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A two-year project aimed at measuring the effectiveness of the McIntosh Park enhanced stormwater treatment wetland (ESTW) is about to begin. The ESTW is a cooperatively funded project completed by Southwest Florida Water Management District, Plant City and Hillsborough County.Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. has been contracted to monitor the water quality and flow rates at the McIntosh Park ESTW, which removes sediment and pollutants from a 6,000-acre watershed that drains… Read more

Developing the 2015 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) involved sharing information and obtaining input from stakeholders and the public concerning demand projections, future water availability, potential environmental constraints, and potential water supply projects to provide for demands across all water use sectors. During 2015, the public was invited to workshops about the draft RWSP listed below.

• May 28: PUBLIC INFO WORKSHOP – SWFWMD Headquarters, 2379…

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In honor of Springs Protection Awareness Month, Madison Trowbridge shares what it’s like to be a springs scientist at the District, the important work she does and why she loves it. When I was a kid, I decided to be a scientist after our teacher read us a story about the famous marine biologist, Sylvia Earle. I pictured myself on a research vessel in the middle of the ocean, writing down measurements on a notepad. Many years later, I did become a… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District moved one step closer to more effectively measuring how efficiently utility customers are using water.Last week, the District’s Governing Board approved proposed rules that standardize Districtwide public supply per capita and related reporting requirements, which currently are in place in the southern eight counties of the District known as the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA.)The Governing Board voted in January… Read more

Fifty-two Hillsborough County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Hillsborough County to the strong partnership with Hillsborough County Schools. Four school district staff serve as the District's liaisons to teachers: Pam Caffery, middle school… Read more

Details The Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project involves replacing the P-11 Water Conservation Structure that was built in 1963. The new structure will allow the District to maintain higher lake levels, increasing the elevation from 98.7 feet above sea level to 100 feet (NGVD 29). The proposed normal operating level of 100 feet was determined to be the approximate historical level… Read more

Excellence in Engineering Florida’s five water management districts were recently honored as national “trendsetters” for irrigation conservation issues. The Irrigation Association collectively recognized all five of Florida’s water management districts by presenting the districts with the association’s 2002 National Water & Energy Conservation Award. The award was presented at the international organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans. “The work done in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a new District policy to further incorporate a commitment to superior environmental stewardship and efficiency into the District’s day-to-day operations in support of the state’s Climate Change Initiative.Last July, Governor Crist signed several executive orders establishing Florida’s energy policy. These executive orders call for all state agencies to implement plans to reduce… Read more

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. 12-14.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… Read more

Left to right: Pinky Mathew retrieves samples from storage. Jackie Robbins prepares samples for testing for alkalinity concentrations. Matt Jablonski loads the auto sampler for the Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrophotometer. Ron Lubosco configures the auto analyzer that tests for nitrogen concentrations. The District’s chemistry laboratory recently ranked No. 1 overall in a study that tested the quality of several laboratories in the southeast region of the… Read more

Much progress has been made to restore Sarasota Bay since it was designated an "estuary of national significance" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1987. That same year, the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program was formed and remains very active today. It is one of three cooperative partnerships along Florida’s Gulf Coast that includes local communities, researchers and government agencies all… Read more

The Chassahowitzka Springs form the headwaters of the Chassahowitzka River in the town of Homosassa. It is considered one of the more scenic rivers in Florida as it flows nearly seven miles through mostly undeveloped area before discharging into the Gulf of America near the Citrus and Hernando County border. Most of the lands adjacent to the river are in public ownership, meaning they will retain much of their natural beauty for generations to come.… Read more

Your Questions Answered December 2021 Q: Why does the District issue permits? A: Water is a public resource that belongs to all of us. However, fresh water is not limitless. Excessive water withdrawals can harm the resources. Other human activities also pose threats. Without the proper safeguards for wetlands, floodplain encroachment and stormwater runoff can cause pollution and flooding. District permitting… Read more

Left: The group toured the tailwater recovery system at Strawberry Red Ranch. Top right:Bill Orendorff, FARMS Program manager, describes the tailwater recovery project to the group. Bottom right: Glenn Harrell of Harrell’s Nursery, right, speaks with Bruce Wirth, District deputy executive director. District Governing Board and staff members got a firsthand look at ways to reduce the use of groundwater for freeze protection during a recent tour of agricultural… Read more

Scientists with the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program are optimistic about an overall increase in the growth of seagrass in Tampa Bay, as well as nearby Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor and St. Joseph Sound. Seagrass generally grows in waters less than six feet deep and is an important barometer of a bay’s health because it requires relatively clean water to flourish. Seagrass beds serve as “nurseries of the bay,” sheltering and… Read more

Sixty-nine Hillsborough County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’… Read more

 In nearly every part of the home, there are ways to save water. If we don’t conserve, we’re pouring water and money down the drain.Each person in our region uses about 111 gallons of water per day. You can reduce your water consumption by taking just a few simple steps at home. For example, there are many ways to conserve water in the laundry room: 

• When doing your laundry, pretreat stains to avoid rewashing.
• Choose the right setting for water…

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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 5.3 percent increase in seagrass coverage in Tampa Bay. This is the fourth consecutive survey to show increases for the Tampa Bay system. The study also shows gains in Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbor. The… Read more

Governing Board urges water conservationDespite normal rainfall in April, west-central Florida remains abnormally dry. The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board is urging residents to continue conserving the water resources.Since January 2006, the District has accumulated more than a 15-inch rainfall deficit. As a result, lake levels are below their annual low levels and rivers are flowing below normal ranges.Last month, the Governing Board declared… Read more

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… Read more