaded the volunteer project as part of his efforts to…

Two Citrus County projects were awarded Community Education grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. 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 49 grants Districtwide for a total of $171,444. This is the 10th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively…

Emergency Operations Center to OpenSouthwest Florida Water Management District officials began preparations today to activate its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in anticipation of the possible landfall of Hurricane Wilma in Florida.District officials today discussed coordination of activities with staff, state coordinators and the other water management districts.The District plans to fully activate its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Brooksville Friday or Saturday…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org is working to move water out of Lake Tarpon; however, the sustained winds and high tides caused by Tropical Storm Debby are pushing water in from Old Tampa Bay, hampering efforts.The Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal is one of 81 water "control structures":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/newsroom/fact_sheets/details/8/ throughout the District's 16-county area. The three-mile canal extends from the south end…

A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of New Port Richey will expand the availability of reclaimed water to nearly 500 residents.The project includes the construction of approximately 26,800 feet of reclaimed water distribution lines in the neighborhoods north of Main Street and east of U.S. Highway 19.This project will provide approximately 217,200 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water for irrigation to approximately 483 homes…

Two former Governing Board members, Watson Haynes II and Janet Kovach, were honored for their service at a barbecue lunch with District staff and afterward at the April Governing Board meeting. Haynes served on the Board from March 1999 to March 2006. During that time, he served a one-year term as the Governing Board chair, after previously serving terms as the Governing Board’s vice chair and treasurer. “Watson is a dedicated worker for the region and the state,”…

A New Port Richey apartment complex is the first in Pasco County to be certified under the Florida Water StarSM Community standard. Greencastle of Bayonet Point recently received its Florida Water StarSM certification. Florida Water StarSM is a voluntary certification program for builders, developers and homeowners. It encourages water efficiency in appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes. The 80-unit apartment community, for…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently approved funding for a project that will extend reclaimed water service to Lemon Bay High School.The Englewood Lemon Bay High School Reuse Extension project consists of the construction of approximately 7,000 linear feet of 6-inch reclaimed water transmission line to connect Lemon Bay High School and the Charlotte County Oyster Bay Park to the Englewood Water District’s reclaimed water system.This project will…

Housh Ghovaee, far right, former secretary of the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board, judges water samples. We expect it to be odorless, colorless and refreshing right out of the tap. But not all water tastes the same, as was demonstrated when the City of Dunedin won the region’s Best-Tasting Drinking Water Contest. The contest was sponsored by Region IV of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association. The region covers Citrus, Hernando,…

Left: District Governing Board Chair Todd Pressman speaks at the ceremony celebrating the 20-year restoration effort at Lake Maggiore. Center: Housh Ghovaee, District Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board member, releases fish into Lake Maggiore. Right: Aerial view of Lake Maggiore. St. Petersburg’s largest lake, Lake Maggiore, was recently restocked with 100,000 fish to mark the successful completion of a 20-year restoration effort. The restoration of the lake,…

School Tackles Water Issues The Tri-County Water School is now open for registration. The school, held Sept. 11–12, tackles critical water issues facing Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. The school is run by the University of Florida IFAS Extension along with the District and the three county governments. Courses are designed to educate community leaders, natural resource managers and decision makers about current issues and future concerns regarding water…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) has completed preliminary estimates of projected agricultural water demands as part of the "Regional Water Supply Plan ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/RWSP/ (RWSP). The District will present this information to the public on Feb. 25 from 2-3 p.m. at the District's Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Hwy. 301 N.The RWSP for the District is an assessment of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping in DeSoto County.Project partner Island Grove Agricultural Products’ Farm #5 is located along S.R. 763 in the Hawthorne Creek watershed. This watershed drains to Joshua Creek and is approximately 14 miles upstream of the Peace River, in the Shell, Prairie, and Joshua Creek Priority Area. This area is also part of the District’s…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has released as much water out of Lake Tarpon as possible in anticipation of heavy rainfall and storm surge from Hurricane Ian. The Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal is one of 84 water-control structures throughout the District’s 16-county area. The three-mile canal extends from the south end of Lake Tarpon and empties into Old Tampa Bay. The structure is designed to prevent salt water from entering Lake Tarpon during high tides…