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The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday modified a water use permit (WUP) for the City of Lake Wales.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 3,797,300 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 3,821,000 gpd, which is an increase of 23,700 gpd.The quantity was increased because the city began providing potable water to the Waverly service area, which used to…

Seven Sumter 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 Sumter County to the strong partnership with Sumter County Schools. Christine Burk, career academy specialist for Sumter County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped…

Hernando 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 Hernando County awardees are:* David Peitzman, *Gulf Coast Academy of Science*, was awarded $1,520. Students will visit several river and spring locations to test water quality and learn about human impacts to Florida's diverse…

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,…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard Tuesday renewed and modified a water use permit for Haines City.The permit is being issued for a term of 20 years for 5.9 million gallons per day.The increased quantities are based on population projections, which are predicted to increase from 27,233 to 44,858 people over the next 20 years. The permit term reflects the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $113,138 in grants to 52 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…

A Ruskin community recently celebrated the grand opening of a new clubhouse and playground, but its Florida Water Star℠ (FWS) homes are another reason leaders are celebrating.  Bayou Pass Village 4 recently held a dedication of its newest facilities. The community is the product of the Florida Home Partnership, a nonprofit organization that strives to create affordable housing for low income families. Bayou Pass homes achieve FWS certification. FWS is a…

Twelve Hernando 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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today approved a modification that increases the amount of water Haines City can withdraw per day.The modification increased the citys permitted withdrawals from 3.83 million gallons per day (mgd) to 5.71 mgd. The increases are needed because of an increase in population.Nine wells are associated with this modified permit. Two of the wells are currently agricultural wells and will be retrofitted for public…

This property was acquired to protect and preserve natural water resources and the water quality of the Withlacoochee River, Gum Slough and associated tributaries. The Withlacoochee River, Gum Slough and Gum Springs Run are located adjacent to the property and were designated Outstanding Florida Waters in 1989. Gum Slough is a four-mile-long spring run that flows into the Withlacoochee River. The water in Gum Slough comes from several springs, which makes it…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Tarpon Springs are working on a project that will increase reclaimed water storage, allowing the city to effectively manage reclaimed water production and supply throughout the year while adding more reclaimed water customers.The project consists of the design and construction of a 3-million-gallon ground storage tank and the piping needed to efficiently control flow of reclaimed water from the plant to the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Brenda Rogers from the Manatee County Extension for organizing the Manatee County Water School. A total of 26 water resources education projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.The 2008 Manatee County Water School reached 50 community, county and municipal decision-makers. The two-day educational program included a…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday passed a resolution proclaiming Sept. 9-15 as “Water Reuse Week.”By declaring “Water Reuse Week,” the District joins the Governor’s office and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in an effort to promote water reuse and the need for water conservation.Water reuse is a key component in meeting the current and future water needs of the region.Water reuse…

The Alafia River is a major tributary of Tampa Bay. Conservation of the lands along the Alafia River will protect the river, its floodplain and wildlife habitat for future generations. The river’s natural floodplain is a mixture of hardwood swamps and upland hammocks. Trails meander through natural areas as well as areas that were formerly phosphate mine pits, which are mostly revegetated. Jointly purchased by the District and Hillsborough County, the property is managed…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Monday renewed and modified a water use permit (WUP) for the Town of Lake Placid, which is located in Highlands County.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 753,600 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 1,192,000 gpd, which is an increase of 438,400 gpd.The increase in quantity is based on an estimated increase in…

Rutter Earns Professional Certification Roger Rutter, a tradesworker at the District Headquarters in Brooksville, was recently certified by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association as an FNGLA Florida Certified Horticulture Professional. The certification measures horticulture knowledge on everything from plant and pest identification to landscape management, and it promotes professionalism among horticulture professionals, including nursery, greenhouse,…

Sometimes Florida yards need fertilizer to help keep them healthy, but don't just empty a bag of fertilizer into your spreader without doing your homework. The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ recommends that you follow the directions on the package when choosing and applying fertilizers. Applying too much fertilizer, too often or at the wrong time can cause water pollution. Use Florida-friendly fertilizing…

The Florida black bear is the largest native land mammal in Florida. It is shy and secretive, hiding in dense vegetation and rarely seen in the wild. The Florida black bear has a shiny, black coat of long fur and a light brown nose and snout. Some black bears have white diamond-shaped patterns on their chests. The black bear has a short tail that is almost always hidden by its long fur, and long, sharp claws that help the bear climb trees or dig for food. Bears are…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is proud to announce the recipients of the 2006 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 34 grants Districtwide for a total of $151,278. Of 34 grants awarded, 11 were given to groups in Hillsborough County.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is…

Seventeen Manatee 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 Manatee County to the strong partnership with Manatee County Schools. Judy Griffin, curriculum specialist for Manatee County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped…