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The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday recognized Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice for his dedication to public service as an outgoing member of the Governing Board and the Withlacoochee River Basin Board.Rice was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in March 2003. He served as the Governing Board chair from June 2006 until May 2007. Before serving as chair Rice was also the Board’s vice chair and treasurer. As a Governing Board member… Read more

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed Devon Higginbotham to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board.Higginbotham was appointed to succeed Hung T. Mai. She is from Plant City and is a residential contractor with Archive Properties. Her term ends March 1, 2010. Higginbotham was appointed to the District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board in 2006, but resigned her seat to serve on the Hillsborough River Basin Board.… Read more

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed one and reappointed another member to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board.Ken Harrison of Arcadia was reappointed. He is a rancher. His term ends March 1, 2010.Pat Crisman of Bartow was appointed to succeed Ann Dunlap. She is a State Farm Insurance Agent. Her term ends March 1, 2010.The Peace River Basin Board area includes DeSoto and Hardee counties as… Read more

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful staff and volunteersWhat:A volunteer river cleanup is being coordinated at Hillsborough River State Park. Volunteers will be provided with canoes, gloves, garbage bags and trash pickers to collect trash along the river. If there are enough participants, volunteers will also collect trash along the park’s trails and parking areas.The river cleanup is part of “Hillsborough… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Serenova Tract, which is part of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve, will be closed to the public Jan. 12-14. The District is limiting access to the property to prepare for an event that allows disabled hunters the opportunity to experience the outdoors.The Serenova Tract is located in Pasco County, adjacent to the Tampa Bay Water Starkey wellfield. The entrance is just west of the Suncoast Parkway on the south side of State… Read more

Gov. Jeb Bush recently appointed Jack Bispham to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board.Bispham, who is from Sarasota, is the owner and president of Bayside Sod, Inc. He succeeds Evelio Sardina. Bispham’s term began May 8 and ends March 1, 2008.The Manasota Basin Board area includes Manatee and Sarasota counties, which are each represented by a minimum of three people. A Governing Board member presides as the chair ex officio of… Read more

The Florida Greenways and Trails Council has agreed to include three Southwest Florida Water Management District properties in the state’s designated system of greenways and trails.The properties include the 18,000-acre Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County, the 16,000-acre Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area in Hillsborough County and the 31-mile segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail that goes through the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve.The goal of… Read more

Members of the District’s Governing Board and Withlacoochee River Basin Board recently celebrated with the City of Webster’s Mayor Stephen Croft and city officials as Senator Paula Dockery presented a $500,000 check to assist with funding of the city’s stormwater project. City officials expect significant development and growth in Webster over the next years. The stormwater project will help develop a watershed management plan that will address flood protection… Read more

At its August 7 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.1827 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Peace River Basin Board area includes Hardee, DeSoto and portions of Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties.This millage rate combined with a reduction in taxable property values as certified by the five county property appraisers will result in an estimated… Read more

Through the crystal waters of the Chassahowitzka, guests could spot schools of fish swimming near the spring vent and even a young manatee swimming nearby. The wildlife at the beloved Citrus County waterway are benefitting from the first phase of the Chassahowitzka Springs Restoration Project. About 120 people attended a… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during September on the Upper Myakka River Watershed in Manatee County.Upper Myakka River Watershed is located in Myakka City. Approximately 134 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August on the District's "Lake Panasoffkee property":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lakepanasoffkee.html in Sumter County.Lake Panasoffkee is located in west of Interstate 75 in Wildwood. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August on the District's "Weekiwachee Preserve":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/weekiwachee.html in Hernando County.Weekiwachee Preserve is located one mile west of Spring Hill. Approximately 200 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July, August and September on the District's Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County.Weekiwachee Preserve is located one mile west of Spring Hill. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the Upper Myakka River Watershed in Manatee County.Upper Myakka River Watershed is located in Myakka City. Approximately 134 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to mimic… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County.Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located in the western portion of Pasco County. Approximately 1,000 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County.Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located five miles east of Dunnellon. Approximately 120 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Green Swamp West property in Pasco County.Green Swamp West is located in Dade City. Approximately 600 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to mimic natural… Read more

The public is invited to attend the Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council meeting and the Hernando County Task Force meeting, both being held Monday, Oct. 1.The meetings will be at the Southwest Florida Water Management District Headquarters, on the first floor in Conference Rooms A and B, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.The Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council meeting begins at 2:45 p.m. Discussion will focus on council business.The Hernando… Read more

At today’s meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.400 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2007 is $41,385,128, which is an increase of $2,729,817 from the approved FY2006 budget. The main reason for this increase is higher property values and balances carried over from the prior year. FY2007 will run from Oct. 1, 2006,… Read more