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The Southwest Florida Water Management District has implemented the first project in the Lower Hillsborough River recovery effort.The District began pumping 11 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water, or 7.1 million gallons per day (gpd), from the Tampa Bypass Canal to the Hillsborough River Reservoir on December 31 as part of the Tampa Bypass Canal Diversion Project. In turn, 8.25 cfs, or 5.3 million gallons per day, is being pumped from the reservoir to the base of the dam… Read more

At today’s meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.160 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2007 is $24,977,189, which is an increase of $4,741,656 from the approved FY2006 budget. The increase is attributed to increased property values and additional revenue from the State Water Protection and Sustainability Program for alternative water supply… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) invites the public to comment on proposed minimum guidance levels for Lakes Rogers and Raleigh in Hillsborough County at a public workshop on Wednesday, May 29. The workshop will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Walker Middle School Cafeteria, located at 8282 North Mobley Road in Odessa.The state Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold an independent, scientific peer review of wetland-based criteria for use in establishing minimum wetland and lake levels beginning this month. A minimum level is the level of groundwater in an aquifer or the level of surface water at which further withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area. The review will be conducted by a three-member panel… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla in Marion County March 6-9. Infestations of hydrilla will be treated on the Rainbow River from the County Road 484 bridge to where the river meets the Withlacoochee River.Treatment involves the application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. River water should not be used for… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA), reopening the S-155 structure allowing normal flow down the river. Boat barriers have been removed to allow normal navigation along that portion of the Hillsborough River. In July, the Hillsborough River reached an elevation of 25 feet above sea level, which triggered the Army Corps of Engineers activation level of the Lower Hillsborough Flood… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla in Marion County Oct. 17-20. Infestations of hydrilla will be treated on the Rainbow River from the County Road 484 bridge to where the river meets the Withlacoochee River.Treatment involves the application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions restrictions. River water should not… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Michael and have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities before, during, and after an emergency weather event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region. Since we are at the end of the four-… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Public Library, located at 11211 Countryway Blvd in Tampa. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Sunset Lake and Lake Dan in Hillsborough County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of the Mattaniah Property, in partnership with Hillsborough County, in the Alafia River Watershed. This 629-acre parcel of land adjoins the Alafia River Reserve, which is in existing District ownership and managed by Polk County, and contains portions of English Creek, Thirty-mile Creek, and the North Prong of the Alafia River in Hillsborough County.This is the first joint… Read more

Water Stewardship of the Year Award Winner And the nominees for water stewardship are…” While the District’s Water Stewardship Awards program may not be as big as the Oscars, the program is like the Academy Awards because it recognizes excellence. In this case, excellence is in the form of outstanding stewardship of Florida’s water resources. The District’s Governing Board chose Virginia Frissell as the Water Stewardship of the Year Award winner for her project “… Read more

According to the National Weather Service, parts of the Tampa Bay area are expected to see freezing temperatures during Thursday and Friday mornings.This has prompted the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ to advise residents who live near Plant City and Dover who have well pumps without automatic cutoff switches to turn off the pumps tonight and Thursday.During a freeze or near-freezing temperatures, water is pumped… Read more

New environmental regulations recently went into law aimed at streamlining the state’s permitting process and giving applicants more options for authorization. Some provisions of the new law include:

• Required action on permit applications within 60 days of receipt of last timely requested material.
• Precludes government agencies from delaying action because of pending approval from other local, state or federal agencies.
• Provides for the…

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Left: First-time homeowners receive Florida Water StarSM Gold plaques, certificates and keys to their new homes. Center: District Governing Board Member Maritza Rovira-Forino speaks about the Florida Water Star℠ Gold program before presenting plaques and certificates to new homeowners. Right: One of the six certified Florida Water Star℠ Gold homes in the Hidden Creek community in Hillsborough County. Six families recently received the keys to their affordable,… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Hugh Embry Library located at 14215 Fourth Street in Dade City. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on proposed Minimum and Guidance Levels for Lakes Buddy and Pasadena.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Land O' Lakes Community Center, located at 5401 Land O' Lakes Boulevard (U.S. Highway 41), in Land O' Lakes. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on proposed Minimum and Guidance Levels for Lake Padgett. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for… Read more

The District’s Governing Board recently approved SWIM plans for the Homosassa and Chassahowitzka rivers, meaning all five first-magnitude springs in the District now have established plans for improvement of those water bodies. The Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act requires the District to maintain a priority list of water bodies of regional and statewide significance and develop plans and programs for their improvement.  The Homosassa and… Read more

"The Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, December 10, at 6:00 p.m. at the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, located at 2902 W. Bearss Ave in Tampa. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on proposed Minimum and Guidance Levels for Bird and Crystal Lakes.The state Legislature requires the District to set Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies… Read more

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 Activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Hurricane Irma and have raised the activation level of the District's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 2. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county… Read more

Above left: Governing Board Chair Neil Combee congratulates former Governing Board Chair Joe Davis on his Lifetime Achievement Award. Above right: District Executive Director David Moore presents Fritz Musselmann, the District's recently retired land resources director, with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The State of the Water Resources workshop was also an opportunity for the District to honor two men who were influential in the District’s growth and development… Read more