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Certifying excellence in water conservation, saving resources and protecting the environmentThe Florida Water Starsm program is a voluntary certification program for new residential and commercial construction and existing home renovation. The program encourages water efficiency in appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes, as well as water quality benefits from best management practices in landscapes. An average Florida Water Star homeowner…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will host career and student internship fairs to share information about the many career fields and employment opportunities at the District.The fairs will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the District’s Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. in Tampa and Aug. 30 at the District’s Brooksville Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.The District offers a wide variety of…

July 2025Q: What is a prescribed burn?A: A prescribed burn, also known as a prescribed fire, is a fire intentionally ignited by land managers to meet specific land management goals and objectives. The burns follow a written prescription, which outlines the defined fire treatment area, specific weather parameters that are required to meet the objectives, the tactics staff will use, and the staffing and equipment resources that are required to…

 Left to right: Judy Whitehead, Governing Board member; Gene Schiller, deputy executive director; Elaine Kuligofski, human resources director; and Ronald Oakley, Governing Board vice chair, accepted the “Best Places to Work” award on behalf of the District. For the third year in a row, the District was recognized by the Pasco-Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board, Inc. as one of the best places to work in the area. The District was named…

As Water Resources bureau chief, Jay Hoecker is responsible for management and oversight of regional water supply planning; water supply and resource development projects; economics and demography; water conservation projects; and septic to sewer conversion projects. Hoecker also oversees the FARMS program, which offers cost-share assistance to the agricultural community for conservation, water quality, natural system and alternative water supply best management practices (…

The Mini-FARMS Program promotes agricultural water quality and water quantity best management practices (BMPs) and provides overall water resource benefits to agriculture properties. The Mini-FARMS Program works with and provides a mechanism for enrollment in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) adopted agricultural BMPs program, through a Notice of Intent (NOI) to implement BMPs. Through the Mini-FARMS Program, the District will reimburse…

Homeowners planning to spruce up their yards have a new tool to use, but it’s not a tool found in the garage. This tool is the web site FloridaYards.orgThe web site features a Florida-friendly plant database, which includes hundreds of color photographs of plants, shrubs and trees. The web site also has pictures of Florida-friendly landscaping in yards throughout the state and an interactive yard tool to help homeowners plan their landscapes.“FloridaYards.org…

Residents of the Brooker Creek watershed can learn about their region by visiting the new www.BrookerCreek.org Web site. The site provides information about watershed issues and encourages behavior change that will improve and protect the water resources.BrookerCreek.org was developed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is hosted by the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center.The Web site includes general information about watersheds, as well…

Citrus County Utilities earned this year’s bragging rights for having the tastiest tap water in West Central Florida. The utility won the annual Best Tasting Drinking Water Contest for Florida Section Region 4 of the American Water Works Association. The District’s Water Supply manager, Jason Mickel, was one of the judges for Region 4 which includes: Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties. Twenty-two public water supply contestants…

January 2024Q: What is a prescribed burn?A: A prescribed burn, also known as a prescribed fire, is a fire intentionally ignited by land managers to meet specific land management goals and objectives. The burns follow a written prescription, which outlines the defined fire treatment area, specific weather conditions that are required, the tactics staff will use, and the staffing and equipment resources that are required to safely conduct the…

For the third year in a row, the Southwest Florida Water Management District was recognized by the Pasco-Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board, Inc. as one of the best places to work in the area.The District was named the best place to work in Hernando County among employers with more than 125 employees. One winner was chosen in each county for each size category. The categories are 1-50 employees, 51-125 employees and more than 125 employees. Employers…

District scientists have been working in conjunction with staff at the St. Johns River and South Florida water management districts to set up wetland monitoring sites as part of a regional monitoring program. The collaboration is a result of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), a water planning effort among government agencies, water utilities, environmental groups,…

As bureau chief of the Engineering & Project Management (EPM) Bureau at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Scott Letasi is responsible for the District’s cooperative funding initiative program and District initiatives projects specifically related to the District’s flood protection area of responsibility. The EPM Bureau develops surface water models in the Watershed Management Program and implements the District’s Structures Capital Improvement Program…

From the novice to the expert trails, many different types of biking opportunities can be found on District lands.BikingWilderness Park Off Road Trails System at Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve

• Flatwoods Park
• Morris Bridge Park
• …

It is the intent of the District Governing Board that environmental criteria be implemented in a manner that achieves a goal of no net loss of wetlands or other surface water functions (unless otherwise exempted by statute or rule). (Condensed and modified from Environmental Resource Permit Information Manual, Part B – Basis of Review, Chapter Three – Environmental) Wetlands serve as spawning, nursery and feeding habitats for many species of fish and…

Fertilizing your lawn the right way can make a big difference for Florida’s water quality. When fertilizers are applied incorrectly, they can wash into nearby water bodies, harming ecosystems and diminishing water quality. This guide will help you understand the best practices for fertilizing responsibly, following local regulations and protecting Florida’s unique environment Why Fertilizing Responsibly Matters More than 1,000 new residents move to Florida daily,…

Focus Groups Focus groups are interviews, conducted by a trained moderator, among a small group of respondents. The interview is conducted in an unstructured and natural way where respondents are free to give views from any aspect. The District uses focus groups to acquire feedback regarding attitudes, behaviors and knowledge about water conservation and water quality. Focus groups have also provided valuable feedback for educational and campaign messages.  …

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is now on Pinterest. The social media page, found at "Pinterest.com/SWFWMD ":http://pinterest.com/SWFWMD/ marks the District's continued expansion into the growing world of social media.Pinterest is an information-sharing website designed like a virtual bulletin board. Users can "pin" links to boards, manage themed collections of information and share with others. Pinterest is the third most popular social media site behind…

  The Florida Ground Water Association (FGWA) recently presented an award to Tony Gilboy, the District’s well construction regulation manager, for his outstanding service to the association. The award was presented to Gilboy at the recent FGWA Convention and Trade Show in Orlando. “To be recognized at such a large convention was an extraordinary experience,” said Gilboy. Gilboy was honored for his outstanding contributions to the well industry. His…

Your Questions Answered  February 2021 Nearly one thousand people move to Florida every day. That population growth puts significant demand on the region’s water supply. To help meet these water supply needs, local governments, water managers, builders and developers are working cooperatively through the Florida Water Star℠ (FWS) program. Southwest Florida Water Management District Lead Communications Coordinator Robin Grantham has details about…