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The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in western Marion County. Residents living in the Lake Stafford/Priest Prairie/West Marion watersheds are invited to attend an open house on Thursday, Aug. 20, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Dunnellon Public Library, located at 20351 Robinson Road in Dunnellon. District representatives… Read more

At its August 13 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board covers portions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.This millage rate, combined with a reduction in taxable property values as certified by the county property appraisers, will result in an estimated 10.91 percent decrease… Read more

At its August 6 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rate of 0.2163 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The Alafia River Basin Board area covers the southern portion of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk County.This millage rate combined with a reduction in taxable property values as certified by the county property appraisers will result in… Read more

There is a new house on the block in north Tampa, and behind the doors of this quaint cottage is a powerful system that will bring significant reductions to flooding in the area. The City of Tampa recently held a ribbon cutting for the Donut Pond pump station, which is part of the larger Duck Pond Project to ease flooding issues in the North Tampa area. Governing Board member Wendy Griffin attended the event.  The project features two pump stations, one in the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Brooksville office will be partially open on Thursday, Sept. 14. Portions of the campus remain closed as a result of an ongoing power outage due to Hurricane Irma. All other District offices remain open. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District's website at … Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will present its frost/freeze management plan and associated draft rules to the public 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the "Hillsborough Community College Trinkle Center(HCC Trinkle Center)":http://www.hccfl.edu/pc/trinkle-center.aspx, 1206 N. Park Road, Plant City.During the 11-day January 2010 freeze event, the combined pumping by Dover/Plant City area farmers dropped the aquifer level 60 feet in some locations, causing 140 sinkholes… Read more

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed Terry England and appointed Housh Ghovaee to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.England is from Indian Rocks Beach. He is president of England Brothers Construction Company, Inc. and was first appointed to the Board in Aug. 1999. His current term ends March 1, 2012.Ghovaee is from Clearwater. He is chief executive officer of Northside Engineering and was appointed to succeed… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during August and September on the District’s Annuteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve.The Annuteliga Hammock tract is located in Hernando County, near Royal Highlands and U.S. Hwy. 19. Approximately 100 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Weekiwachee Preserve is located in Hernando and Pasco counties. Controlled burns will be… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board on July 31 passed a resolution honoring the late Edward W. Chance for his outstanding service as a member of the District Governing Board.The resolution recognized Chance for his exceptional skills in coalition-building, environmental leadership, foresight, wisdom and administrative abilities that were instrumental in ensuring responsible stewardship of water resources and related natural systems.In appreciation… Read more

The Hillsborough River will get some tender loving care from the Lowry Park Zoo’s Boy Scouts of America Zoo Troop 47 and employees from JPMorgan Chase.The zoo youth groups received a $2,069 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 Community Education Grant Program to help fund their River Clean-Up project on April 22. The grant funding comes from the District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board, which includes portions of Hillsborough… Read more

With the citrus industry facing challenges due to hurricanes, greening and the lowest annual production since World War II, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is working to improve services and business processes for citrus industry customers. That’s why District Executive Director Brian Armstrong formed the Citrus Task Force, an initiative to solicit feedback from citrus industry customers on their interactions with the District’s… Read more

Spring is the time when many people start thinking about gardening. This spring, Citrus County residents have the opportunity to learn about Florida-friendly landscaping and water-conserving irrigation practices. A “Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101” workshop will be conducted in Lecanto at the Citrus County Canning Center on April 30, 8 a.m to 2 p.m. The workshop will focus on these topics:Right plant, right placeEfficient irrigation and water useFertilizing… Read more

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 11 in accordance with Governor Rick Scott's direction to close state offices for Hurricane Irma. The District will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Irma to determine if future closings are necessary. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District's website at… Read more

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be open Thursday, July 8, as the District returns to normal operations after Tropical Storm Elsa. The District will lower the activation level of its Emergency Operations Center to a Level 3 at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. Level 3 activation is a general state of monitoring during the hurricane season. All District-managed campgrounds and properties to include trails and day use areas throughout… Read more

Clay Black, District senior professional engineer, prepares students for the estuary test. For this high school field trip, students were asked to define anoxic, cite the life cycle of an oyster and know the salinity of brackish water. And that was just for starters. Those were a few of the topics covered when more than 270 high school students and teachers from Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Sumter counties swarmed the Anclote River Park in… Read more

Funds Available Individuals and groups concerned about water-related issues in their communities can apply for a Southwest Florida Water Management District community education grant. Grant recipients can receive up to $5,000 funding for projects involving water-related issues. The projects are to take place between March 15 and June 30, 2004. Grant applications are due Oct. 17, 2003. To receive an application package, call 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4756 or visit the… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board recognized Earnie Olsen of Citrus County as one of this year’s springs community partners at its May Governing Board meeting. Olsen is the supervisor of the Marine Science Station in Crystal River and has taught at the center since 2008. Olsen and his staff lead daily field trips, taking Citrus County students by… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve.The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near Thonotosassa. Approximately 600 acres will be burned in… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have postponed its Sept. 12 Governing Board tentative budget hearing due to emergency conditions facing the District from Hurricane Irma. The public hearing will be rescheduled at a later date. Information concerning District-related meeting cancellations and office closures will also be provided to the media and made available on the District's website at… Read more

All Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) offices will be closed on Friday, Sept. 8 in accordance with Governor Rick Scott's direction to close state offices in preparation for Hurricane Irma. The District will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Irma throughout the weekend to determine if future closings are necessary. Information regarding District-related meeting cancellations will be provided to the media and made available on the District's… Read more