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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 Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of North Port are working together on an innovative alternative water supply project that will allow the city to use the Myakkahatchee Creek as a year-round water supply source, improving the quality of drinking water to customers and providing a more reliable water supply to the city and the region.The project includes the design, permitting and construction of a facility with river bank filtration (RBF) and…

This reclaimed water project reduces groundwater pumping and wastewater nutrient loading in the Crystal River/Kings Bay springshed. Project Overview The project provides highly treated wastewater, known as reclaimed water, from the City of Crystal River to the Duke Energy power plant in Citrus County. Infrastructure was built to transport all reclaimed water from the City of Crystal River’s wastewater sprayfield to the Duke Energy power generation complex, located west…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized four Sarasota County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by…

The Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area (NTB WUCA) includes all of Pinellas and Pasco counties, and the majority of Hillsborough County.  Project DescriptionThe Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area (NTB WUCA) was initially established in 1989 and expanded in 2007 to protect water resources from adverse impacts from groundwater withdrawals and from rapid growth and development pressures in the region. The majority of groundwater use in the NTB WUCA is for…

The purpose of the Public Supply Advisory Committee (PSAC) 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 environment. Subject matter considered by the PSAC shall relate to the statutory duties and…

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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is offering six easy ways to prepare for your holiday meals and travel without running up your water bill.During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from preparing your food to prepping your home for time away during this festive season. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday plans:

• Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over…

Your Questions Answered August 2019 Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. Chris Reed, Land Management Manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, explains why the District’s prescribed burn efforts are critical to keeping Florida’s ecosystem in balance. Q: What is a…

Each year, the District conducts annual surveys of public and private potable water suppliers. These surveys are an important source of data and information that are used to support the District’s water resource programs and initiatives, including water supply planning, water use permitting and water conservation.2024 Public Supply Annual Reports (PSARs)Getting Started: Data Validation

• Review your service area map- The quality of population estimates depends on the…

  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 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":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 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…

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…

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.
• …