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Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District, United States Geological Survey, the American Ground Water Trust and middle and high school teachers from Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter countiesWhat: The goal of this free, two-day workshop for teachers is to increase water awareness among teachers and their students so that they understand the role of science and technology in meeting water supply challenges and are empowered to play…

Outdoor water use can account for up to 50 percent of water consumed by households, which means it is where water conservation practices can make the biggest impact.As part of Water Conservation Month, each week in April the Southwest Florida Water Management District is providing a few simple water conservation tips that the average resident can use. This week the concentration is on how you can reduce your outdoor water consumption by inspecting your irrigation system and…

In recognition of July being designated by the Irrigation Association as “Smart Irrigation Month,” the Southwest Florida Water Management District has a few simple tips to help your irrigation system operate effectively and efficiently. Irrigation systems are exposed to the elements, lawn mowers and more so they should be inspected and adjusted on a regular basis. Some repairs may require hiring a certified irrigation professional.Inspecting your irrigation…

Five Sarasota County projects expected to reach more than 7,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community…

h2. *_Charlotte Harbor Shows Rebound After 2008 Decline_*Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program(SWIM)":/projects/swim/ have recorded increases in seagrass presence in Lemon Bay, Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor over the past two years.According to the "District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ 2010 seagrass mapping study, seagrass acreage in the three water bodies has…

Nine Marion County teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Marion County to the…

Seven Hernando County teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Hernando County to…

Worth the Wait A project in the works for more than a decade is revitalizing Lake Maggiore and its 2,290-acre watershed in southern Pinellas County. “This project attempts to set back the clock on a long history of water quality problems at Lake Maggiore,” said Manuel López, project manager and senior environmental scientist with the District’s environmental section. “We think residents who live near the lake, as well as visitors, will eventually see conditions…

It’s not every day someone receives recognition from the President of the United States. However, an equestrian volunteer group and two off-road bike volunteers who take part in the District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program have received such an honor. The President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation recognized the South Creek Equestrian Club and Jonathan and Sharon Noll from the Wilderness Trails Association for each group contributing more than 4,000…

Top left: Ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrates project completion. Top right: David Moore, District executive director, and Bob Martinez, former governor, discuss Nature’s Classroom. Bottom: Bill Hoffman, HEF president, thanks Hugh Gramling, Governing Board member. As Nature’s Classroom prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary, representatives from the District, the Hillsborough Education…

           A piece of “Old Florida” sprang to life this October as men and women on horseback drove dozens of cattle across the open-range and dusty trails of the Potts Preserve in Citrus County. The Seventh Annual Cracker Cattle Drive was coordinated by the Hernando Heritage Council and the Citrus County Cattlemen’s Association. Approximately 75 head of cattle were driven across private land and portions of Potts Preserve until they…

Clockwise from top: Water Quality Monitoring Program employees, George DeGroot and David Sua receive their suggestion awards from their managers. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the District’s Employee Suggestion Program, which began with a goal of awarding employees who save taxpayer dollars and increase efficiency. To date, more than $1.8 million of taxpayer money has been saved by employee suggestions. “This is truly a win-win situation for…

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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is joining with the Science and Environment Council (SEC) to celebrate Sarasota’s watersheds and promote watershed awareness by declaring Oct. 13 through 19 as “Watershed Awareness Week.”The District’s Manasota Basin Board is co-sponsoring Watershed Awareness Week in an effort to foster good watershed stewardship.The SEC is a group of nonprofit and government organizations that operate to support…

Asks the public to help our water resources recoverThe Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted unanimously today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, through Sept. 30.The Governing Board chose to extend the term of the water shortage order because impacts from the two-year drought continue despite the start of the annual rainy season. In…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board recently adopted minimum flows for portions of the Alafia and Myakka rivers, along with minimum and guidance levels for five lakes.The 5 lakes include: Lakes Allen, Harvey and Virginia in Hillsborough County; Lake June-In-Winter in Highlands County; and Lake Parker in Polk County.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and…

h2. One-day-per-week watering limit remainsEditor's note: Contact Robyn Felix at Robyn.Felix@WaterMatters.org to receive a color map via email.The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted today to ease water restrictions for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. The Board voted to lift the Modified Phase III (or Extreme) restrictions for the Tampa Bay area because Tampa Bay Water has made substantial progress in reducing its groundwater…

It’s official. District employees in Tampa now have a new home. While the subject of maintaining flood control structures caught the nation’s attention after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, structures have always been at the top of the District’s priorities. Flood protection is one of the District’s areas of responsibility. The District’s goal is to minimize the potential for damage from floods by protecting and restoring the natural water storage and…

This year District volunteers will take part in the 14th Annual National Public Lands Day, a yearly opportunity for Americans to improve and enhance the public lands they enjoy. The event, which is Saturday, Sept. 29, is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort. District staff and volunteers will be conducting a beach cleanup at the District’s Piney Point Tract, which is located in southern Hillsborough County. For more information and to learn how you can…

Doris Heitzmann, a horticulturist and community outreach coordinator with the Pinellas County Extension office, evaluates the landscape at Venetian Bay. Members of the Venetian Bay Homeowners Association (HOA) wanted to do their part to conserve water, so they looked to the City of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas County Extension office for help. The Venetian Bay community consists of 22 waterfront and 51 nonwaterfront townhomes in St. Petersburg. In August…