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The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board has approved a contract for the purchase of a significant portion of the eastern bank of the Rainbow River. The parcel proposed for acquisition consists of nearly 115 acres and includes nearly a half mile of river frontage. The contract also contains provisions to protect an additional 620 feet of shoreline associated with existing private landholdings.Rainbow Springs is the largest first magnitude…

The District encourages water conservation by partnering with local governments to provide high-efficiency toilet rebate programs.Most offer up to a $100 rebate when residents replace inefficient toilets with high-efficiency models. The District splits the cost with participating local governments and utilities. Commercial/institutional properties could also be eligible for a grant from the District’s WISE program.To find out more…

  Teams of students tackle questions at the recent 2012 Nature Coast Envirothon at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park. They examined soil, measured trees and got a close look at a snake.   The hands-on tasks were part of the 2012 Nature Coast Envirothon at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell where 260 high school students competed. The competition is a problem-solving, natural resources education program…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.Saturday night we will "spring forward," and turn our clocks ahead one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure your irrigation system timer is set correctly to ensure your system operates consistently with current water restrictions.As a…

The cooler months of January and February are the perfect time to train your lawn to need less water. During cooler temperatures, grass does not need as much water. Research has found your lawn only needs approximately ½” to ¾” of water every other week during the winter. Additionally, you should stick to watering your lawn only when it needs it. Some signs that your lawn needs water:

• grass blades are folding in half on 30% of your lawn.
• …

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently purchased land along the Rainbow River that will help protect the Rainbow Spring run. The District purchased a significant portion of the eastern bank of the Rainbow River and the Governing Board approved this contract at the March meeting.  “Evaluating environmentally sensitive acquisition opportunities and leveraging partnership dollars is a critical strategy in the District’s Strategic Plan” said…

 

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents to turn off their irrigation systems after it rains.During the winter months your lawn only needs water one-half to three-quarters of an inch every 10 to 14 days.Because the area is experiencing below-normal rainfall and groundwater conditions, the need to conserve is greater than ever. Outdoor water use can account for up to fifty percent of residential water use.“Many homeowners have a rain…

From top: (1) The restoration site prior to the cleanup. (2) Raymond Chen and other volunteers show off the coins he found. (3) Using a track hoe, Jason Wadsworth of J. D. Sunny Isle removes exotics. (4) Lisa Henningsen, District staff environmental scientist, and Bill Lewelling, District hydrologist, stand near a dumpster of trash collected during the cleanup. Eighty-five people answered the call for volunteers to help remove mountains of tires, television…

A cooperatively funded project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Sarasota County will develop a computer model to determine how much pollution is entering the countys surface waters.The model will estimate how much pollution will result from proposed land development designs, estimate the effectiveness of projects, and relate pollutant loads to water quality. This model will help the District and the county with efforts to improve the water quality…

Does the District forecast river flooding?The District does not forecast river flooding. We refer to the Southeast River Forecast Center, an agency of the National Weather Service. The public can use their interactive map to view forecast locations experiencing flooding and links to detailed forecast information. The National Weather Service also establishes flood stage categories and thresholds. While local news sources…

Extremely low water supplies in storage as region enters dry seasonThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to tighten water restrictions for all of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.The Governing Board has enacted these additional measures at the request of Tampa Bay Water, the region’s wholesale water supplier. Tampa Bay Water requested the District’s assistance because its water supplies have not returned to…

During cooler months in fall and winter, your lawn doesn’t need watering every week. It’s the best time to train your yard to need less water! So only water your lawn every other week and only if it needs it. Too much irrigation…

• Makes your lawn less able to survive droughts
• Encourages pests and disease
• Wastes water

How much is enough?

• Grass doesn’t need as much water in the cooler months
• Apply 1/2" to 3/4" of water
…

It’s official. District employees in Tampa now have a new home. While the subject of maintaining flood control structures caught the nation’s attention after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, structures have always been at the top of the District’s priorities. Flood protection is one of the District’s areas of responsibility. The District’s goal is to minimize the potential for damage from floods by protecting and restoring the natural water storage and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents to turn off their irrigation systems after this weekend’s rain.Outdoor water use can account for up to fifty percent of residential water use.“Many homeowners have a rain sensor shut-off device, which can be programmed to shut off an irrigation system when half an inch of rain has fallen,” said Sylvia Durell, Florida-friendly landscaping project manager. “Those homeowners who don’t have one should…

h3. Old World climbing fern threatening the Green SwampWith threats from new invasive plants and animal species continuing to rise in Florida, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is battling to keep a new invasive vine from infesting the "Green Swamp(Interactive Green Swamp)":/education/interactive/greenswamp/greenswamp.html."Old World climbing fern(Old World Climbing Fern)":/projects/invasives/old-world-fern.php…

TheSumter County Extension Office will receive a $5,000 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for its “Watering Smart- Living Green in The Villages” project.This project will target new residents of The Villages. Each month, 60 to 80 new residents will attend irrigation awareness workshops and receive hands-on instruction in setting and maintaining their sprinkler systems. Additional residents will be reached through a…

With the hustle and bustle of the season, there’s one thing residents can skip on their “to do” list watering their lawns.Faced with an increasingly severe drought, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to “skip a week” during the cooler months to save water.“Over-watering makes your lawn less drought tolerant and can encourage disease and pests,” said Sylvia Durell,…