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The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted on Tuesday to expand hunting opportunities at two District-managed lands. Hunting opportunities will be expanded on these District properties: * Areas of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve located west of CR 471 in Pasco County that are not already designated as wildlife management areas will be developed to provide hunting opportunities for youths and the disabled.* The Lower Hillsborough Flood… Read more

table(webalert). |Who:|Teams competing include Business Network International, Cornerstone Solutions Group, the Rag Tag Industry Team, the Luke Brothers, Pay it Forward Farm, Raymow, Tampa Bay Landscaping and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Station leaders include Jim Davis, The Villages Florida Yards and Neighborhoods coordinator, at the Right Plant Right Place station; Kathleen Patterson, Marion County Florida Yards and Neighborhoods coordinator, at the… Read more

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Manatee County citrus grove and sod farm reduce groundwater pumping.The project involves the use of an integrated irrigation system at W.F.A. Land Company, Inc., located on the north fork of the Manatee River. Manatee County is part of a designated water use caution area because it is experiencing environmental impacts due to decades of groundwater over pumping. This project borders the eastern boundary of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has temporarily closed the Brogden Bridge airboat slide in Citrus County due to safety concerns associated with low water levels. The slide is located between the Hernando and Inverness pools of the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes.Current low water levels have exposed a ledge at the end of the airboat slide that causes it to be impassable. Attempts to use the slide in current conditions could damage airboats and/or injure… Read more

Left: David Moore, District executive director, and Virginia Harrell unveil a plaque declaring the Roy G. Harrell, Jr. Education Station at Spa Beach. Right: Todd Pressman, Governing Board secretary and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board co-chair ex officio, speaks about Harrell’s legacy as Sallie Parks, Governing Board member and Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board co-chair ex officio, and James E. Martin, former Governing Board chair, look on. Visitors to The… Read more

One of the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) restoration projects is providing inspiration for hundreds of Hillsborough County art and photography students. Ten classes of middle and high school students were recently given the opportunity to learn about and explore the Schultz Preserve, located near the Port of Tampa. The field trips to the restoration site and the TECO Manatee Viewing Center were part of an education project funded by a TECO… Read more

Governor Rick Scott reappointed John Henslick to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. Henslick represents Manatee County. Henslick, 66, of Myakka City, is the owner and president of Henslick & Associates, LLC. He received his bachelor's degree from Jacksonville University and his master's degree from the University of Florida. Henslick is reappointed for a term beginning June 5, 2017, and ending March 1, 2021. Governing Board members are… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to combine the Hillsborough River and Northwest Hillsborough Basin Boards.The decision comes after the Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation and the state’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability both suggested the District consider merging Basin Boards where appropriate.In response to these recommendations, District staff thoroughly… Read more

Governor Rick Scott reappointed "Michael Babb ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/profiles/michael_babb.php to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/. Babb represents Hillsborough County. Babb, 36, of Tampa, is the president of Two Rivers Ranch. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 21, 2014, and ending March 1, 2018. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the… Read more

Governor Rick Scott reappointed Randall "Randy" Maggard to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/. Maggard represents Pasco County. Maggard, 51, of Zephyrhills, is the vice president of Sonny's Discount Appliances Inc. Maggard received his associate's degree from Pasco-Hernando Community College. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 16, 2015, and ending March 1, 2019.Governing Board… Read more

District staffers and Board members who participated in the Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup spent their Saturday cleaning up the shoreline at DeSoto Park on McKay Bay. More than a dozen District employees and Board members recently took part in one of Tampa’s largest volunteer events — the 20th Annual Mayor’s Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. The District joined forces with more than 1,200 volunteers to scour the banks of the Hillsborough… Read more

An area home builder has been honored for the second time in one year for the use of water-wise landscaping.Rusaw Homes was presented with the Water-Wise Landscape Recognition Award Thursday at the Citrus County Builders Association Spring Parade of Homes event. This is a repeat performance for the builder, which also received the top award during the fall Parade of Homes.The winning design can be seen at Rusaw Homes’ Oakdale Anniversary model, 2819 West Lantana Drive… Read more

Three Manatee County projects expected to reach nearly 5,000 residents were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community… Read more

h2. Monthly Governing Board meeting to followThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org Governing Board will hold a joint workshop with "Tampa Bay Water(Tampa Bay Water)":http://www.tampabaywater.org on Monday, Feb. 22, at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, located at 3940 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs.The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. The "Governing Board's(Governing… Read more

Monthly Governing Board meeting to followThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold a joint workshop with Tampa Bay Water on Monday, Jan. 26 at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, located at 3940 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs.The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. The Governing Board’s monthly meeting will follow at 12:30 p.m.The Governing Board typically meets on the last Tuesday of the month. Read more

The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract is an ideal place for visitors to explore some of central Florida’s flora and fauna in their natural state. Rainwater drains across the Green Swamp region’s 560,000 acres of wetlands, flatlands and low ridges to form the headwaters of four major rivers: Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha, Hillsborough and Peace. The West Tract’s 37,350 acres of unspoiled habitat is transected by the Florida National Scenic Trail. More than… Read more

Left: Merry Mott from the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, far left; Lou Kavouras, District deputy executive director, second from right; and Sylvia Durell, District senior communications coordinator, far right, present the first-place award to the Rag Tag Team. Right: Sandra Harrison of Fernview Farm, left, and Ken Dobler from Ameriscape Services assemble an irrigation system during the Water It Right challenge. A team of industry… Read more

A cooperative project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pinellas County and the City of Dunedin will reduce flooding and improve water quality entering St. Joseph Sound.The project involves conducting a survey and the design, permitting and construction of a box culvert to connect Curlew Creek Channel A to an existing detention pond owned by the county. Curlew Creek, which is located in the Spanish Oaks Diversion improvement area, flows into St.… Read more

The District’s Governing Board voted at the May 22 meeting to re-elect its sitting officers. H. Paul Senft Jr. will serve again as Governing Board chair. The other Governing Board officers are: Hugh M. Gramling, vice chair; Douglas B. Tharp, secretary; and Albert G. Joerger, treasurer. Chair H. Paul Senft Jr. Senft of Haines City was appointed to the Governing Board in March 2008. He also served as the Governing Board secretary. He is the owner of Townsend-Senft… Read more

The District recently hosted wounded veterans on its Lake Hancock property for an alligator hunt.  The event was facilitated by Operation Outdoor Freedom and the Wounded Warriors Program. Operation Outdoor Freedom is an endeavor that provides recreational opportunities to wounded veterans. Designated state and agricultural lands throughout Florida grant participating veterans unique opportunities for recreation and rehabilitation.  Ten wounded veterans… Read more