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District scientists continue to see increases in seagrass in Tampa Bay, which is an indicator of water quality. Scientists with the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM program, released the results of its 2016 seagrass mapping study showing Tampa Bay now supports 41,655 acres of seagrass beds. This increase continues the success of the previous mapping efforts reported in 2015, supporting the largest amount of seagrass measured since the 1950s…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a public open house to gather input on future conservation land purchases.The District is evaluating properties that may be eligible for purchase under the Florida Forever Program.The public is invited to attend an open house Oct. 1, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Tampa Service Office, 7601 U.S. Hwy. 301 in Tampa. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective…

Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) "Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM program":https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/swim/, released the results of their 2014 seagrass mapping study showing Tampa Bay now supports 40,295 acres of seagrass beds, the largest amount of seagrass measured since the 1950s. This increase in seagrass has now surpassed the recovery goal of 38,000 acres bay…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a public open house to gather input on future conservation land purchases.The District is evaluating properties that may be eligible for purchase under the Florida Forever Program.The public is invited to attend an open house Sept. 24, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Headquarters, 2379 Broad St., in Brooksville. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective properties…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a public open house to gather input on future conservation land purchases.The District is evaluating properties that may be eligible for purchase under the Florida Forever Program.The public is invited to attend an open house Sept. 23, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Bartow Service Office, 170 Century Blvd. in Bartow. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board voted today to approve the 2025 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP). The District’s RWSP provides a framework for future water management decisions and demonstrates how water demands can be met through 2045 using a combination of alternative water sources, fresh groundwater and water conservation measures. Updated every five years, the RWSP…

Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ "Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/swim/ released the results of the 2012 seagrass mapping study showing a 4.4 percent increase in seagrass coverage in Charlotte Harbor. The District maps seagrass in five estuaries spanning the five coastal counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Hampton Tract, including closed area tracts at Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County, will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 18-20.Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 30 permits for these hunts have been sold.The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Hampton Tract is located at 14301 Rock Ridge Road in Lakeland.This activity is one of a series…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 4-6.Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 25 permits for this hunt have been sold.Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon.This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage…

Region at highest alert level and subject to modified Phase IV water restrictionsThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted to enact Modified Phase IV (or Critical) Water Shortage restrictions for potable water use in the Tampa Bay Water service area. These are the District’s highest level of water shortage measures.The Tampa Bay Water’s six member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Oct. 28-30.Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 10 permits for these hunts have been sold.Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia.This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage being caused…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Alston Tract at Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Oct. 28-30Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 11 permits for these hunts have been sold.Alston Tract is located at 42144 Deems Road in Zephyrhills.This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extendedthe water shortage emergency order issued Aug. 13 for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s reservoir and two Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wellfields to help protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents.An executive order signed Wednesday will allow the Authority to continue to…

In anticipation of the impacts of Hurricane Matthew, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently lowering several lake levels to provide for additional storage in the event the District's region receives heavy rains. In Polk County, levels are being lowered in Lakes Hancock, Arietta, Fannie, Smart and Lena. In Highlands County Lake June-in-Winter is being lowered.As a precautionary measure, the District has closed Cow House Creek, structure S-163, in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extended the water shortage emergency order for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents. The order is now scheduled to expire on June 25, 2008 unless it is rescinded or extended by Districts Governing Board or executive director. The order was slated to expire April 19, 2008.The executive order (…

      Left: Margit Crowell, District senior hydrologist, uses GIS technology to locate residents’ property in relation to the dam flood inundation area. Right: Lesley Touchton, District emergency operations coordinator, shows a resident his property on the Medard Reservoir Dam flood map. Three sirens were recently installed downstream of the Medard Reservoir as an additional safety measure for the unlikely event of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Edward W. Chance Reserve - Gilley Creek Tract in Manatee County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 4-6.Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 12 permits for these hunts have been sold.The Edward W. Chance Reserve - Gilley Creek Tract is located at 22310 CR 675 in Parrish.This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District…

With more than 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has developed the Water 101 campaign, a program to educate new and existing residents as well as communities about how they can help protect local water resources and save water and money.Water is a limited resource in Florida that we all play a role in protecting, which makes it important to understand your personal impact. The choices you make as a homeowner…

Twenty Sumter County Advanced Placement high school students recently visited the District to learn about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers. Students learned how to bridge the gap between high school and a successful STEM career. The students visited four stations and learned about GIS & permitting, land management and the District’s chemistry lab. Students used computers to map and model an existing stormwater pond in…