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An eagle scout, campground hosts and an equestrian group are among the volunteers honored Tuesday at the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board meeting in Brooksville.The volunteers, who either take part in the District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program or the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program, received the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor that recognizes volunteer dedication and…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard voted Tuesday to begin the rulemaking process to increase its share of costs for projects that reduce groundwater pumping for frost/freeze protection in the Dover/Plant City area.The increase will be part of the "District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS, Program. "FARMS (FARMS Program)":/…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, to review and solicit public feedback on the 2023 Tampa Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plan. The SWIM Program evaluates priority water bodies, identifies potential problems and implements projects to improve their water quality or habitat. The draft Tampa Bay SWIM Plan is available for review at …

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) draft 2020 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) is now available on the District’s website for review and comment by stakeholders and the public. The plan identifies existing and projected water demands across all water use categories, available potential water sources, and projects and funding sources to meet those demands within the District’s four planning regions over the next 20 years. Two online webinar…

A change to water management guidelines for the Tsala Apopka chain of lakes means that in excess of 23 million gallons of water per day has been flowing into the Tsala Apopka Lake since Feb. 2. The Floral City, Inverness and Hernando pools are now receiving equal shares of that Withlacoochee River water. The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org changed water control guidelines to try to bring up…

Construction began this fall on projects at Lake Hancock that will result in improved flows and better water quality in the upper Peace River. Contractors began work Nov. 14 on the Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project, which will replace the P-11 Water Conservation Structure that was built in 1963. The new structure will allow the District to maintain higher lake levels, increasing the elevation from 98.7 feet above sea level to 100 feet. The additional stored…

Several hundred Pasco County residents joined the District at its first “Get Outside!” Day community event at Starkey Wilderness Preserve’s Serenova Tract. The event was an opportunity for the District to introduce the property to the surrounding community and encourage more frequent use of the land. More than 400 people attended the event — 74 percent of whom were first-time visitors. “It was a beautiful day and a great turnout by local residents to enjoy a…

The District’s Governing Board recognized Cheryl Paradis as one of this year’s springs community partners, while declaring April Springs Protection Awareness Month.  Paradis has served as the director and lead teacher at the Springs Coast Environmental Education Center on the Weeki Wachee River since 2008. Each year, she passionately educates approximately 8,000 Hernando County students, teachers and families about Weeki Wachee Springs and how to protect the…

Don Kubiak, director of the botanical gardens, and Dick Keller, co-director, share a laugh with Fox 13’s Bill Murphy during the taping of a One Tank Trips segment featuring the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens. The District is celebrating an educational milestone with the 10th anniversary of the Community Education Grant Program, a program that motivates adults to get involved in projects that promote water resources protection. The grants are used for…

Members of the Peace River Basin Board and District staff recently set out on a fact-finding mission to the Orlando Wetlands Park. The group is exploring options on how to improve the water quality leaving Lake Hancock. The Wetlands Park is an example of one option under consideration. Lake Hancock is in the headwaters of the Peace River watershed that extends 120 miles downriver to Charlotte Harbor, an estuary of national significance and a Surface Water Improvement…

Governor Rick Scott appointed Jim Murphy to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. Murphy represents Polk County. Murphy, 57, of Lakeland, is the division president of Florida Sealing Products, Inc. He attended The Ohio State University. Murphy is appointed for a term beginning July 28, 2017, and ending March 1, 2021.Governing Board members are unpaid, citizen volunteers who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The…

District Approves Budget The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board recently adopted its fiscal year 2012–13 (FY2012–13) millage rate and budget. The Governing Board adopted a FY2012–13 millage rate of 0.3928 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2012–13 will run from Oct. 1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2013. With taxable property values declining by 2.9 percent, this rate will result in a $3 million reduction in ad valorem property tax…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 27, to share the results of the 2020 Dover/Plant City Water Use Caution Area Assessment and staff recommendations. District staff will give a presentation followed by a chance for the public to give comments and ask questions. Members of the public may join the workshop via Microsoft Teams at…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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…

Efforts to restore Lake Panasoffkee are progressing well as almost half of the 1,977-acre dredging portion of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council’s four-step, multi-million dollar restoration plan is complete.According to the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council’s annual report, which was recently accepted by the Southwest Florida Management District and will be submitted to the Legislature, approximately 956 acres have been dredged.The restoration plan, which is being…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will receive a portion of $50 million in the state budget for projects that help restore area springs. Gov. Rick Scott announced the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the water management districts have identified 40 springs projects that will receive $50 million as part of the 2017-2018 Fighting for Florida’s Future budget. The $50 million in Legacy Florida funding for springs restoration projects was…

Governor Ron DeSantis has reappointed Joel Schleicher of Sarasota to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board for a four-year term. Schleicher represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties.…

The District recently was recognized for its support of wounded veterans by hosting events on District lands. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam thanked the District by letter for its participation in events coordinated by Operation Outdoor Freedom. The program started by Putnam in 2011 and run by the Florida Forest Service supports wounded veterans in the state by offering them recreational opportunities. The District hosted two alligator hunts and most…

Governor Rick Scott reappointed five members of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board.":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ Jeffrey Adams, 56, of St. Petersburg, is an attorney with Abbey, Adams, Byelick, and Mueller LLP. He is reappointed for a term beginning June 12, 2015, and ending March 1, 2018. Elijah "Ed" Armstrong, 58, of Dunedin, is an attorney with Hill Ward Henderson. He is reappointed for a term beginning June 12, 2015…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is releasing additional water from the Medard Reservoir into the Alafia River to protect the structural integrity of the reservoir.In preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Milton, the District released water and the Medard Reservoir was below normal operating level. However, the Medard Reservoir received nearly 7 inches of rainfall in the watershed and the reservoir rose 6.5 feet as a result of Hurricane…