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Crystal River/Kings Bay »
 Highlights
  • Tidally influenced Kings Bay is the headwater of Crystal River
  • Hydrologically unique springs system comprised of more than 30 springs
  • Designated an Outstanding Florida Water
  • Located in Citrus County
  • 364-square-mile watershed
  • Kings Bay forms the largest, natural warm-water refuge for the Florida Manatee in the United States.
ChallengesTwo main challenges exist in the Crystal River/Kings Bay watershed:…
Deadline Approaches for Alternative Frost-Freeze Protection Program Funding »
Funding is available for a limited time for Dover/Plant City area growers who want to implement alternative frost-freeze protection practices through the federal "Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (USDA Agricultural Water Enhancement Program)":http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/awep/ (AWEP). Applications are due Friday, July 23.The AWEP is providing $750,000 to cost-share tailwater recovery and high tunnels in the Dover/Plant City area. Interested growers in the project…
Master Gardeners' Spring Festival to feature renowned springs speaker »
Festival coincides with first Springs Awareness WeekThis year’s Marion County Master Gardeners’ Spring Festival, which is being held March 14 – 15 at the Marion County Extension Service Office in Ocala, coincides with the first Springs Awareness Week.The Southwest Florida Water Management District has partnered with Citrus and Marion counties and the cities of Crystal River and Dunnellon to proclaim March 14-21 as Springs Awareness Week. The goal is to…
Rainfall Summary Data by Region »
Rainfall summaries are available as spreadsheets for downloading to your computer. Summaries are tabulated by specific geographic areas, such as county or drainage basin boundaries, for that portion of the geographic area within SWFWMD boundaries. Each page within a spreadsheet shows period-of-record rainfall totals in inches (based on area-weighted average values) for 1915 through the previous calendar year by month, wet season, dry season, calendar year, or water year.…
Hillsborough County Hiking Spree Features District Lands »
Don’t miss Hillsborough County’s hiking spree featuring numerous District lands. The hiking spree encourages residents and visitors to get out and explore the county’s parks. Edward Medard Conservation Park,…
District Invites Restaurants to Become WaterPROs »
The District is building upon the success of its award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water CHAMP) by launching a new companion program for restaurants. The Water Program for Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO) was launched in May. Water PRO is a free program that helps restaurants conserve water by educating staff and customers. By implementing Water PRO, restaurant management agrees to only serve water upon request, display water conservation…
District asks homeowners to "Skip a week" of irrigation in cooler weather »
In an effort to conserve water during the ongoing drought, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to “skip a week” during the cooler months of January and February.According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. In fact, three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient.“The cooler months are a good…
New Governing Board Member Takes Oath »
Albert G. Joerger took his oath of office to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board during the February Board meeting. Joerger was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to a newly created seat. The Governing Board was previously made up of 11 seats. Last year the state Legislature added two new seats for a total of 13. Joerger’s term ends March 1, 2011. The Sarasota resident is the founder and president of the…
District Asks Homeowners to "Skip a Week" of Irrigation this Winter »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn…
Starkey Wilderness Preserve »
The Starkey Wilderness Preserve is one of the largest undeveloped tracts in Pasco County and protects sensitive environmental areas in the fast-growing western portion of Pasco County. The preserve consists of three tracts: 
What’s in a Name? »
Defining Moment In an effort to make conservation more “user-friendly,” the Governing Board has adopted the term “Florida-friendly” to use in the District’s landscape management outreach and education projects. Florida-friendly will replace the terms “Xeriscape™” and “water-wise.” Why the change? Two reasons: concept and consistency. While Xeriscape landscapes are defined as landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment, some people still…
Win-Win Program Offers Cash Rewards to Staff »
Clockwise from top: Water Quality Monitoring Program employees, George DeGroot and David Sua receive their suggestion awards from their managers. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the District’s Employee Suggestion Program, which began with a goal of awarding employees who save taxpayer dollars and increase efficiency. To date, more than $1.8 million of taxpayer money has been saved by employee suggestions. “This is truly a win-win situation for…
Skip a Week During Cooler Weather »
The District is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February.  According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it…
District Asks Homeowners to "Skip A Week" of Irrigation This Winter »
With recent rainfall and cooler temperatures this week, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to "Skip a Week" or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February.According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn't need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact,…
District Asks Homeowners to "Skip A Week" of Irrigation This Winter »
The District is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it…
Reclaimed Water: A District Success Story »
Reuse of Wastewater Is Vital to the Region’s Future Reduce, reuse and recycle — the three R’s of reducing waste — is a phrase that traditionally applies to the trash we throw away. But a District program takes the idea of reuse and applies it to one of our most precious resources: water. The program is called water reuse: extending our water supply by using highly treated wastewater for irrigation and other uses. Using this treated wastewater, called reclaimed…
District approves project that could reduce groundwater pumping up to 71,000 gallons per day »
The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a project to reduce groundwater pumping at a DeSoto County farm.The Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program is a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and protects water quality.The FARMS project at Island Grove Agricultural Products, Inc. is located on its 57-acre blueberry farm in the Joshua Creek Watershed. The property drains to Hog Bay Slough, a…
Partnerships Will Protect and Preserve Environmentally Sensitive Lands in Sarasota County »
Ken Harrison, Carlton family friend and member of the Peace River Basin Board, led guests on a tour to highlight the property’s diverse habitats. More than 12,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands in Sarasota County that have been part of a family ranch since 1947 will remain natural, thanks to an agreement among the family, the District and Sarasota County. In December 2007, the District and Sarasota County purchased a conservation easement over 7,…
Hillsborough County projects receive Community Education Grants »
Ten Hillsborough County projects were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. 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 49 grants Districtwide for a total of $171,444. This is the 10th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to…
District Asks Homeowners to "Skip A Week" of Irrigation This Winter »
The District is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it…