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A Highlands County project expected to reach up to 5,000 people was recently awarded a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/. The overall goal of the Community Education Grant program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues including conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the "District's Basin Boards(Basin Boards)":/about/basinboards/, the program is intended…

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Citrus County blueberry farm improve water quality.This project is part of the District’s Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program, which is a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and protects water quality.The program began by funding projects within the District’s eight southern counties and has expanded to include projects within the entire District…

Water Wings and Wild Things returns to the Circle B Bar Reserve after being held at the IMC Agrico Park for the past two years. The popular Polk County event was temporarily moved because the Nature Discovery Center was under construction.This free, annual event takes place Saturday, Nov. 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Water Wings and Wild Things features nature-based art vendors, workshops, Florida animals, hands-on activities and guided tours of the reserve. Some of the family…

  Learn more about District Planning Regions on our Regional Water Supply Plan page.

How much water does Polk County use? Where does the county get its supply? What resource alternatives are available? These are just some of the questions tackled at the Polk County Water School. The seven-week course educates the public on key water issues to encourage improved public policy decisions. “We deliver science-based information to help citizens of Polk County make informed decisions,” said Nicole Walker, the county extension director at the UF/IFAS Polk…

Sinkholes are a common naturally occurring geologic phenomenon and one of the predominant land forms in Florida.Many of the lakes in Florida are relic sinkholes. Sinkholes can be classified as geologic hazards sometimes causing extensive damage to structures and roads resulting in costly repairs. Sinkholes can also threaten water supplies by draining unfiltered water from streams, lakes and wetlands directly into the aquifer (underground water supply). What if a…

A project in Sumter County to distribute 200 water conservation kits was recently awarded a Community Education Grant from the "Southwest Florida Water Management ":http://www.watermatters.orgDistrict.Twelve grants were awarded Districtwide this year for a total of $50,319. This is the 15th year "Community Education Grants":http://www.WaterMatters.org/CommunityGrants have been available. These grants help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $107,969 in grants to 58 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…

h2. *_Charlotte Harbor Shows Rebound After 2008 Decline_*Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program(SWIM)":/projects/swim/ have recorded increases in seagrass presence in Lemon Bay, Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor over the past two years.According to the "District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ 2010 seagrass mapping study, seagrass acreage in the three water bodies has…

Two Highlands County projects expected to reach nearly 6,000 residents were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community…

 Highlights

• Largest natural lake in Hillsborough County with a surface area of greater than 800 acres
• Popular for recreational use as it is one of the few natural lakes in the area with public access
• Discharges into the Hillsborough River which is used for municipal water supply for the City of Tampa

ChallengesFour main challenges exist in the Lake Thonotosassa watershed:

• Nutrient loadings from the watershed have caused extreme…

Summer rains not enough for water resources to fully recoverThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, through Feb. 27, 2009.The Governing Board chose to extend the term of the water shortage order because the region is still impacted by the two-year drought and portions of the District did not receive enough rain…

Your Questions Answered  March 2022 Q:  Is there a rainy season and dry season in central Florida? A:  Yes, rainfall is seasonal. Our rainy season is a four-month period from June through September, with average rainfall of about 7.8 inches each month. About 60 percent of our average annual rainfall is received during that time. The higher rainfall results in rising water levels in wells, lakes, rivers and springs…

Cockroach Bay is located in Tampa Bay, the District’s highest priority SWIM water body, and is one of the largest, most complex ecosystem restoration projects ever developed for the Tampa Bay estuarine ecosystem. The 1980s was a decade of added responsibility for the District. A number of environmental programs were created by the Legislature during these years and, as a result, staff realigned priorities to accomplish multiple significant undertakings.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board today concurred with the water shortage emergency declaration for the city of Tampa’s main water supply.The District’s Executive Director David L. Moore made the declaration May 18. Drought conditions have caused an acute water shortage within the Hillsborough River Reservoir so emergency actions were necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare.The…

Funding will help restore water quality and natural systems, and create sustainable water supplies in the Southern Water Use Caution AreaGovernor Charlie Crist and Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp released their 2008-09 budget recommendations today, which included $25 million for the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s West-Central Florida Water Resource Action Plan (WRAP.)The WRAP is a long-term water resource protection, restoration and water…

Purchase Made in Partnership with The Nature Conservancy The Southwest Florida Water Management District has closed on the purchase of the environmentally important Rainbow River Ranch. This important land acquisition is about 16 percent of the eastern bank of the Rainbow River, and along with existing public ownership, will allow the District to continue its mission of protecting water resources and this important natural resource.  This property…

Purchase Made in Partnership with The Nature Conservancy The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) has closed on the purchase of the environmentally important Rainbow River Ranch. This important land acquisition is about 16 percent of the eastern bank of the Rainbow River, and along with existing public ownership, will allow the District to continue its mission of protecting water resources and this important natural resource. This property and its…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has reached an agreement with Leigh and Lynn Hampton and LSL Hampton Family Ltd. Partnership, LLP to purchase their property, including settlement costs, for $39,239,000 as part of the Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project.The Hampton�s property, which includes 1,177 acres, is located southwest of the intersection of Thornhill Road and Winter Lake Road and borders the northeastern shore of Lake Hancock. Once this…

Seven Sarasota 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 Sarasota County to…