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The Southwest Florida Water Management District Tuesday voted 7-4 to approve a settlement agreement with Tampa Bay Water that resolves a dispute over how much water a seawater desalination facility must produce. The agreement also promotes environmental restoration.This agreement allows the District and Tampa Bay Water to move forward with its partnership to ensure a sustainable water supply for the Tampa Bay area and expedite environmental recovery in areas where water…

A study of Flatford Swamp in Manatee County could lead to a project that could help improve groundwater levels, reduce saltwater intrusion and benefit the 3,000-acre habitat.District staff will conduct a feasibility study to recover groundwater levels by recharging millions of gallons per day of naturally-treated surface water from the swamp into the Upper Floridan aquifer. This is the most impacted area of the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), a designation given to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved minimum and guidance levels for 11 lakes in Citrus, Levy and Sumter counties.Once approved, these levels will become part of the Florida Administrative Code and the District’s rules and will be used as guidelines in District permitting programs, for development of water resource projects, as information for development bordering lakes and in the management of water control structures.The…

The District’s response team jumps into action to help the Suwannee River Water Management District with flooding in its area. (Photo courtesy Paul Buchanan) As Tropical Storm Debby churned in the Gulf of Mexico in June, it brought record rainfall, flooding and damage to various areas of the District. As part of the District’s core mission of flood protection, staff immediately responded to the needs of the community in a variety of ways. The…

A familiar face is the District’s newest leader. Robert Beltran is now the District’s executive director. He replaces Blake Guillory who became the executive director of the South Florida Water Management District.  The Florida native and Polk County resident joined the District in March 2012 as the assistant executive director where he oversaw the District’s Regulation, Resource Management, Operations, and Maintenance and Construction divisions. Some of…

At its August 11 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.268 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2006 is $9,108,165, which is an increase of $3,064,078 over the approved FY2005 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to an increase in property values and revenue from the state’s newly created Water Protection and…

On Friday, February 12, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org will certify the first home in Hernando County to meet the criteria of the "Florida Water StarSM Gold(Florida Water Star Gold)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/florida_water_star_gold program. The District has partnered with Diamond Construction to certify the home in Hernando County's Riverdale neighborhood as part of the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org and the City of St. Petersburg are offering city water customers a free sprinkler system checkup.St. Petersburg water customers who have an operating in-ground sprinkler system with a timer are eligible for the free program. Customers who irrigate with reclaimed, well or drinking water can apply for the program. Properties previously evaluated as part of the program in 2006 or after are not…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board Thursday adopted a fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board covers portions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as certified by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 9.9 percent decrease in ad valorem…

At its August 11 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.400 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY 2005 is $32,040,442, which is an increase of $5,217,586 from the approvedFY2004 budget.FY2005 will run from Oct. 1, 2004, through Sept. 30, 2005. The increase in the budget is due to additional ad valorem property taxes resulting from…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Town of Indian Shores recently signed an agreement to move forward on the fourth phase of a water quality improvement project that will collect and treat stormwater runoff prior to discharging into the Intracoastal Waterway.This phase includes the design, permit and construction of flow-through stormwater treatment systems at five locations. The systems allow storm water to pass through while the solids and heavier…

The third phase of a water quality improvement project that will collect and treat stormwater runoff prior to discharging into the Intracoastal Waterway is about to begin.The project is cooperatively funded between the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and the Town of Indian Shores.The first two phases involved the construction of 12 improvement areas, or treatment systems. These treatment systems are a combination of dry…

The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) recently awarded the Southwest Florida and St. Johns River water management districts with the Technical Merit Award in the area of research for their work on minimum flows and levels (MFLs.) NALMS is a professional organization that produces an international, peer-reviewed scientific journal, Lake and Reservoir Management, as well as a quarterly magazine, LakeLine. The award was presented at the NALMS annual…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board Friday adopted a fiscal year 2009 (FY2009) millage rate of 0.1827 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Peace River Basin Board area includes Hardee, DeSoto and portions of Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties.This millage rate combined with a reduction in taxable property values as certified by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 10 percent decrease in…

The Tampa Bypass Canal (TBC) is a 14-mile waterway that connects the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve with McKay Bay. The canal provides flood protection for the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa by diverting floodwaters from the Hillsborough River. The canal is also a water supply source for the city of Tampa.

In 1980, the District and the city of Clearwater entered into an agreement for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Alligator Creek Water Management Project. The District provided land and operates the water-control structure; the city operates and maintains Cliff Stephens Park. The project provides stormwater management and flood protection for the surrounding Clearwater area.

Emergency Operations Center at Level 1 ActivationSouthwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 1 as they continue to monitor Tropical Storm Helene. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is evaluating potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region.…

Brian Armstrong, District Water Supply & Resource Development manager, taught students at Watergrass Elementary School in Pasco County during the Great American Teach-In. More than 1,400 students in 16 schools recently learned about the District and water resources during the annual Teach-In. Members of the District’s Youth Education Team spoke to students about watersheds, the water cycle, plant and animal habitats as well as careers in the water industry.

At its June 2 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a tentative fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.240 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The tentative budget for FY2006 is $4,795,390, which is an increase of $233,673 from the approved FY2005 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to an increase in property values. FY2006 will run from Oct. 1, 2005, through Sept. 30, 2006.For…

We tried everything we could to find a peaceful resolution, but the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) seems intent on fighting a legal battle. The PRWC filed a legal challenge to a proposed permit that would allow the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (PRMRWSA) to withdraw additional quantities from the Peace River. An administrative law judge ordered all parties to meet in an effort to amicably resolve the litigation. The parties agreed to engage…