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The Southwest Florida Water Management District includes Florida’s notorious “Lightning Belt.” It is famous because of the number of thunderstorms and lightning strikes that occur here. They don’t call the hockey team the “Tampa Bay Lightning” for nothing. Florida’s lightning strikes are thought to be especially powerful, thanks to the huge, highly charged clouds that form here.
How powerful are they? Hot bolts have temperatures above 14,000°C. If they hit a tree, it…
March 14 – 21, 2009The Southwest Florida Water Management District, together with Citrus and Marion counties and the cities of Crystal River and Dunnellon, will proclaim March 14-21 as the first Springs Awareness Week.Here is a list of events taking place during Springs Awareness Week. These events are aimed at raising awareness about the health of the local springs and what people can do to protect them.Nitrate pollution from overusing fertilizers is one reason the…
NOTICE: Effective July 1, 2014, a person may not lobby a water management district in Florida until such person has registered as a lobbyist with that district by filing a registration form.Pursuant to Section 112.3261, Florida Statutes, starting July 1, 2014, a person may not lobby a…
This project helped develop techniques to control algae and restore aquatic plants in the lower portion of the Rainbow River.BackgroundIn the lower portions of the Rainbow River, native aquatic vegetation may be decreasing while various types of algae, such as filamentous macroalgae (Lyngbya) and phytoplankton, may be increasing. An increase in algae downstream is typical in most rivers as the river’s velocity — the speed at which water flows — decreases and water…
OverviewApplicants will be asked to break this down in more detail in the application. Students will learn about local freshwater ecosystems in west-central Florida, with a focus on our magnificent springs. After an introductory lesson on habitats and ecosystems, students will dive deeper to learn about springs, the wildlife they support and their connection to the aquifer below. As part of their exploration, students will complete the…
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has published the Florida Statewide Annual Report on Total Maximum Daily Loads, Basin Management Action Plans, Minimum Flows or Minimum Water Levels, and Recovery or Prevention Strategies on its website pursuant to section 403.0675, F.S. This report includes the status of protection and restoration actions through total maximum daily loads, basin management action plans, minimum flows or minimum water levels, and recovery or…
As Data Collection bureau chief, Sandie Will is responsible for overseeing the Geohydrologic Data; Hydrologic Data; the Water Quality Monitoring Program; and Mapping/GIS sections. Activities conducted in these sections include coring; well construction; aquifer performance testing; water level and atmospheric data collection; groundwater and surface water quality sampling; land surveying; laboratory analyses; geospatial data…
Fresh water from the Peace River watershed is essential to the health of the Charlotte Harbor, the second largest estuary in Florida. The watersheds of the Myakka and Caloosahatchee rivers also feed into the harbor.
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where fresh water from rivers and streams flows into the ocean. The Charlotte Harbor estuary is 30 miles long by seven miles wide and boasts 219 miles of shoreline.…
The Governing Board has the statutory authority to issue emergency and non-emergency orders to apprise the public of the need to protect water supplies for: public health, safety and welfare; health of animals or aquatic life; a public water supply; or other reasonable uses.The executive director has the statutory authority to issue emergency orders when immediate action is necessary. Emergency orders are subsequently presented to the…
The drowning of thousands of chickens at several Masaryktown chicken farms was one of the catalysts for the creation of the District.
From devastating flooding caused by hurricanes to severe droughts to an unprecedented freeze, major weather events have played an important role in shaping the District’s policies and procedures during the last 50 years…
Left: This overhead view shows the wind generator, solar panel and control box of the structure controls at the Medard Dam.
Right: The structure staff operates and maintains the District’s structures, including the structure at the Medard Dam. Back row left to right: Sal Destefano, structure controls senior tradesworker; Dan Pelland structure controls senior tradesworker; Garry Flood, structure controls tradesworker; Robert Sowders, structure Maintenance tradesworker;…
This project restored shoreline habitat to improve water quality in Kings Bay.
Project Overview
The District restored the shoreline around Hunter Springs Park. The City of Crystal River has integrated this District project into the redesign of the park.
The restored shoreline will benefit the Crystal River/Kings Bay spring system by creating habitat and improving water quality through reducing erosion and nutrients entering Kings Bay.
Background…
A bay is a shallow body of salt water between a larger barrier island and the mainland. A barrier island is a long, narrow sandy island parallel to the shore. Palma Sola Bay is located between the barrier island of Anna Maria and the city of Bradenton.In the 1880s, a fishing village called “Cortez” was formed here and was bustling with fishermen. It's one of the last commercial fishing villages in Florida and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Tarpon,…
Left: Addison Bennett, granddaughter of District Executive Director Dave Moore, tries to stay dry at the Hampton Tract. Top right: Karen Fraley, Around the Bend Nature Tours, shows Brady Whalen from Boy Scout Troop 311 how to use a pump drill to start a fire. Above right: Emma Mason, Around the Bend Nature Tours, takes a visitor on a guided hike.
More than 130 people braved the rain Feb. 27 at the District’s “Get Outside!” event at the …
Left: Bruce Wirth, a District deputy executive director; Sallie Parks, Governing Board member and co-chair ex offico of the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board; and Cheryl Johnson, secretary of the Alafia River Basin Board, helped plant a tree to celebrate the completion of the restoration project. Center: Dozens of volunteers planted marsh grass to help complete the restoration project. Right: Many volunteers brought their children to help at the volunteer planting.…
More than 500 volunteers who spend thousands of hours a year helping the Southwest Florida Water Management District maintain and improve public lands, as well as restore Tampa Bay, were honored this weekend during the District’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Day.The celebration was held at the District’s Lake Panasoffkee property and featured an awards presentation, exhibits, live music, a picnic lunch and a nature hike.Approximately 450 volunteers are involved with the…
As the weather gets cooler, now is the time for Floridians to get outside and enjoy a variety of recreational activities. Each issue of WaterMatters features a different District property ready for you to explore. These public lands are close to home and are free or very inexpensive to use.
This issue features the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve (Preserve) in Hillsborough County.
The 16,000-acre Preserve…
The Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM, program evaluates priority water bodies, identifies challenges and implements projects to improve water quality and natural systems. The District is currently updating the SWIM plan for Lake Tarpon and the draft plan is available on the Lake Tarpon webpage. At the public workshop, District staff will present an overview…