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District Restructures to Support Focus on Core Mission A new executive director and leadership team is in place to move the District forward in meeting its core mission under the new budget realities. Executive Director Blake Guillory Executive Director Blake C. Guillory will serve as the District’s executive director. “This was a unanimous choice by the Board. Blake is the right person at the right time for this District and… Read more

Who:Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program, Tampa Bay Watch, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and approximately 350 volunteersWhat:Volunteers will participate in planting up to 30,000 marsh grass on approximately 34 acres of the Terra Ceia Ecosystem Restoration Project, setting a new record for Tampa Bay for the most… Read more

The District recently presented the Water Matters award to three Pasco County students searching for solutions to improve water quality and sustain freshwater supplies. The Water Matters awards were given as part of the 2022 Pasco Science and Engineering Showcase last month. Hosted by the District School Board of Pasco County, this annual event encourages students to work through the scientific research process to explore pressing issues and problems to create powerful… Read more

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District staff and approximately 70 childrenWhat: The District’s 11th Annual “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” Students between the ages of nine and 18 will spend the day at the District headquarters and service offices learning about activities at the District. The day, which focuses on technology and its contribution to the District’s mission, begins at 8:30 a.m. with the children meeting together to view a video of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 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

Visitors can experience Florida’s freshwater springs through a variety of outdoor activities, musical entertainment and guest speakers during the 8th Annual Marion County Springs Festival, Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Silver River State Park.Experts will speak about Florida’s springs and springs protection, as well as Marion County’s irrigation and fertilizer ordinances and Florida-friendly landscaping.In addition to the guest speakers,… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the end of Daylight Saving Time.Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks back one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with current water restrictions.Under the… Read more

In preparation for Hurricane Dennis, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is removing a large tree and several smaller trees that are blocking the Peace Creek Canal in Bartow. The trees recently fell into the creek because the area is so saturated.The District has budgeted $10,000 to complete the work today. Hess Construction Company is the contractor removing the debris. The company is one of the contractors the District used to remove hurricane-related debris… Read more

ORLANDO, Fla., July 28, 2015 – The public comment period on the "Central Florida Water Initiative":http://cfwiwater.com/?utm_source=2013_September_12&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Water_News (CFWI) draft 2035 Water Resources Protection and Water Supply Strategies Plan (Solutions Plan) and minor changes to the draft 2015 Regional Water Supply Plan has been extended to Aug. 17, 2015. The time extension will provide additional opportunity for the public to review and… Read more

Following Hurricane Milton, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Tampa Bypass Canal System and the Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (HFDA), as water levels in the Hillsborough River have returned to normal. This marks a positive step as the region recovers from the heavy rainfall caused by the storm. To assist with flood control during the storm, the District activated the Tampa Bypass Canal System on October 8 to protect… Read more

Gov. Charlie Crist recently appointed a new member to the Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Albert J. Joerger of Sarasota was appointed 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.His term began Feb. 13 and ends March 1, 2011. Joerger is president of the Sarasota Conservation Foundation. He will also serve on the District’s… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recommends homeowners with inground irrigation systems observe “Smart Irrigation Month” by taking a moment to tune up their irrigation systems and check their rain shut-off devices.Each year the Irrigation Association designates July as “Smart Irrigation Month” to raise awareness about how residents can improve irrigation efficiency, conserve water, lower their water bills, reduce runoff and eliminate… Read more

Who:Canterbury School of Florida teachers and students, Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Coast Guard, the Pinellas County Science Center and Tampa Bay WatchWhat:The Canterbury School of Florida is celebrating the grand opening of the Marine Studies Education Center at its Knowlton campus.District staff will be among the guest speakers. The school received a Splash! mini-grant for a project that focused on learning about native… Read more

Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has rescheduled the treating of the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla on the Rainbow River in Marion County to the week of Feb. 22.District workers will treat scattered infestations on the river from the Rainbow River State Park boundary downstream to the Withlacoochee River.The aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K will be applied and informational signs will be posted in the… Read more

h2. Winner Will Earn "Ruling Water Champion" CrownThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting area landscaping professionals to compete for the title of "Ruling Water Champion" at the District's third Landscape Challenge competition, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at "Armstrong Homes":http://www.armstronghomes.net/, 7821 N. Florida Avenue in Citrus Springs.The Springs Awareness Week Landscape… Read more

Two Charlotte County projects expected to reach up to 23,000 people were recently awarded Community Education Grants 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… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ will be treating hydrilla and water lettuce on the Rainbow River in Marion County during the period of Feb. 2-5.District workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K to treat hydrilla on the section of the river downstream of the County Road 484 bridge. The aquatic herbicide Tribune will be applied to scattered infestations of water lettuce throughout the river.Informational signs… Read more

Staff from four water management districts across the state recently attended a week-long training at District headquarters to learn more about a software program that facilitates environmental flow assessments through instream habitat analysis. The November training on System for Environmental Flow Assessment (SEFA) was led by Ian Jowett and Tom Payne, two leading experts in hydraulic habitat modeling and co-developers of the software program. “The program ensures… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River in Marion County during the week of March 4-7.District workers will treat scattered infestations on the river from upstream of K.P. Hole Park to the Withlacoochee River.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K and post informational signs in the treatment areas noting treatment dates and applicable water use restrictions.There are no restrictions on the use of… Read more

table(webalert). |Who:|Students and staff from South Sumter High School, Wildwood Middle High School and field experts from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ .||*What:*|Sumter County School District personnel and District field experts will engage 45 ninth-grade students in activities that integrate the use of technology tools with the collection and recording of data about the site. The highlights include… Read more