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The "Central Florida Water Initiative's":http://cfwiwater.com/ (CFWI) Steering Committee has released two updated draft documents that will set a path forward for meeting water supply needs in central Florida for the next 20 years.During several public meetings over the summer, the public was invited to learn about and comment on the draft 2035 Water Resources Protection and Water Supply Strategies Plan (Solutions Plan) and minor changes to the draft 2015 Regional Water…

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…

From building water-conserving gardens to visiting a local estuary, District Splash! grants provide students the opportunity to learn about water resources in a hands-on way. The Splash! school grant program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources. The grants help teachers build on existing classroom lessons by providing hands-on activities. “Splash! grants are a great way to support activities that empower students to…

At its August 3 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.400 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2006 is $38,655,311, which is an increase of $6,614,869 from the approved FY2005 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to ad valorem tax revenue from increased property values and revenue from the state’s newly created Water…

Water Management on the Move A cooperative project between Pinellas County and the District has restored the natural flow of water between two back bays at Fort DeSoto Park near the mouth of Tampa Bay. Restoring the circulation will help improve water quality and habitats in the estuary. When the park was being developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s, a dredge-and-fill project connected a series of small mangrove islands from the mainland to a barrier…

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…

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 management of the Green Swamp involves the coordinated efforts of many different agencies and organizations. The District is the lead agency responsible for regulating, protecting, preserving, restoring and making available for public use the water resources and lands of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve.In many instances, public land in the Green Swamp is managed cooperatively by more than one agency, with assistance from volunteers and the private sector. The Fish…

  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,…

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(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…

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…

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…

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…

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 (District) has activated the Tampa Bypass Canal System due to anticipated heavy rains from Hurricane Milton to help protect the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa from river flooding.The District is preemptively closing S-155 on the Hillsborough River before Hurricane Milton makes landfall to decrease freshwater discharge from the river into Tampa Bay during the forecasted historic storm surge and to minimize flood risks from…

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…

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…

Southwest Florida Water Management District staff members are reaching out to community groups to answer questions about the ongoing drought, the tightened watering restrictions in the Tampa Bay area, and how residents can help.“The District is making every effort to make the public aware of the serious situation we are in,” said Robyn Felix, media relations manager. “We are urging everyone to do their part to conserve water.”After two years of…