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Nearly a decade of public workshops, water resource analyses and policy debates culminated recently in approval of the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) Recovery Strategy by the District’s Governing Board. “This is a historic moment for the District, the public and the water resources,” said Executive Director David Moore. “Many years of labor and collaboration by Board members, staff, representatives of all the types of water users and the general public went…

More than 160 people representing local governments, utilities and various industries came together Friday, March 23, at the Hilton Ocala Hotel for the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s first northern Water Conservation Summit.Held in partnership with the Suwannee River and St. Johns River water management districts, the summit served as an exchange of ideas on how local governments and utilities in the District’s northern region can plan for future…

Where possible, launch facilities are provided for boaters on District lands. There are many recreational opportunities available on water bodies throughout the District including boating, canoeing, kayaking and fishing. All visitors taking part in water sports should keep safety first. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regulates…

The Southwest Florida Water Management’s Peace River Basin Board honored students and teachers from Lakeland Christian School and Barbara Carlton for their commitment to water resources.The board presented the students and teachers from Lakeland Christian School with a Water Stewardship Award and Carlton with a special recognition award.The board chose the Lakeland Christian School’s “Water Wiseguys” project to receive the Water Stewardship Award…

The Southwest Florida Water Management’s Peace River Basin Board honored Students and teachers from Lakeland Christian School and Barbara Carlton for their commitment to water resources.The board presented the students and teachers from Lakeland Christian School with a Water Stewardship Award and Carlton with a special recognition award.The board chose the Lakeland Christian School’s “Water Wiseguys” project to receive the Water Stewardship Award…

Your Questions Answered November 2019 We often receive questions from the public about wetlands and why they are important. Tasha Dailey is certified as a Professional Wetland Scientist by the Society of Wetland Scientists and explains why wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment. Q: What is a wetland? A: A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where…

The District celebrated successful water conservation education grant projects and recognized the volunteers that make them happen at the spring conference, “Water Conservation: Reflect, Connect, Celebrate.” Approximately 140 people involved with school and community water conservation education grant projects participated in the conference, held at the Pinellas County Extension office in Largo. Besides recognizing successful projects and volunteers, District…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) successfully collaborated with the City of Mulberry to approve a new conservation ordinance based on Florida Water Star℠ (FWS) standards. FWS is a water conservation certification program…

District Lands Offer New Features New trail maps and other information have been added to the kiosks on District properties to enrich the experience for guests. The new trail maps were created for 16 of the District’s most popular properties using detailed information including global positioning coordinates. The maps are part of an ongoing effort to update information at District properties. In recent years, land use specialists marked District trails using an…

During the summer months of June, July, August and September in Florida, yards need no more than ½ to ¾ inch of water every 2 to 3 days, which includes both rainfall and irrigation. The frequency and duration of watering will depend on several factors, such as the type of grass, soil conditions and local weather patterns. Here are some general guidelines:How often can I water my lawn?If your lawn hasn't received enough water from rainfall, watering…

Overview Applicants will be asked to break this down in more detail in the application. Students will work together to test various water quality parameters and conduct a macroinvertebrate sampling at locations along the Hillsborough River. To determine a healthy ecosystem, students will work in groups and use different monitoring tools to collect data on the river’s temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and nutrient levels. Students…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday modified two water use permits (WUPs) for Marion County Utilities to meet projected increases in water use. Both permits are achieving a per capita rate of 150 gallons per person per day.Marion OaksThe Marion Oaks WUP combines and modifies two public supply permits and increases the permitted quantities. The 91-acre Marion Oaks service area is approximately eight miles southwest of…

Fifty-one Hillsborough County teachers and three private school teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness…

As director of the Resource Management Division, Jennette Seachrist oversees the bureaus that plan, develop and implement District water resource management initiatives concerning water supply, flood protection, natural systems and water quality. The initiatives include water supply planning and development of alternative water supplies, such as conservation…

As chief of the Natural Systems and Restoration Bureau, Randy Smith oversees several District water quality and natural systems initiatives and programs within the Resource Management Division. His key responsibilities include providing leadership to the Environmental Flows and Levels Section, the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program, and the Resource Management Division Business Support Section.Smith has worked at the District for more than 19 years. He…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with Manatee County Utilities to help their customers save money and conserve water by providing rebates to customers who replace their high-volume toilets.Residential, commercial and industrial customers within the Manatee County Utilities service area, which includes western unincorporated Manatee County and the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, are eligible to participate in the rebate…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is kicking off a water conservation campaign called "Every Drop Counts!(/Every Drop Counts!)":/EveryDropCounts on USF's Tampa campus. District officials estimate that the average person in this region uses 111 gallons of water per day. The program offers ideas for college students to reduce their use in every day activities. The District says they are not asking people to go…

Hotels and motels in both Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa saved 35 million gallons of water during 2004 while participating in the Southwest Florida Water Management District water conservation program known as Water C.H.A.M.P. or Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program.Based on City of Tampa and Hillsborough County potable water rates, that translates into more than $180,000 in savings per year to participating hoteliers.The Water C.H.A.M.P. is a “linens…