Search Content

As Operations bureau chief, Jerry Mallams is responsible for overseeing a wide range of activities, including structure operations, land management, construction and data collection. He oversees the 85 District-owned flood control and water conservation structures and canal rights-of-way within the 16-county area. In addition, he oversees the maintenance of 271,000 acres of District conservation lands. His bureau provides construction services for hydrologic restoration… Read more

Nine Pasco County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Pasco County to the strong partnership with Pasco County Schools. Laura Hill, K–12 science supervisor for Pasco County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped get the word… Read more

The public comment period on the 2015 "Regional Water Supply Plan ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/RWSP/ (RWSP) has been extended to Aug. 17, 2015. The time extension will provide additional opportunity for the public to review and comment on the documents. The District's Regional Water Supply Plan assesses the projected water demands and potential sources of water to meet demands over a 20-year period. The Plan is updated every five years, in accordance with… Read more

Three Sarasota County projects expected to reach nearly 6,200 residents were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 32 grants Districtwide. This is the 12th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant program is… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pinellas County are looking for industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) businesses to participate in a pilot program to help them conserve water and save money.The ICI pilot project involves offering rebates to ICI customers within Pinellas Countys retail and wholesale water service areas who demonstrate they have taken steps to save water such as installing water-conserving equipment, appliances or devices. Water… Read more

These hands-on activities will help your students learn about water resources.Water Cycle   Water Use and Conservation       Wetlands   Summer Activities Others        

A DeSoto County farm is the place to be to learn about water conservation and other environmentally friendly practices this April. Members of the public are invited to tour Natures Way Aquatic Farm April 27-28 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and April 29 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.Natures Way Aquatic Farm, which is located at 4899 N.W. Highway 72 in Arcadia, is an 11.5-acre environmentally friendly farm that raises edible and ornamental fish, water garden plants, wetlands… Read more

Schools use an average of 22,284 gallons per day of water. This checklist will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the efficiency of your school or college. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too. This information is based on the results of water use evaluations of 26 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The checklist has been adapted from a… Read more

A cooperatively funded project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pinellas County will determine how much pollution is entering Pinellas Countys impaired waters.The study, which will estimate pollutant loads and yields discharged to impaired Pinellas County waters, will help the District and the County with efforts to improve the water quality in Pinellas County watersheds and ultimately Tampa Bay. To compute estimates of annual pollutant loads,… Read more

A groundwater reuse and conservation project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Lowry Park Zoo will save approximately 38,000 gallons of groundwater a day.The Zoo uses 38,000 gallons of groundwater each day to fill the Zoos animal exhibition water features, such as the hippo pool and the pond at the lion exhibit. At the end of the day, the water is discharged into a retention pond on Zoo grounds and eventually flows into the Hillsborough River… Read more

Despite reports that the District did not take measures to minimize flood risks for Lake Thonotosassa from Hurricane Milton, District structure operators lowered the lake to the maximum amount possible before the storm.The District also conducted a federally funded debris removal project earlier this year on Flint Creek, which is natural creek where water is released from the lake north to the Hillsborough River. Trees and limbs from a previous storm were removed to help… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is urging residents to conserve water. Despite receiving heavy rain over the holiday weekend, the region remains well below normal annual rainfall.Florida receives an average of 52 inches of rainfall per year, with 60 percent of that annual rainfall is from June through September.When reporting rainfall, the District is divided into three regions: north (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties), central (… Read more

In celebration of Water Conservation Month, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is bringing its water conservation restrooms to the Sharks Tooth Festival. The event is being held April 7-9 near Venice.Community festivals allow the District to spread the word about water conservation to a variety of audiences by bringing the comforts of a private, water-conserving bathroom to a variety of people.“The water conservation restroom trailer is a practical and… Read more

A water conservation and retrofit program funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of North Port will reduce demand and conserve water.The program will offer financial incentives to residents who retrofit their homes with water efficient fixtures such as low-flow toilets, low-flow showerheads and rain sensors. As part of the program, participating homeowners will receive low-flow showerheads free of charge. The funding will provide rebates of… Read more

The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is cherished for its exquisite scenic beauty and is an ideal place to experience natural Florida. Be sure to check out the District’s Recreation website to learn more and plan your visit to the Green Swamp.   Footpaths and trails abound in the Preserve for extensive hiking and the Florida National Scenic Trail bisects the area. Trails for… Read more

Board urges emergency status in Manatee and Sarasota countiesThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, until June 30.The water shortage order, which was declared by the District’s Executive Director David L. Moore, went into effect Jan. 16 and was originally scheduled to expire July 31. Since then it… Read more

The District uses a variety of tools to protect our springs but it takes a community effort by all of us. There is no single solution to protecting Florida springs. The District uses a variety of tools to help protect them. But it takes the work of all of us to protect these resources. There are various ways you can help when visiting a spring and even at home. How to responsibly enjoy a spring: 

• Stay in the vessel when possible.
• If you have to…

Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is partnering with the City of Tampa again in 2005 to offer residents a financial incentive to save water by replacing high-volume toilets with low-flow models.The Tampa Plumbing Retrofit and Education Project is a cooperatively funded effort between the City of Tampa and the District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board. The District and the City of Tampa have co-funded this project, known as the Toilet Rebate Program,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is bringing its water conservation restrooms to a new venue, the Sharks Tooth Festival. The event is being held April 8-10 near Venice.Community festivals allow the District to spread the word about water conservation to a variety of audiences by bringing the comforts of a private, water-conserving bathroom to a variety of people.Last year more than 100,000 people visited the trailer during the 16 days it spent at festivals in… Read more