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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is celebrating the signing of the 300th establishment to participate in the District’s award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites on North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa became the 300th establishment to come on board with Water C.H.A.M.P., the District’s linens and towels reuse program. By implementing the program, the hotel or motel management agrees to…

Won-Seok Kim, University of South Florida graduate student, second from left; Jeff Cunningham, USF assistant professor, third from left; and Anthony Andrade, District senior water conservation analyst, fourth from left, meet with the South Korean delegation at the USF Marshall Student Center. A delegation from the Environmental Research Institute of South Korea, the country’s equivalent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, toured Pinellas County, Dunedin…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a modification to the water use permit (WUP) for Marion County Utilities.The modification to the existing water use permit increases quantities for public supply to an interconnected service area along State Road 200, Dunnellon Airport and JB Ranch. The new permit is for an annual average quantity of 3,774,000 gallons per day (gpd), which is an increase of 454,925 gpd or 13.7 percent.The…

Marion County students at two schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Marion County awardees are:* Thomas Allison, *Dunnellon Middle*, was awarded $2,390. Students will visit the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers to test water quality. Students will learn how human actions affect the flora and fauna on the…

A building at the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Tampa Service Office(Google map)":http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=7601+US+301,+Tampa,+FL+33637, is the first water management district building to be certified under the "Florida Water StarSM(Florida Water Star)":/conservation/florida_water_star commercial standard. It's also only the second government building in the state to be certified.Building 2 on…

On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board adopted a $231.6 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025, including $86.6 million for Cooperative Funding Initiatives and District grants for water resources projects.The budget reflects the District’s commitment to protect Florida’s water resources and to improve Florida’s economic vitality. Some of the key initiatives in the District’s FY2025 budget include: 

• $76.5 million…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinth and water lettuce on Shell and Prairie creeks upstream of the Henderson Dam during the week of November 16-20. Treatment involves the spot application of the aquatic herbicide Reward to scattered infestations. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions. Treated river water should not be used for drinking, watering livestock…

Hillsborough County students at 34 schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Hillsborough County awardees are:* Christine Lindbak, *Alonso High*, was awarded $2,150. Students will learn about the Hillsborough River watershed and then conduct water quality tests while on a field trip to the Crystal Springs…

Hotels and motels can celebrate National Tourism Week by signing up to participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s successful water conservation program known as Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)National Tourism Week is May 13 through May 20. According to VISIT FLORIDA, the states official tourism marketing organization, approximately 85.8 million people visited the state last year. That translates to more than $57…

Nine Marion County teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Marion County to the…

A Southwest Florida Water Management District employee who has devoted his career to reclaimed water has received national recognition for his dedication.Anthony Andrade, a project manager and senior water conservation analyst, was named the “WateReuse Person of the Year” for 2006. The award was presented at the 2006 WateReuse Symposium, which was held jointly by the WateReuse Association, American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation (…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Susan Kelly, director of the Sumter County Extension, for her role in promoting water resources education through the Lake Panasoffkee Celebration. A total of 26 projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.Through a 2007 Community Education Grant, the Sumter County Extension held this one-day community event that focused on…

More than 700 of the best and brightest minds in water reuse met in Tampa this September to take part in the 22nd Annual WateReuse Symposium, which focused on water reuse and desalination. This is the first time the WateReuse Association has held its annual event in the Tampa Bay area. The association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the beneficial and efficient use of water resources through education, sound science and technology using…

Are stormwater systems designed to withstand a 100-year flood event? In some circumstances, permitted stormwater systems are designed to manage a 100-year, 24-hour rainfall event. In what is called a “closed” drainage basin, stormwater ponds must not only limit the rate of discharge to the pre-development 25-year, 24-hour rate, but they must also be designed to limit the volume of discharge to the pre-development 100-year, 24-hour…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized eight Pinellas 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…

Susan Douglas, Florida Water StarSM program coordinator, presents employee Fred Hartless with his Florida Water StarSM certificate. Hartless is the first District employee to earn the certification. For every drop of water conserved, Fred Hartless knows more money will stay in his wallet. That’s why Hartless made sure his new Wesley Chapel home was water efficient. He recently made it official by becoming the first District employee to get his home…

Five Hernando 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 Hernando County to the strong partnership with Hernando County Schools. Jeff Yungmann, curriculum supervisor for Hernando County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped…

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…

Six Highlands County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Highlands County to the strong partnership with Highlands County Schools. Dorothea Strickland, Highlands County science curriculum specialist, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped get the word out."The District recognizes…