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Projects of Distinction The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council recently recognized the District during its 13th Annual Future of the Region Awards program. One District Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) project and two education projects were honored during the ceremony, recognizing notable achievements in resource planning and management in the region. Port Redwing Habitat Restoration/ Fred & Idah Schultz Preserve The…

Hundreds of volunteers trudged through the mud to get to hard-to-reach places that needed planting.               This September approximately 400 volunteers set out across 32 acres of muddy ground at the Terra Ceia Aquatic and State Park preserves restoration project in Manatee County with one goal in mind: The volunteers were determined to set a new record for the most plants installed during a…

Volunteers participating in cleanup. More than 50 District employees, Board members and their friends and families were among the hundreds of volunteers taking part in the 21st Annual Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. This annual event, held in November, is one of Tampa’s largest volunteer activities. Each year, volunteers scour dozens of shoreline locations along the Hillsborough River and connected waterways to pick up litter and remove…

 The Rock Ponds Ecosystem Restoration Project has become a showcase project for habitat restoration through community partnerships. That’s why the project was just recognized by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. The District won first place in the Natural Environment category in the Future…

Two equestrian groups and a middle school student are among the volunteers honored Tuesday at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board meeting in Brooksville.The volunteers, who take part in the District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program, received the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor that recognizes volunteer dedication and signifies that each volunteer has served the community and country with distinction.The…

Members of the Withlacoochee River Basin Board and the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council recently surveyed the progress of the four-step, multimillion dollar Lake Panasoffkee restoration project. The Lake Panasoffkee restoration project involves dredging approximately 8.2 million cubic yards of sediment from the lake, which will improve fish habitat, restore the historic lake shoreline and improve navigation. The project will also restore approximately 920 acres of…

Water supply refers to the source and process of providing water to different users. The “source” refers to where the water comes from. Sources of natural fresh water may include groundwater or surface waters, such as lakes, rivers, ponds or streams. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, surface water was the largest source of fresh water in Florida until 1980. After 1980, groundwater became…

At its August 16 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.265 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY2005 is $11,312,338, which is an increase of $6,769,805 over the approvedFY2004 budget. The main reason for this major budget increase is because the District will receive a $4.3 million state appropriation and anticipates receiving $1…

In the Bathroom:

• Flush less — remember the toilet is not an ashtray or wastebasket.
• While brushing teeth, shaving, etc., turn off the water.
• When cold water will do, avoid using hot water.
• Take shorter showers — 5 minutes or less.
• In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, lather up, then turn the water on to rinse off soap.
• Use less water for bathing — close the drain first and fill tub only one…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday unanimously approved the fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) budget and reduced millage rates. The total FY2008 budget for the District is $395 million, which is an $11.7 million increase over the FY2007 budget of $383.3 million. $1.4 million of the budget increase is due to additional ad valorem tax revenue. The balance of the increase includes additional state funding, interest earnings and balances available…

At its June 11 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.2308 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Withlacoochee River Basin Board area covers portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and Sumter counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the county property appraisers, will…

We All Live in a Watershed Land is very important to the water cycle and shares a strong connection to our water resources. Did you know that everything we do on land can affect the health of our water? That is because we all live in a watershed! A watershed is any area of land that water flows across or through. Where is the water going? Downhill of course. Water in a watershed trickles and flows toward a common body of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted proposed Fiscal Year 2007 (FY2007) millage rates. The District’s proposed millage rate remains the same as last year for the District’s General Fund. The proposed millage rates for seven District Basin Boards also remain the same. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board lowered its millage rate.The eight Basin Boards will meet in August to adopt their final FY2007 millage rates. The final millage rates…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 millage rates. The District’s proposed millage rate remains the same as last year for the District’s General Fund. The proposed millage rates for eight District Basin Boards also remain the same.The eight Basin Boards will meet in August to adopt their final FY2006 millage rates. The final millage rates may decrease from the proposed amounts adopted, but by law…

Water Use Permit Bureau ChiefAs bureau chief of the Water Use Permit Program, April is responsible for overseeing water use permit evaluation, water use permit compliance, well construction permitting and demand management.April has 15 years of experience related to challenging water use permitting considerations. She previously held various significant roles with the District, including Water Use Evaluation and Compliance manager and hydrogeologist.April earned a bachelor’s…

  Cockroach Bay before and after (top right) restoration.                   Gazing from atop the crest of “Mount Cockroach,” visitors were treated to the views of lush wetlands, uplands and coastal habitats of Cockroach Bay. They saw birds and other wildlife freely roam through the flourishing vegetation that surrounded the calm waters. But the distant view of city…

At its June 12 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.2308 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Withlacoochee River Basin Board area covers portions of Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Marion, and Levy counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as estimated by the county property appraisers, will…