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Two Pasco County projects that are expected to reach about 10,000 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… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping and stormwater runoff at Parke Family Hydrofarm.The project involves building a half-acre tower hydroponic section. Tower hydroponics is a farming method that involves planting crops in containers and using drip irrigation to deliver water and nutrients to the center of the stacked containers so each plant’s roots are sufficiently saturated.… Read more

WhoThird- and fourth-grade Wildwood Elementary School students; Louise Ross, Director of Elementary Education for the Sumter County School Board; and Southwest Florida Water Management District Youth Education staffWhatDistrict Youth Education staff will visit a third- and fourth-grade class at Wildwood Elementary School to observe water education projects funded through its Splash! mini-grant program.Ms. Benachoice Caruthers third-grade students will demonstrate their… Read more

Relief is on the way for the lower Hillsborough River thanks to a series of actions taken by the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday.The Board approved new minimum flows for the lower portion of the river, a Recovery Strategy to restore flows to the river, and a funding agreement with Tampa on a series of minimum flow-related projects.Aminimum flow or level (MFL) is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause… Read more

A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Highlands County citrus grower reduce groundwater pumping.The project involves installing an integrated irrigation system that includes soil moisture sensors connected to automated value controllers at Alpine Grove, which is owned by Running W Citrus, Limited Partnership.Soil moisture sensors increase irrigation efficiency by only irrigating when water is needed.According to the Alpine Grove water use permit,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold an independent, scientific peer review of recommended minimum flows for Horse Creek and Charlie Creek beginning this month. Horse Creek and Charlie Creek are located in portions of DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties and are two tributaries of the Peace River.A minimum flow sets a limit on how much water can be withdrawn from various water resources to prevent significant harm occurring to those… Read more

The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) recently awarded the Southwest Florida and St. Johns River water management districts with the Technical Merit Award in the area of research for their work on minimum flows and levels (MFLs.)The mission of NALMS is to forge partnerships among citizens, scientists and professionals to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs for today and tomorrow. NALMS produces an international, peer-reviewed scientific… Read more

 Left: Mike Holtkamp, District operations director, and David Moore, District executive director, discuss the berm project with State Senator Charles Dean (R, Inverness). Mike Holtkamp, District operations director, recently showed David Moore, District executive director, and State Sen. Charles Dean (R, Inverness) the repairs District staff have made to a berm in the Morrison Pool in Citrus County. The berm surrounds the north sinkhole in the Morrison… Read more

TheHighlands Soil and Water Conservation District will receive a $4,950 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District to talk to homeowner associations about water conservation and rain sensors.During the presentations, homeowners will also be able to sign up for free rain sensors. The Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District and volunteers will then visit the sites where the rain sensors are installed to ensure that the devices were… Read more

The District reminds residents that qualifying water and energy-efficient appliances will be tax free Sept. 19-21. The 2014 Sales Tax Holiday is good on the purchase of qualifying ENERGY STAR® and WaterSense® products up to $1,500. Each person in our region uses an average of 104 gallons of water each day. The average household can use 30 percent less water and save about $170 per year by installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances, according to the U.S.… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Aurora Christian Camp and Retreat Center located at 237 Golden Bough Road east of Lake Wales. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lake Aurora in Polk County.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is monitoring and preparing for the possible landfall of Tropical Storm Fay in Florida.The District has initiated Level 2 activation of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Brooksville. Level 2 activation is required when a situation develops where the District may be adversely affected. Under Level 2 activation, the District’s Emergency Response Team reports to the EOC during extended business hours and assumes… Read more

The deadline to apply for a Community Education Grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District is approaching. Grant applications are due Aug. 24, 2007. The grants, which offer funding up to $5,000 each, are designated for projects that motivate adults to get involved in education projects that promote water resources protection.Government agencies, private individuals, educational facilities, business and industry, neighborhoods, homeowner and service… Read more

Educators interested in securing a Splash! mini-grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District are invited to apply online on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/mini-grants/.The District’s Splash! mini-grants provide teachers with funding for classroom projects on water quality, natural systems, water conservation, alternative water sources, flood protection or watersheds. The goal of the mini-grant program is to promote hands-on water… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is soliciting stakeholder input on the annual update of the Priority List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels. A public meeting will be held at the District's Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North on Monday, Sept. 19 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Minimum flows and levels (MFLs) are limits set by the District Governing Board for surface waters and groundwater. MFLs are… Read more

West Hernando Middle School students and teachers will get their hands dirty this month when they work side by side with Southwest Florida Water Management District staff restoring the Weekiwachee Preserve.The student workdays are April 13 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.During the workdays students will plant soft-stemmed bulrush along the banks of several water bodies within the preserve and monitor the water quality. The goal of the project is to revegetate and develop the… Read more

The deadline to apply for a Community Education Grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District is approaching. Grant applications are due Sept. 15, 2006. The grants, which offer funding up to $5,000 each, are designated for projects that motivate adults to get involved in education projects that promote water resources protection.Government agencies, private individuals, educational facilities, business and industry, neighborhoods, homeowner and service… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,… Read more

Gov. Charlie Crist on April 1 reappointed Todd Pressman, and appointed Jeffrey Adams to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org Governing Board."Pressman(Todd Pressman)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/profiles/todd_pressman.html is from Oldsmar and is the owner and president of Pressman & Associates. His new term ends March 1, 2014. Pressman was elected Board chair in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with Pinellas County Utilities to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet replaced with a low-flow model.High-volume toilets can use three gallons or more per flush, while low-flow toilets use up to 1.6 gallons per flush.The program targets residential and commercial customers of Pinellas County Utilities and the cities of Clearwater, Pinellas Park, Safety… Read more