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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the District’s Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed reevaluation of minimum levels for 41 wetlands in the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area. During the workshop, District staff will present the technical basis for the proposed…

When residents set their clocks back one hour this weekend, the Southwest Florida Water Management District would like them to also check the timers on their irrigation system controllers.The time change is a good reminder to make sure your irrigation system timer is set correctly so you do not run the risk of receiving a water restriction citation because your system was set incorrectly.All 16 counties within the District are under one-day-per-week lawn watering…

Governor Rick Scott reappointed Jeffrey M. Adams and Ed Armstrong and appointed Scott Wiggins to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board. Adams and Armstrong represent Pinellas County and Wiggins represents Hillsborough County. Adams, of St. Petersburg, is board chairman and an attorney and partner with Abbey, Adams, LLP. He received his bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and earned a Juris Doctor from…

10-year project scheduled for completion in OctoberThe Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the media to tour the restored lake and spoil disposal area of the Lake Panasoffkee restoration project on Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 from 9 a.m. to noon.The $26.9 million project was designed to restore Lake Panasoffkee’s historic fish bedding areas, restore the historic lake shoreline and improve navigation of the third largest lake in west-central Florida. When…

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Jack Bispham and Seth Weightman to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Bispham represents Manatee County and Weightman represents Pasco County. Bispham, of Myakka City, is the owner and operator of Red Bluff Plantation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Florida. Bispham is appointed to a four-year term. Weightman, of Dade City, is municipal services manager with…

Eugene Schiller, the District’s deputy executive director of the Division of Management Services, has been selected to serve a two-year term on the Department of the Interior’s National Geospatial Advisory Committee. Schiller was appointed by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to represent regional government. “I am honored to be selected to serve on this committee,” said Schiller. “The District has been recognized nationally for its…

Clockwise from above: Terese Power, staff engineer, uses a watershed model to show how pollution works its way into rivers and lakes. Jason LaRoche, professional geologist, shows kids that “geology rocks.” Chris Barnes, student intern, demonstrates water quality field testing. Shannon Maynard, chemist, helps a student mix up a chemistry demonstration. Nearly 120 children learned about District jobs April 22 at the District’s 14th annual celebration of Take Our…

IT Professionals Day, which is Sept. 17, is meant to recognize the technical experts that make sure computer systems and other digital functions run smoothly. At the…

The Communications Department recently won state-level awards from the Florida Public Relations Association for two District campaigns. The “Skip a Week” public service advertising campaign received an Award of Distinction in the Public Relations Programs — Public Service category, and the “Get Outside!” campaign received an Award of Distinction in the Public Relations Programs — Institutional category of the association’s Golden Image Awards competition. The…

Who: Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council members, Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board members and staffWhat: The Council and the District will mark the completion of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration project.When: Friday, May 29, 2009 at 10 a.m.Where: Coleman LandingWhy: The $28.3 million project was completed in November 2008. The 10-year project was designed to restore Lake Panasoffkee’s historic fish bedding areas, restore the historic lake…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) recently completed an evaluation of public hunting facilities on District lands that indicated a 64 percent increase in hunting opportunities.The District owns a total of 331,700 acres with almost half dedicated to public hunting programs. Of the 331,700 acres, there are 133,795 acres committed to agreements with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, totaling 10 sites within six counties.Wildlife…

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Michelle Williamson and Ashley Bell Barnett to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. Williamson represents Hillsborough County and Bell Barnett represents Polk County. Williamson, of Dover, is the Manager of G&F Farms. She earned her associate degree in business administration and management from Hillsborough Community College. Williamson is appointed to a four-year term. Bell Barnett, of Winter…

Five Sarasota County projects expected to reach more than 7,000 people 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…

Minimizing flood risks is an important part of the mission of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District). The District and local governments work together to minimize flooding impacts, protect personal property and assist flood victims during and after storm events. Learn more about those efforts below, and click the tiles for Frequently Asked Questions related to flooding or who to contact when flooding. 

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Roger Germann and reappointed Kelly Rice to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Germann represents Hillsborough County and Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties. Germann, of Tampa, is the president and chief executive officer of The Florida Aquarium. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois. Germann is appointed to a four-year term. Rice, of Webster, is the owner of…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) and City of Crystal River will hold a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the completion of the project to transport reclaimed water from the City to the Duke Energy power plant in Citrus County.The event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. at the City of Crystal River Sprayfield, located at 7040 N. Citrus Ave. in Crystal River. The entrance is approximately five miles…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday concurred with an emergency authorization allowing the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (Authority) to utilize its existing Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wellfields for the temporary production of ground water to meet regional demand.The Authority’s ASR wellfields are normally used to store excess treated surface water from its permitted Peace River withdrawals for later…