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Benefits to builders and owners

• Saves an estimated $530 on utility bills annually, adding up to water savings of up to 48,291 gallons in one year per home
• Increases home values by approximately $10,000; per The Appraisal Journal, home values typically increase by $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills
• Provides free marking support through customizable company brochures, plaques for homeowner display and free real estate staff training
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  If you have young children, you may have already heard the District’s fresh perspective on water resources issues. Annaliese Delgado is the District’s “kidcaster” on Radio Disney. She is featured in 60-second water education reports on topics like conservation, sustainability and Florida-friendly landscaping. The reports will air three times a day each weekend through January 1, 2006. “Using a kidcaster to report on our area’s water resources will help…

Florida’s summer weather can change fast. One minute the sun is out, the next a heavy rainstorm rolls through. That’s why we encourage a simple but powerful habit:Watch the weather. Wait to water.If your lawn has already received enough rain, there’s no need to run your irrigation system. Just turn it off and turn it back on only when your yard actually needs it.Why this small habit makes a big impactSaving water can be as easy as paying attention to the weather forecast.…

Michelle Hopkins is a water resources engineer with more than 30 years of experience in both the private and public sector. As director of the Regulation Division, Hopkins oversees the District’s permitting and compliance sections that support the Environmental Resource Permit, Water Use Permit and Well Construction Permit programs. She is also responsible for overseeing the…

*_District urges conservation during moderate drought_*This year's drier than normal conditions following last year's below average rainfall have caused low water levels throughout the Southwest Florida Water Management District."We are currently in a moderate drought District-wide, with our northern region more heavily affected," said Granville Kinsman, District Hydrologic Data manager. "Dry conditions are expected to last until June, so further declines are anticipated."…

District introduces new color-coded map to identify water shortage levelsDespite some recent rainfall, a continuing drought is keeping the 16 counties of the Southwest Florida Water Management District on a Water Shortage Alert. The District identifies four possible levels of water shortage, beginning with “moderate” and increasing in intensity through “severe,” “extreme” and “critical.”With river flows, aquifer levels, and…

Today, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of a perpetual conservation easement of more than 1,088 acres of Triangle Ranch in Manatee County, in the upper Myakka River watershed. This action will prevent future development on this property by securing $2 million toward the purchase of the conservation agreement, and is a key part in the permanent protection of this important piece of land. "The Board's action today…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to extendthe current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, until Nov. 30.The water shortage order, which was declared by the District’s Executive Director David L. Moore, went into effect Jan. 16 and was slated to expire July 31. It was…

District partnering with Sarasota County on purchaseThe Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has approved a purchase from Mabry Carlton Ranch, Inc. that will provide added conservation protection to more than 12,000 acres as part of the Districts Myakkahatchee Creek project.The District already owns a conservation easement for 4,746 acres and is now purchasing the remaining title to those conservation lands. In addition, the District is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of a perpetual conservation easement for a 300-acre parcel of land located within the District’s Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve. This property will be added to the 142,000 acres protected by the District through ownership or conservation easements within the preserve.The conservation easement is being purchased for $1.125 million with funds from the Florida Forever Trust…

The purpose of the Agricultural and Green Industry Advisory Committee (AGIAC) is to provide professional and technical input into District programs and activities.  This includes regulatory programs, rule revisions, water conservation activities, water resource planning, water resource and supply development projects, research and other water resource management projects that relate to the agricultural and green industries. Subject matter considered by the…

The "Southeast Region(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region)":http://www.fws.gov/southeast of the "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)":http://www.fws.gov has recognized the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ for its part in the Three Sisters Springs land acquisition project.Eric Sutton, District Land Resources director, and Gary Williams, District senior environmental scientist,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, Hernando County and the developers of Hickory Hill signed an agreement to work together to bring reclaimed water to the proposed Hickory Hill community.The project includes the design, permitting and construction of a reclaimed water storage and transmission system, which will involve constructing a one-million-gallon ground storage tank, two pump stations, three lined retention ponds and 31,000 linear feet of reclaimed water…

The District has launched a new 50 percent cost share reimbursement program to support water conservation projects Districtwide. Known as WISE, the Water Incentives Supporting Efficiency program will award applicants up to $20,000 to implement projects that help reduce water use and protect the region’s water resources. WISE offers an alternative funding opportunity to water users that do not typically take part in the District’s Cooperative Funding Initiative (CFI…

It is the intent of the District Governing Board that environmental criteria be implemented in a manner that achieves a goal of no net loss of wetlands or other surface water functions (unless otherwise exempted by statute or rule). (Condensed and modified from Environmental Resource Permit Information Manual, Part B – Basis of Review, Chapter Three – Environmental) Wetlands serve as spawning, nursery and feeding habitats for many species of fish and…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's executive director":http://www.watermatters.org declared an emergency order to increase "water restrictions":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/swfwmd.php including limiting lawn watering to once per week in the Tampa Bay area due to continued drought conditions.Executive Director Blake Guillory declared a "Modified Phase II emergency water shortage order":http://swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/…

Five counties within the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/16-county region are now under a Modified "Phase III":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/phase3.php water shortage order due to below normal rainfall this winter.The District's Governing Board voted today to declare the Phase III order for northern counties in the District's region which are: Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, and Sumter as well as the City…