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Governor Rick Scott appointed David Dunbar to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/. Dunbar replaces Jennifer Closshey whose term ended on March 1st of this year. The Governing Board seat is a joint Pinellas/Hillsborough seat.Dunbar, of Palm Harbor, is a commercial banker with Synovus Bank of Florida. He received his bachelor's degree in finance from Florida State University. Dunbar's…

Left: Governing Board Members Sallie Parks, seated, and Ron Oakley, standing to her left, review the project map. Right: Manny Lopez, left, a senior environmental scientist, and Oakley examine lead shot deposits. District staff and Board members recently toured Sawgrass Lake in Pinellas County to view the site of an upcoming restoration project. The restoration project…

The Florida Senate has confirmed the appointments of five Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board members.

• Jack Bispham represents Manatee County and his term ends March 1, 2021.
• Joel Schleicher represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties and his term ends March 1, 2023.
• Kelly Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties and his term ends March 1, 2023.
• Roger Germann represents…

h2. First Test This Saturday, July 2 at 12:30 p.m. The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ will begin monthly audible testing on Saturday, July 2, of an emergency siren located at a water control structure on Jack Creek in Lake Placid. The audible testing will occur the first Saturday of each month at 12:30 p.m. to ensure the siren performs properly. During testing, the siren will sound once for approximately 15…

On Tuesday, the Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District adopted a FY2016-17 millage rate of 0.3317 mill, 4.9 percent lower than the current fiscal year. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $33 a year, or about $2.76 per month. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017. The total FY2016-17 proposed budget for the District is $180.1 million.The budget reflects the…

Sometimes Florida yards need fertilizer to help keep them healthy, but applying the wrong kind can cause water pollution. You can use "Florida-friendly fertilizing(Florida-Friendly Fertilizing)":/yards/fertilizing practices to help protect water quality while having a beautiful lawn.Most home lawn fertilizers contain some slow-release nitrogen. It takes a little longer for your yard to benefit from slow-release nitrogen, but the effects will last longer. Many of these…

Governor Rick Scott reappointed Bryan K. Beswick, Mark C. Taylor and Michelle Williamson to the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. All three have been appointed for a term beginning May 25, 2017 and ending March 1, 2020 and the appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.Beswick, of Arcadia, represents DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties. He is a grove manager with Premier Citrus Management LLC. Taylor, of Brooksville,…

At its June 8 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.240 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The proposed budget for FY2007 is $7,141,180, which is an increase of $428,016 from the adopted FY2006 budget. The main reason for this budget increase is due to increased property values. FY2007 will run from Oct. 1, 2006, through Sept. 30, 2007.The Alafia…

The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council will meet to discuss the completion of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration project on Monday, Sept. 8, 5 p.m. at the Lake Panasoffkee Recreation Center’s West Wing, 1532 CR-459, Lake Panasoffkee.During the meeting the council will receive status updates on the lake dredging project, canal cleanup and the sale of shell at the spoil area. The public is also invited to share comments.The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council was…

The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council will meet to discuss the status of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration project on Thursday, June 19, 2 p.m. in the Commission Board Room at the Sumter County Government Offices, 910 North Main Street, Bushnell.During the meeting the council will receive status updates on the lake dredging project, canal cleanup and the sale of shell at the spoil area. The public is also invited to share their comments.The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about proposed minimum and guidance levels for selected Highlands County lakes.A public workshop will be held to discuss proposed levels for Lakes Angelo, Anoka, Denton, Placid, Tulane and Verona. The meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m. at the Highlands County Agri-Civic Center, 4509 George Boulevard, Sebring.A minimum flow or level (MFL) is the limit at which further water withdrawals will…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about proposed minimum and guidance levels for Crooked Lake in Polk County.Two public workshops will be held Monday, Nov. 5, at Weber International University in the Rex Yentes Conference Center, 1201 North Scenic Highway, Babson Park, FL 33827. The workshops will be held at 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.A minimum flow or level (MFL) is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about the assessment of minimum levels for the Intermediate Aquifer System.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving a balance between meeting human water needs and those of Florida’s natural systems.A public meeting will be held…

Governor Rick Scott appointed Elijah "Ed" Armstrong III to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board.":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ Armstrong replaces Todd Pressman whose term ended on March 1 of this year. The Governing Board seat represents Pinellas County.Armstrong, of Dunedin, is an attorney with Hill Ward Henderson. He received his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Maryland and his law degree from…

Board Elects New Officers During the spring election, the Governing Board chose four people to provide the Board’s leadership during the next year. Watson L. Haynes, II was elected chair. Haynes was appointed to the Governing Board in March 1999 and previously served as the Governing Board’s vice chair and treasurer. Haynes is the first African-American to be elected to serve a full-term as Governing Board chair. He thanked the Governing Board members for their…

*_Plan Calls for Reducing and Recruiting Staff_*Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director Blake Guillory announced today that the agency will undergo organizational restructuring in the coming months."We are committed to providing the greatest value to the taxpayer," said Guillory. "By implementing new business processes we have found opportunities to improve our efficiency and further reduce our operational costs." The District currently has 617 full-…

Wetland and upland areas in Manatee County's new Tom Bennett Park are being restored thanks to a partnership between the county and the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Manatee County began construction of the 180-acre park, located just east of Bradenton, in May 2010, and the park is scheduled to open Nov. 12. The county turned former pasture and woodlands into a passive park, offering residents a tranquil place to…

At its August 8 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.205 mill, which is .03 mill below the FY2006 rate of .235 mill. This reduction was based on the estimated increase in property values for FY2007.The budget for FY2007 is $8,329,310, which is an increase of $88,868 from the adopted FY2006 budget. The main reason for this budget increase is due to increased property…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Marion County. The District will provide a virtual public comment period now through July 12 at …

The public is invited to attend a meeting to learn about a proposed pump test at the Morris Bridge Sink.The meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Tampa Service Office, which is located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North in Tampa.The pump test will take place later this month or in early March and will last 30 days. However, given the severity of the current drought, Tampa Bay Water, the region’s wholesale water…