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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…

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…

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-…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

"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…

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…

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…

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 “…

One newly appointed and one reappointed Governing Board member took the oath of office today to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board.Pat Glass was appointed to the Governing Board. The Palmetto resident is retired and serves as a community volunteer. Glass will also assume responsibility as co-chair ex officio of the District’s Manasota Basin Board. Her term ends March 1, 2009.Glass, a long-time Manatee County commissioner and…

 The area is an ideal place where visitors, from school groups to master birders, can visit and explore some of central Florida’s flora and fauna found in a natural state that has had little modification by man. The area contains a variety of different habitat types with a wide diversity of plant life. These types include, but are not limited to, sandhills, flatwoods, oak hammocks, river swamp and cypress ponds. The characteristic cypress ponds that dot the landscape…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 1 Activation Southwest 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 Nicole. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. Level 1 activation is utilized when a specific weather situation has developed into an emergency. Level 1 is…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Nicole 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 event. The District is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-…

According to the National Weather Service, parts of the Tampa Bay area are expected to see freezing temperatures Sunday morning.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 Saturday night.During a freeze or near-freezing temperatures, water is pumped to protect crops and fish…

 Jointly acquired between the District and the state to protect the water resources of Tampa Bay, the Terra Ceia Preserve State Park is managed by the Florida State Parks system. The lands are mostly uplands of maritime hammocks and mangrove fringe forests. Various wetland communities such as freshwater creeks, freshwater marshes, karst tidal ponds and estuarine marshes are interspersed within the preserve.

 Acquired to preserve Lake Panasoffkee's vast floodplain forest, the land also preserves pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes and oak scrub forest. As the land continues to rise, pines and scrub oaks of upland sandhills replace the wetland forest trees. A comprehensive restoration effort of Lake Panasoffkee has been completed to enhance both the water quality of the lake and recreational opportunities.

District Executive Director David L. Moore resigned May 26. He will continue temporarily in the role to help facilitate the successful transition of the next executive director. Moore, who was appointed executive director in March 2003, says he feels he is leaving the District at the right time. “The past eight years have been extremely rewarding,” said Moore. “From developing large-scale alternative water supplies and reclaimed water to dealing with droughts,…

As the powerful blast of water rocketed across the mound, the large pile of dirt covered with invasive plants disappeared within a matter of minutes. The District has turned water into a power tool to help restore wetlands and improve water quality as part of the ongoing Feather Sound Tidal Wetland Restoration Project. District contractors used specialized fire hoses to hydroblast spoil mounds, which were created in the mid-1900s when ditches were dug along the coast to…