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Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have deactivated the District's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) from a Level 2 to a Level 3. In April, the District activated the EOC to Level 2 in coordination with State Emergency Response Teams who requested and directed District resources during Florida's wildfire emergency event. The EOC provides direction and controls District activities during an emergency event.Level 3 activation is utilized when a…

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…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is soliciting stakeholder input on the annual update of the Priority List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels. A public meeting will be held at the District's Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 Highway 301 North on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Minimum flows and levels are limits set by the District Governing Board for surface waters and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Thursday, Nov. 13, at 5:30 p.m. to collect public comment on the proposed minimum levels for Lake Angelo and Lake Denton in Highlands County.Members of the public may register to join prior to the workshop at https://bit.ly/LakesAD…

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 “…

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…

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…

At its July 24 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is .02 less than the current fiscal year. This reduction is in accordance with the tax reduction mandated by the Florida Legislature.The FY2008 millage rate has been set equal to 97 percent of the rolled-back rate in compliance with House Bill 1B, the tax reform legislation signed into law by Gov.…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 6:00 p.m. at the Polk County Natural Resources Division, located at 4177 Ben Durrance Road in Bartow. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on proposed Minimum and Guidance Levels for Eagle Lake and Lake McLeod. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, April 28 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled…

Most of the Tampa Bay area will see freezing temperatures tonight. The Southwest Florida Water Management District is once again advising residents who live near Plant City and Dover to switch off the pumps on their wells at night and leave the pumps off until the temperatures warm up tomorrow morning.During a freeze or near freezing temperatures, farmers pump additional water from their wells to protect their crops, causing aquifer levels to drop temporarily. Once aquifer…

A freeze warning is in effect tonight for most of the Tampa Bay area. This warning has prompted the Southwest Florida Water Management District to advise residents who live near Plant City and Dover to switch off the pumps on their wells tonight and leave the pumps off until the temperatures warm up Thursday morning.During a freeze, farmers pump additional water from their wells to protect their crops, causing aquifer levels to drop temporarily. Once aquifer levels fall…

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-…

District scientists have completed a second year of setting up wetland monitoring sites as part of a regional monitoring program. The project is part of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), a water planning effort among government agencies, water utilities, environmental groups, business organizations, agricultural communities and other stakeholders in a five-county…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is advising residents who live near Plant City and Dover that they should switch off the pumps on their wells tonight and leave the pumps off until the temperatures warm up Tuesday morning. During a freeze, farmers pump additional water from their wells to protect their crops, causing aquifer levels to drop temporarily.Once aquifer levels fall below a well’s pump level, the pump can burn out if it is not shut off.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River January 18-20. Infestations of hydrilla immediately upriver of KP Hole to the Withlacoochee River in Marion County will be treated.Treatment involves the application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable restrictions. River water should not be used for irrigation or domestic purposes…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is advising residents who live near Plant City and Dover that they should switch off the pumps on their wells tonight and leave the pumps off until the temperatures warm up Tuesday morning. During a freeze, farmers pump additional water from their wells to protect their crops, causing aquifer levels to drop temporarily.Once aquifer levels fall below a well’s pump level, the pump can burn out if it is not shut off.…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Ian 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-county…

Approximately 15 volunteers will get their feet wet this Saturday, May 21, participating in a restoration project organized by the Kings Bay Advisory Group.The volunteers will plant a variety of emergent, or water, plants along the Kings Bay shoreline. The goal of this project is to improve the habitat of the hardened shoreline, which will reduce wave action and lead to better water clarity and quality. By planting approximately 160 native plants, volunteers also hope to…