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The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during September and October on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Serenova Tract will be reserved Oct. 21-23for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors. The property will be closed to the public during this time.The hunt, which is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen, is one of more than 24 events the group holds throughout Florida each year. Other outings include fishing events, recreational shooting, and other…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on two District sites in Pasco County. The sites are the Conner Preserve and the Cypress Creek property.The Conner Preserve is approximately 7 miles north of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately 215 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Cypress Creek property is approximately 3 miles east of Land O’ Lakes.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during May and June on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during May and June on two District sites in Pasco County. The sites are the Conner Preserve and the Cypress Creek property.The Conner Preserve is approximately 7 miles north of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately 215 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Cypress Creek property is approximately 3 miles east of Land O’ Lakes. Approximately…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during March and April on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of two parcels of environmentally sensitive land in the Annutteliga Hammock area of Hernando County.The first parcel of land is located on the north side of Centralia Road. The 4.43-acre parcel is being purchased for $35,994.The second parcel of land is also located on the north side of Centralia Road and is 1 mile east of Lalani Lane at the north end of Bareva road in the Royal…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Serenova Tract will be closed to the public Oct. 22-24. The District is limiting access to the property to prepare for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors.The hunt, which is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen, is one of more than 24 events the group holds throughout Florida each year. Other outings include fishing events, recreational…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during January and February on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The District’s Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Little Manatee River in Hillsborough County. These are the first minimum flows being established for this river system and will include both the upper (freshwater) and lower (estuarine) portions of the river.Members of the public may join the…

Some areas of the District are still seeing rising floodwater. Flooding can occur days and even weeks after a storm due to numerous factors. Where, when and how much rainfall occurred are just some of the reasons for post-Milton flooding.When: The District has experienced an above-average year of rainfall. Hurricane Milton brought heavy rains at the end of the summer rainy season when the ground was already saturated and water levels were already high, preventing further…

At its July 26 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.2163 mill, which is .0237 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.…

About two dozen community leaders and other citizens got an up-close look at the condition of Kings Bay when the District hosted a boat tour last week.  The tour was one of the events during Save Our Waters Week in Citrus County. Chris Anastasiou, chief environmental scientist, Sean King, staff engineer, and Sky Notestein, senior environmental scientist, facilitated the tours, which included stops at Tarpon Hole, Magnolia Spring and Hunter Spring. Staff discussed…

  Gardenia Long, Watson Haynes II, Charles C. Scott and Lorraine Mayers at the Florida water management districts’ booth at the National Urban League Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Be loyal. Be a team player. Act right. Those are the golden rules that District Governing Board Chair Watson L. Haynes II learned early in his life from his mother, a woman with a third-grade education but a Ph.D. in character. The late Emma Haynes raised seven children…

 Photo left: District staffers Bob Brady, senior field technician; Carol Kraft, staff hydrologist; Dave DeWitt, senior geologist/engineer; and Tim Crosby, field technician, check out Peace Sign cave. Photo center: An 87-year-old tour participant talks to Gary Williams, District senior environmental scientist, on the walk to the caves. Photo right: Tim Crosby, field technician, shows tour participants how the District collects water quality samples. This…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect a new slate of officers for the 2020-2021 term. Kelly Rice was elected chair of the Governing Board. Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties and is a small business owner involved in real estate, agriculture and health care. Rice was appointed to the Governing Board in September 2015. Joel Schleicher was elected vice chair of the Governing Board. Schleicher represents…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ voted today to begin the process to sell its Bartow Service Office and relocate staff to two other locations.The move is part of the "District's reorganization ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/news/article/1764/ to increase efficiencies, reduce operational costs and meet the District's core mission responsibilities in the areas of water supply, flood protection, water quality…

A light rain greeted about 100 children from the Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County as they arrived at the Weekiwachee Preserve, but the sprinkles didn’t dampen their excitement. The children were there to learn about water resources through fun, hands-on exercises and explorations. This is the third year District staff from several departments worked together to plan the popular field trip. The children, who ranged in age from kindergarten to fifth grade, rotated…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a land management plan for the Conner Preserve, which will provide a variety of recreational opportunities for the public.The Conner Preserve encompasses 2,980 acres in central Pasco County and consists of a variety of habitats including wetlands, pine flatwoods, cypress domes, freshwater marshes, mixed uplands and improved pasture. The preserve also contains the headwaters of Five Mile…