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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…

  H. Paul Senft Jr., Governing Board Chair This edition of WaterMatters Magazine celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Created in 1961 through legislative action to serve as the local sponsor for a series of federal flood control projects, the District’s responsibilities have grown dramatically over time. Recognizing that our water resources — our coasts, rivers,…

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District staffWhat: The District is installing a pump and pipes at the Morris Bridge Sink. The pump system will allow the District to test to see if it is feasible to pump water from the sink to augment the Hillsborough River. In addition, the water pumped from the sink will be made available to Tampa Bay Water as a water supply source.When: Friday, April 3, 10 a.m.Where: Morris Bridge Sink, just east of I-75 and the Tampa Bypass…

 The Chito Branch Reserve is a unique natural sanctuary situated in the heart of rapidly developing southeastern Hillsborough County. As part of the greater Alafia River Corridor of public conservation lands, its natural habitats provide a haven for native Florida wildlife and plant life, many becoming increasingly rare in the region. Outdoor enthusiasts can observe fox squirrels,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District moved one step closer to more effectively measuring how efficiently utility customers are using water.Last week, the District’s Governing Board approved proposed rules that standardize Districtwide public supply per capita and related reporting requirements, which currently are in place in the southern eight counties of the District known as the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA.)The Governing Board voted in January…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has deactivated the Tampa Bypass Canal System and the Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (HFDA) as water levels in the Hillsborough River have declined following Tropical Storm Debby.The District opened Structure S-155 over the weekend and the boat barriers are being removed today, restoring navigation on the Hillsborough River. The S-155 structure is located north of Morris Bridge Road and east of I-75 and can…

Two water management districts are partnering with Marion County Utilities to offer customers rebates of up to $100 for replacing their high-flow toilets.The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ and "St. Johns River Water Management District(St. Johns River Water Management District)":http://floridaswater.com are partnering to help "Marion County Utilities(Marion County Utilities)":…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents to turn off their irrigation systems after it rains.During the winter months your lawn only needs water one-half to three-quarters of an inch every 10 to 14 days.Because the area is experiencing below-normal rainfall and groundwater conditions, the need to conserve is greater than ever. Outdoor water use can account for up to fifty percent of residential water use.“Many homeowners have a rain…

Representative Mike Grant presented the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board with a ceremonial check for $15 million for the District’s West-Central Florida Water Restoration Action Plan (WRAP.)Gov. Charlie Crist included WRAP in his 2008-09 budget request to the Legislature. Rep. Grant is a strong advocate for WRAP and helped secure support among House members, which led to inclusion of WRAP in the state’s budget.“…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a virtual public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, to review and solicit public feedback on the 2023 surplus lands assessment, which identified three properties for surplus in Hernando and Polk counties.The surplus lands assessment identifies lands that no longer meet the original acquisition purpose, or do not provide water resource benefits, such as flood control, recharge, water storage, water…

ORLANDO, Fla., May 26, 2015 – Two public meetings are scheduled for next week to provide an opportunity for the public to learn about and comment on the "Central Florida Water Initiative ":http://cfwiwater.com/ (CFWI) draft 2035 Water Resources Protection and Water Supply Strategies Plan (Solutions Plan) and minor changes to the draft 2015 Regional Water Supply Plan. The two draft documents will set a path forward for meeting water supply needs in central Florida for the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be treating the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla on the Rainbow River in Marion County during the period of March 9-12. District workers will treat scattered infestations on the portion of the river upstream of the Rio-Vista area.Workers will apply the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K and post informational signs in the treated areas noting treatment dates and applicable water…

On Tuesday, the "Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ adopted a FY2014-15 millage rate of 0.3658 mill, four percent lower than the current fiscal year. For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would be $36.58 a year, or about $3.05 per month. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2014, through Sept. 30, 2015. The total FY2014-15 budget for the District…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us and the "City of St. Petersburg(St. Petersburg)":http://www.stpete.org are offering city water customers a free sprinkler system checkup.City of St. Petersburg water customers who have an operating in-ground sprinkler system with a timer are eligible for the free program. Customers who irrigate with reclaimed, well or drinking water can apply for the…

With the cooler temperatures this week, the District is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn off your…

What is a feral hog?Feral hogs are wild animals originated from domestic livestock. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) considers feral hogs an invasive exotic species.What kind of damage can a feral hog do?They negatively impact wetlands and other habitats by "rooting" up the soil searching for food. They prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock and humans.How did feral hogs get…

When you reset those clocks this weekend for the start of Daylight Saving Time, don’t forget to check the timers on your irrigation system controllers. Sunday is when we reset the clocks forward one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with current water restrictions.  Under the District’s current year-round water conservation measures, lawn and…

State Sen. J.D. Alexander presented the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board with a ceremonial check for $15 million for the District’s West-Central Florida Water Restoration Action Plan (WRAP.)Gov. Charlie Crist included WRAP in his budget request to the Legislature and Sen. Alexander and Rep. Bill Galvano carried the budget request successfully through the legislative process.“Without the support of the Governor, Senator Alexander…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's ":http://www.WaterMatters.org Governing Board yesterday approved funding for a project that will reduce groundwater withdrawals in Polk County by an estimated annual average savings of 21,000 gallons per day.John Crum Lake McLeod Blueberries will be reimbursed up to $41,810 for a surface water irrigation reservoir and tailwater recovery system at its 20-acre blueberry farm. The property is located within the Southern Water…

Discovering the District Members of the District’s Peace River Basin Board and District staff recently toured the Lake Placid wastewater treatment facility and saw firsthand where the town’s first reclaimed water lines will be installed. The District approved funding for this cooperative project between the District and the town of Lake Placid, which will ensure beneficial use of the town’s wastewater. The project is intended to supply highly treated wastewater for…