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Students at Cedar Key School in Levy County will learn about water quality 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. Splash! school… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday renewed and modified a water use permit (WUP) for Bartow.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities for the city. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 4,445,800 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 7,900,000 gpd, which is an increase of 3,454,200 gpd.The quantity was increased to meet current and future water demands for the residential and commercial… 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

Shephard’s Beach Resort has signed up to become the 400th establishment to participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water CHAMP).As a Water CHAMP property, the popular Clearwater Beach resort agrees to participate in the District’s linen and towel reuse program. By implementing the program, the hotel or motel management agrees to launder linens every third day of a guest… Read more

Your Questions AnsweredJuly 2019The Withlacoochee River is one of the longest and most scenic rivers in the state. As Florida’s third largest river that winds through eight counties, there are many myths about this mighty river. Mark Fulkerson, Ph.D., P.E., Senior Professional Engineer, clarifies some common misconceptions about this 160-mile waterway.Q: Why does the Withlacoochee River run north? Don’t most rivers flow south?A… Read more

Representatives from the Citrus County Aquatic Services were honored today with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board.The board chose the Citrus County Aquatic Services’ ‘Moccasin Slough Water Conveyance Canal’ project to receive the Water Stewardship Award because the project entails the restoration of a “once natural” water conveyance area that, after several decades, had… Read more

Tammy Antoine, Employee Committee president, and Maureen McNiff, customer relationships manager, present the Shining Star award to Donna Brooks, senior administrative assistant (center). For Donna Brooks, multitasking is more than a catchy phrase, it’s a way of life for this busy mom and community volunteer. This Shining Star has been with the District for more than 15 years and works in the Information Resources Department as a senior… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized five Hernando 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… Read more

  For Trisha Neasman, growing up was anything but ordinary. Raised in a military family, Neasman has lived in a variety of places, including New Jersey, Mississippi, Texas and Japan. “Moving around helped me to become more independent and allowed me to experience living in cities of all sizes,” said Neasman. With each move, she embraced all that each city had to offer. Her favorite place to live was in Lorman, Mississippi, where her father was a… Read more

We continue recognizing Water Conservation Month with more ways to save water and money. There are many simple steps you can take to save water outdoors. Typically, outdoor water use accounts for about 50 percent of water consumed by households.  Eliminate Leaks Did you know that even a small leak can waste 300 or more gallons of water per month? Check for the following leaks outdoors:

• Water faucets, hoses and connectors…

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Eighteen Polk 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’s school… Read more

 Acquired jointly between the District and Hillsborough County, this property is managed by the Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department. The natural communities on the property include freshwater marshes, riverine floodplains, pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub and oak hammocks. The property supports a variety of wildlife species due to the diversity… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday modified a water use permit (WUP) for the City of Wildwood in Sumter County.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 2,137,200 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 4,980,000 gpd, which is an increase of 2,842,800 gpd.The increase in quantity is based on an estimated increase in population and commercial development… Read more

Drawdowns in aquifer levels in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), due primarily to groundwater withdrawals, are affecting rates of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan aquifer along the coast, especially in the Most Impacted… Read more

 The Weekiwachee Preserve is part of a regional system of conservation lands that extend up to Crystal River Buffer Preserve, preserving the southernmost coastal hardwood hammock in western Florida. The preserve provides a rich mosaic of habitats including several miles of Weeki Wachee River frontage, portions of the Mud River, dense hardwood swamps, freshwater and saltwater marshes, and pine-covered sandhills. The preserve is best known for its Florida black bear… Read more

When Wayne Rubow designed his new Citrus County home, he wanted water conservation to be a central concept of the design. Inside, he chose low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets. He installed water-efficient appliances like a dishwasher and washing machine. Outside, his landscape has no grass and no irrigation, instead opting for plants that require little water. "Water is a very important aspect of our conservation," Rubow said. "I just wanted to give… Read more

h2. Learn About Polk County's Natural Resources at Circle B Bar ReservePolk county residents and families are invited to attend the 2011 Water, Wings & Wild Things Nature Fest at "Circle B Bar Reserve(Circle B Bar Reserve)":/recreation/areas/circlebbarreserve.html. The free, annual event takes place Saturday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The nature festival lets families learn about local natural resources and nature-based recreational opportunities. Presentations,… Read more

Eight Hillsborough County projects expected to reach more than 175,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.… Read more

Representatives from the Pinellas County Highway Department were honored today with a Water Stewardship Award from the Southwest Florida Water Management’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.The board chose the Pinellas County Highway Department’s “McMullen Booth Road at Curlew regional Mitigation Facility” project because the former spoil site is in Pinellas County adjacent to the Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal. Although the project is permitted for… Read more

h2. _Public Meeting Scheduled This Month_The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.watermatters.org will begin monthly audible testing in July of an emergency siren located at a water control structure on Jack Creek in Lake Placid. The siren was installed as an additional safety measure in the unlikely event of an emergency that could result in the failure of the water control structure. The structure, located on Jack Creek at 1152 Peachtree Drive,… Read more