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The success of a series of hog hunts held on District lands last winter and spring to reduce the wild hog population has land managers planning to hold hog hunts again this fall and winter. Beginning at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/hoghunts/.…

Seven Manatee County projects expected to reach more than 13,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.…

The deadline is near for community members who want to apply for a Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The application deadline is Aug. 21.Individuals, organizations or volunteer groups interested in organizing an education project for their neighborhood, community group or members of the general public are encouraged to apply. Grant recipients may receive up to $5,000 to help fund their water resources education projects.…

Left: Jason LaRoche, a District professional geologist and engineer, volunteered his time to gather seeds. Top: Mary Barnwell, District senior land management specialist, collects bags of seeds from volunteers at the preserve. Above: Volunteers spread out to collect seeds from a variety of natural grasses. Right: Butch DeVary, District senior heavy equipment operator, helped collect seeds during National Public Lands Day. Picking up trash and planting trees are…

Bartow, Fla., July 11, 2017 — Drilling more than half a mile below ground to find new sources of water in the Lower Florida aquifer (LFA). Finding new ways to reuse reclaimed water. Combining stormwater and reclaimed water to build a sustainable supply. These are some of the innovative projects the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) is developing to meet the growing water needs of the five-county Central Florida region while also…

District staff moderated discussion sessions and presented studies during the 8th Biennial Conference on Stormwater Research and Watershed Management. The conference, which was held in late April, was co-sponsored by the District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The two-day conference provided a forum to discuss and debate a wide range of stormwater treatment and watershed management ideas and issues and provide initial peer review.…

The District is conducting exploratory well research more than a half mile below the surface. It’s happening at the Crooked Lake well site, located in southeastern Polk County. Central Florida has used the Upper Floridan aquifer as it’s predominant water source for decades. Now, with continued population growth, finding future water sources is more important than ever before.  George Schluttermann, a senior hydrogeologist with the District, said the data coming…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is unveiling a new tool to help residents determine how much water they can conserve at home.The new tool is an online water conservation calculator that allows residents to estimate how much water they use, and provides tips on how they can reduce that amount.Participants will then have the opportunity to pledge to conserve at least 10 percent of their daily use. Visit the District’s web site at…

h3. Old World climbing fern threatening the Green SwampWith threats from new invasive plants and animal species continuing to rise in Florida, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is battling to keep a new invasive vine from infesting the "Green Swamp(Interactive Green Swamp)":/education/interactive/greenswamp/greenswamp.html."Old World climbing fern(Old World Climbing Fern)":/projects/invasives/old-world-fern.php…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging people to log onto its web site to take the Watershed Pledge.The Watershed Pledge was created to encourage people to make a commitment to protecting their watershed. Making simple changes in and around their home can positively impact our water resources.A watershed is an area of land that water flows across as it moves toward a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast. A watershed is where…

When the Friendship Village Apartments recently were built in north Tampa, Carlene Dillard jumped at the chance to live there. “It is so nice and I’m just so happy here,” she said.  The new affordable housing for low and moderate-income residents was built by the Florida Home Partnership and is Hillsborough County’s first Florida Water Star℠ community. That means the entire complex met the requirements of the Florida Water Star℠ certification program by…

On a stifling hot July morning, Paul Elliott, a senior land manager with the District, and Robert Jarrard, a local outdoor enthusiast, traveled deep into the Green Swamp to place a new grave marker at the site of a shocking and gruesome double murder that happened almost 90 years ago. The bodies of Isham and Sarah Stewart were discovered in May of 1918. The coroner’s report stated they were killed in their beds with an ax, at least a week before they were found.…

 Clockwise from top left:1: This marked plant indicates beetles were placed on it so the rancher does not tamper with it. 2: One tropical soda apple fruit can contain hundreds of seeds. 3: Mike Terry, District plant management crew leader, and Dr. Julio Medal prepare to release TSA leaf-eating beetles. 4: The small beetles come from Medal’s cages in Gainesville. 5: This is an example of what a TSA plant looks like after the beetles are through with it.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Little Manatee River in Hillsborough County. These are the first minimum flows being established for this river system and will include both the upper (freshwater) and lower (estuarine) portions of the river.Members of the public may join the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is asking for the public’s input on creating a land use and management plan for the Chito Branch Reserve in eastern Hillsborough County.A workshop will be held at Pinecrest Elementary School on Wednesday, Aug. 29 from 6:30 until 8 p.m. in the school cafeteria. The school is located at 7950 Lithia-Pinecrest Road in Lithia.The Chito Branch Reserve encompasses more than 4,100 acres of land, which was purchased by the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during February and March on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 2 miles south of Lithia. Approximately 285 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 1 mile southeast of…

Homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are invited to play in the dirt at the Florida Yard Fandango. This Florida-friendly gardening event is being held at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) on May 6, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.The Florida-friendly workshop is partially funded by a $5,000 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board.The goal of this event is promote Florida-friendly landscaping and lawn…

table(webalert). |*Who:*|The Tampa Port Authority, Hillsborough County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.||*What:*|The Cockroach Bay Restoration Project represents one of the largest, most complex coastal ecosystem restorations ever developed for Tampa Bay.Before the restoration, this area suffered from a number of environmental problems, including habitat degradation, invasive plant infestation and poor water quality. Since the property was purchased by…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating water hyacinths and water lettuce on portions of the Withlaccochee River June 13-16.Two sections of the river will be treated. The first site is located between County Road 581 to State Road 200 in Citrus, Marion and Sumter counties. The second site is located between County Road 48 and the Panasoffkkee Outlet River in Citrus and Sumter counties.Treatment involves the spot application of the aquatic herbicide…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) received more than $2.4 million in funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to assist with aquifer testing, feasibility, and preliminary design for the planned Southeast and West Polk Lower Floridan Aquifer (LFA) wellfields in Polk County. The projects are cooperatively funded between the District and the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC). Traditional water sources are nearing their…