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Hiking »
Enjoy the beauty of west-central Florida at its best by hiking on miles of natural trails.
Take a Hike
District lands are open for hiking and related activities that can be enjoyed on foot, such as nature study, bird watching, outdoor photography, jogging and backpacking. Most trails are located on old roadbeds and have a natural surface that changes constantly depending on weather and soil conditions…
The Weekiwachee Preserve is an area of protected land owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District). Covering over 11,200 acres, the preserve is in Hernando County. It provides a wide array of wildlife habitats, including several miles along the Weeki Wachee River, portions of the Mud River, dense hardwood swamps, freshwater and saltwater marshes and pine-…
March 2025Q: Why does fertilizing my lawn responsibly matter?A: More than 1,000 new residents move to Florida daily, many of whom take pride in maintaining beautiful lawns along with long-time Floridians. However, fertilizers contain nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which, in excess amounts, can harm Florida’s natural water systems. Excess nutrients from fertilizers can wash into lakes, rivers, springs, estuaries and other water…
District Recognized as One of the Best Places to Work in Hernando County for Two Consecutive Years »
Gene Schiller, deputy executive director; Elaine Kuligofski, human resources director; Steve Uebel, human resources manager; and Pam Baldwin, senior human resources generalist, are proud of the District’s distinction.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District was recently honored, for the second year in a row, by the Pasco-Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board, Inc., as one of the best places to work in Hernando County.
“It is a…
Left: Aerial photo of hog damage at the District’s Myakka River—Schewe Tract in Sarasota County. Right: Hog damage on District’s Upper Hillsborough—Alston Tract in Pasco County.
Beginning Oct. 13, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/hoghunts/. Permits will be available through 5 p.m.…
Your Questions Answered
May 2021
Florida’s population is growing with an average of 1,000 people moving to the state every day. If you’re new to Florida, you may not be familiar with the state’s water resources or how to do your part when it comes to water conservation. Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Lead Communications Coordinator Robin Grantham shares water-related tips for life in the Sunshine State.
Q: How…
Daily Rainfall UpdateThe rainfall data below provide a summary of daily and month-to-date rainfall totals at 125 locations in the District. The Rainfall Data Collection Sites map shows the locations of the measurement stations and the Daily Rainfall Data chart shows rainfall accumulations in inches. (Click any image to view full size.) …
The Atlantic basin hurricane season occurs June 1st through November 30th. During this time, there is a heightened risk of severe rain events, high winds, flooding and storm damage.
Many employees have designated roles, performing various functions, within the Emergency Operations Organization (EOO) during emergency incidents. All employees may be called upon to support those functions during any particular event. The EOO chart (page 3) identifies the roles of…
What is a datum?A datum is a standard position or level (i.e., starting point) from which measurements are taken.What is the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29)?Originally called the Sea Level Datum of 1929, it was created for vertical control surveying in the United States. This datum was used to measure elevation above (altitude) and depression below (depth) mean sea level. However, as technology improved and the demand for greater accuracy increased,…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be holding a series of hog hunts on District lands. Prospective hunters can purchase permits on the District’s web site at www.WaterMatters.org/hoghunts beginning Oct. 13.The cost is $50 for each permit. Permits will be available through 5 p.m. on Nov. 3. However, there are a limited number of permits available and permits will be issued on a first come, first serve basis.Hog hunts will be held on the following…
From top: (1) The restoration site prior to the cleanup. (2) Raymond Chen and other volunteers show off the coins he found. (3) Using a track hoe, Jason Wadsworth of J. D. Sunny Isle removes exotics. (4) Lisa Henningsen, District staff environmental scientist, and Bill Lewelling, District hydrologist, stand near a dumpster of trash collected during the cleanup.
Eighty-five people answered the call for volunteers to help remove mountains of tires, television…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Thursday washonored by the Pasco-Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board, Inc. as one of the best places to work in Hernando County for the second year in a row.“It is a privilege for the District to be honored two years in a row,” said Pam Baldwin, SPHR, District senior human resources generalist. “I appreciate the Jobs and Education Partnership recognizing the District’s…
The District uses a variety of tools to protect our springs but it takes a community effort by all of us. There is no single solution to protecting Florida springs. The District uses a variety of tools to help protect them. But it takes the work of all of us to protect these resources. There are various ways you can help when visiting a spring and even at home. How to responsibly enjoy a spring:
- Stay in the vessel when possible.
- If you have to…
Left: Governing Board Members Sallie Parks, seated, and Ron Oakley, standing to her left, review the project map. Right: Manny Lopez, left, a senior environmental scientist, and Oakley examine lead shot deposits.
District staff and Board members recently toured Sawgrass Lake in Pinellas County to view the site of an upcoming restoration project.
The restoration project…
Vendor Registration FormThe District's Vendor Registration form is a substitute Internal Revenue Service W-9 form that enables the collection of information required to comply with federal income tax laws. Request a Vendor Registration form by emailing VendorRegistration@WaterMatters.org or by calling (352) 505-2970. Be sure to include the commodity codes for…
This project will investigate the recharging of excess surface water, treated to primary drinking water standards, into the Upper Floridan aquifer more than 1,000 feet below the land’s surface. The recharged water has the potential to help improve groundwater levels and reduce the rate of saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of America in the SWUCA’s Most Impacted Area.SWUCA Recovery and Natural System ImprovementIn 2017, the District conducted a feasibility study at…
Restoration project areas.
Recently, District Governing and Basin Board members and staff got an up-close look at restoration projects and toured major components that are part of the Lower Hillsborough River Recovery Strategy.
Terra Ceia and Cockroach Bay
One tour viewed restoration projects from infancy to maturity at the Terra Ceia and Cockroach Bay preserves.
This tour was designed to give Board members and staff a better…
The Southwest Florida Water Management District manages lands under its stewardship for the protection of water resources and natural systems through the application of effective, efficient and fiscally responsible land management practices. The purposes and attributes for which the lands were acquired provide the foundation for designating the appropriate land use and management strategies on the lands. As stewards of more than 343,000 acres of land within the its 16-county…
The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ and the "Hernando County Utilities Department":http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/utils/ are holding the *2011 Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Workshop* on *Friday, Feb. 18*, from *8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.* at the *Hernando County Association of Realtors*. The association is located at 7321 Sunshine Grove Road in Brooksville.Participants will learn about *hardy plants* for central Florida, *…