Search Content

Drawdowns in aquifer levels in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), due primarily to groundwater withdrawals, have contributed to lowered lake levels in the Ridge Lakes area which extends roughly 90 miles along the center of the state in… Read more

Students and teachers from Twin Lakes Elementary in Tampa were honored today with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Hillsborough River Basin Board.The board chose the Twin Lakes Elementary “Water Everywhere, Put It First, Make It Last” project to receive the Water Stewardship Award because of the student involvement. The school used a District grant to educate and engage students in water resources by planting a… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org and Manatee County are giving residents a chance to learn about local water resource issues and how to make a difference during the Manatee County Extension Water School.The District believes citizens need to become actively engaged in water-related issues including conservation, protection and preservation. The school motivates communities to get involved in protecting their water resources. The… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday renewed a water use permit (WUP) for Rolling Oaks Utilities in Citrus County.The annual average permitted quantity is 2.5 million gallons of water per day.The utility provides potable water to the Beverly Hills service area, which is approximately six miles east of Crystal River.The permit requires the city to investigate the feasibility of using reclaimed water or other alternative water supply sources… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,937 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness… Read more

District actions regarding issuance or denial of a permit, petition or qualification for exemption, only become closed to future legal challenges if third parties have been properly notified and no third party objects within a specific period.Noticing of Agency ActionNotification of third parties is provided through publication of certain information in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties where the proposed activities are to occur. Publication of… Read more

April 2023 Q:  What is a spring? A:  A spring occurs when groundwater that is under pressure flows through natural cracks in the aquifer and creates a natural opening in the ground. The pressure causes the water to flow from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. Our groundwater is the result of seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground and into the aquifer. Springs can occur as an individual vent but more often as… Read more

Sixteen Pasco 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 communication coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’s school… Read more

Citrus 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 Citrus County awardees are:* Marla Gangler, *Hernando Elementary*, was awarded $1,141. Students will study the effects of pollution on the aquifer by collecting and analyzing water samples.* Zachary Leonard, *Citrus Springs Middle*, was… Read more

Students at Sumter Alternative School will learn about freshwater habitats in Florida thanks to a "Splash! school grant":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The goal of the Splash! school grant program is to provide teachers with funding to enhance student knowledge of topics that meet the District's core mission and teach students about their local watersheds, water conservation, quality and supply.… Read more

Sarasota County students at eight 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 Sarasota County awardees are:* Celestine Campbell, *Emma E. Booker Elementary*, was awarded $1,070. On a field trip to Emerson Point Preserve, students will learn about the habitats and wildlife adaptations of an estuary. They will… Read more

City of Lakeland Water Utilities customers are still eligible to participate in a toilet rebate program aimed at conserving water.The toilet rebate program, which is cooperatively funded by the city and the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Alafia River, Peace River and Hillsborough River Basin Boards, offers rebates to replace high-volume toilets with water-efficient, low-flow toilets or high-efficiency toilets. Low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush or less… Read more

Pasco County students at six 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 Pasco County awardees are:* Donna Hoaque Koljeski, *Energy and Marine Center*, was awarded $2,700. Students will learn what a watershed is and how humans contribute to pollution entering a watershed. Through literature and hands-on… Read more

!{SITE_ROOT}image/type/MaxWidth/max/300/id/909/!Region moves from critical to extreme water shortageThe Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted to reduce the water restrictions in the Tampa Bay Water service area from Modified Phase IV (or Critical) toModified Phase III (or Extreme) for potable water use.The… Read more

Your Questions Answered  April 2022 Q:  What is a spring? A:  A spring occurs when groundwater that is under pressure flows through natural cracks in the aquifer and creates a natural opening in the ground. The pressure causes the water to flow from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. Our groundwater is the result of seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground and into the aquifer. Springs can occur as an… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be performing tests and possible maintenance on its P-5 water control structure during the next ten days. The structure is the outfall for Lake Henry, which discharges into Lake Hamilton in Polk County.A routine inspection showed some seepage, indicating the structure may require some repairs. Upcoming tests will determine if any part of the structure needs to be repaired or replaced.“These testing procedures will help… Read more

Polk County is taking a lead in water conservation as nearly a dozen cities pass laws requiring new homes to be built more water efficient.  As the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) works to develop alternative water supplies to meet the region’s projected water supply deficit, many of the PRWC’s 16 municipalities have adopted the ordinances. The City of Eagle Lake became the 10th Polk County city to pass an ordinance since 2018 requiring newly constructed… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday renewed and modified a water use permit (WUP) for the City of Wauchula, which is located in Hardee County.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 1,110,000 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 1,236,500 gpd, which is an increase of 126,500 gpd.The increase in quantity is based on an estimated increase in… Read more

Low water levels on Lake Panasoffkee have resulted in the growth of desirable native aquatic plants in more than 80% of the lake bottom according to state environmental scientists. The state agencies include the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council has been in the process of dredging approximately eight million cubic… Read more

Your Questions Answered April 2019 April is Springs Protection Awareness Month, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District is committed to protecting the more than 200 springs within the District. To raise awareness about the importance of these natural treasures, Chief Environmental Scientist Dr. Chris Anastasiou answers some commonly asked questions about our springs. Q:  What is a spring? A:… Read more