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Scientists with the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program continue to see an increase in seagrass growth in Tampa Bay, St. Joseph Sound and Clearwater Harbor but caution that the results may be due to the drought.According to the District’s 2008 seagrass mapping study, seagrass acreage in Tampa Bay has increased nearly 1,300 acres since 2006. District studies show that since 2004 Tampa Bay continues…
A Tampa Bay area developer is the first to sign on with the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s new, comprehensive water conservation program for new home construction, Florida Water Star (FWSG).FWSG is a voluntary certification program for builders. It encourages water efficiency in household appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes, as well as water quality benefits from best management practices in landscapes.Carl Krave, president…
Working Together
The District is among a diverse group of stakeholders that recently joined forces to improve water quality in the Shell Creek and Prairie Creek watersheds, Punta Gorda’s primary water supply source.
The stakeholders, including several government agencies, the City of Punta Gorda, citrus growers and agricultural organizations, took part in signing the Shell, Prairie and Joshua Creeks Watershed Management Plan Stakeholders Agreement. By signing the…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday agreed to issue a non-exclusive license agreement to the Citrus County Airboat Alliance to Potts Preserve.The agreement will replace a temporary permit and allow the airboat group to continue to use and maintain a remote picnic and camping area located in the northwest portion of the preserve on the North Loop Road for a five-year term with the option to renew the agreement for two additional…
Did you know that each person in our region uses an average of 72 gallons of water each day? That’s a lot of water down the drain! April is Water Conservation Month, a perfect time for homeowners to reflect on their water use. Here are some simple yet effective ways to save water both inside and outside your home.…
Your Questions AnsweredOctober 2021Record amounts of rainfall in some areas over the summer has highlighted the importance of stormwater ponds to help prevent flooding and improve water quality throughout the region. You may have seen stormwater ponds throughout neighborhoods and commercial developments in Florida but might not know about their purpose as many people often mistake stormwater ponds for natural water bodies. Southwest Florida Water Management…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has completed evaluations of District campgrounds after Hurricane Ian and the following properties will reopen Monday afternoon:
- Flying Eagle Preserve in Citrus County
- Green Swamp West Tract equestrian/primitive sites at Ashley Bay and Cumpressco equestrian/primitive sites in Pasco County. McNeil primitive campground will remain closed.
- Lake Panasoffkee in Sumter County…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual public workshop at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, to discuss updates to the District’s land use and management rules and processes.
The purpose of this workshop is to update outdated rules and processes governing the use of District lands to create efficiencies. One of the major changes includes an annual limit on the number of nights campers can reserve per year, which will provide more fair…
Restoration Project Gives Site A New Look
Looking at the 15 acres of restored habitat to the west of the Northside Christian School athletic fields in Pinellas County, one would never know the area was once used as a mining borrow pit and a construction dumpsite.
The Joes Creek Habitat Restoration Project, a cooperative effort between Pinellas County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program, wiped…
In response to this year’s destructive freeze, the District is taking proactive measures to prepare for similar events in the future.
From January 3–13, 2010, for the first time in recorded history, temperatures in eastern Hillsborough County dropped below 34 degrees for 11 consecutive days. As a result, area farmers pumped nearly one billion gallons of groundwater per night to protect their crops. This combined pumping dropped the aquifer level 60 feet,…
Who's Who at the District
At a time when most people often begin planning for their retirement, Betty Rushton was beginning her career in environmental science.
“This is my second career,” said Rushton. “My first was a homemaker.”
After raising four sons, Rushton went back to school at age 50 to finish her undergraduate degree in environmental studies at New College in Sarasota. But Rushton didn’t stop there, she continued on until she received her master’s in…
Top: Marianne Korosy conducts her research on migrating birds.
Bottom: Mary Barnwell, senior land management specialist, and Clay Black, senior professional engineer, assisted.
In the early morning hours volunteers flushed birds out of the brush and into an awaiting net. But the birds didn’t stay in the nets long. They were carefully captured and banded in an effort to assist a University of Central Florida (UCF)…
Visitors to the District’s headquarters and service offices are greeted by Florida-friendly landscaping, thanks to the work of proactive staff at each office.
Several of the tradesworkers who help maintain the landscaping have taken additional training to learn about Florida-friendly landscaping™ practices, including plant selection and fertilizer ordinances. In addition, the staff also works with Extension agents and other experts when they have a question.
“The…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for the restoration of the Sawgrass Lake Park Water Management Area.The 36-acre restoration site is located near the Skyway Trap and Skeet Club in southern Pinellas County. Tests conducted by the District and the FDEP indicate increased levels of lead and arsenic in the area the gun club used as a drop zone.In…
The Problem With Lake Persimmon... Air it Out!
A simple solution seems to be the temporary answer to Lake Persimmon’s poor water quality.
A study in 2000 showed that the Highlands County lake experiences continual blooms of blue-green algae and long periods of anoxia at the bottom and middle depths of the lake. Anoxia is the lack of oxygen resulting from dense algae in the lake. The algae blocks light penetration below the surface, inhibiting growth of desirable…
Top: Silage cutters harvest native grass seeds from the Green Swamp to be used at the Conner Preserve. Bottom: Portions of the Green Swamp and Conner Preserve are both located in Pasco County and have similar soil content.
Hunters at the District’s Green Swamp property may have been surprised to see farm equipment rolling through the swamp’s uplands this winter, but it’s all part of the District’s land management restoration efforts.
The equipment harvested…