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Originally purchased as part of the Four River Basins project, the Green Swamp is the headwaters of the Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha, Hillsborough and Peace rivers. Protecting the Green Swamp is vital to protecting the quality and quantity of Florida’s water supply. Hundreds of thousands of acres of conservation lands have been protected and restored by the District during the past 50 years. These lands are managed to protect vital water functions and…

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and District have approved five springs restoration projects in Citrus, Hernando and Marion counties. These projects will receive more than $13.4 million in state funding from Governor Rick Scott’s 2015-16 “Keep Florida Working” budget. This funding is expected to leverage over $7 million in matching funds.  These five selected projects will benefit Homosassa, Kings Bay, Rainbow and Weeki Wachee springs. “I would…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its proposed Fiscal Year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate and the millage rates for its Basin Boards.The District adopted a fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.3866 mill, which is .0354 less than the current fiscal year. This reduction is in accordance with the tax reduction mandated by the Florida Legislature. FY2008 will run from Oct. 1, 2007, through Sept. 30, 2008.The FY2008 millage rate…

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday appointed Randall S. (Randy) Maggard to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard.Maggard is from Pasco County and serves as vice president of Sonny's Discount Appliances Inc. He was appointed to succeed Ronald E. Oakley, and his term ends March 1, 2015. Maggard was a member of the Coastal Rivers Basin Board from 2004 to 2010,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is preparing to repair a berm breach in the Morrison Pool.The berm surrounds the north sinkhole in the Morrison Pool and prevents water from Morrison Pool and Little Lake Henderson from flowing into the sinkhole when the lake is low.The District has received approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and is awaiting approval from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct the work needed to repair the…

At its August 17 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Manasota Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.160 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2006 is $20,235,533, which represents an increase of $5,859,524 from the approved FY2005 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to an increase in property values, an increase in carryover funds from prior years as compared to FY2005 and…

Do you belong to an organization whose members want to learn more about the drought?Southwest Florida Water Management District staff members are available to speak to community groups on the drought, what the District is doing to meet water needs, and what residents can do to help.The District’s rainfall deficit for the past two years is more than 20 inches. Forecasters are predicting a drier than normal winter and spring, which means this serious situation will…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River in Marion County July 9-12. Hydrilla infestations will be treated from below the C.R. 484 bridge to the confluence of the Withlacoochee River.Hydrilla will be spot treated with the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Surface water within the treated area should not be used for irrigation or domestic purposes within seven days of treatment. Water use restrictions do not apply to…

Who: State Sen. Charles Dean (R, Inverness), Southwest Florida Water Management District staffWhat:The senator will tour the site where the District is repairing a berm breach in the Morrison Pool.When:Wednesday, May 13, 9:30 a.m.Where:Morrison Pool berm, just off the Florida Rails to Trails trailWhy:The Southwest Florida Water Management District is repairing a berm breach in the Morrison Pool. The berm surrounds the north sinkhole in the Morrison Pool and prevents water…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be treating hydrilla on the Rainbow River July 10-13. Infestations of water lettuce along the river in Marion County will be treated.Treatment involves the application of the aquatic herbicide Aquathol Super K. Treatment areas will be posted with warning signs displaying treatment dates and applicable restrictions. River water should not be used for irrigation or domestic purposes for seven days following treatment.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Tuesday, August 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Eva Community Center located at 555 Ledwith Ave. in Haines City. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Lake Eva in Haines City.The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the District. A minimum…

Construction is under way on a cooperative project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Dunedin to restore approximately 30 acres of wetlands within the city’s Hammock Park.Preliminary clearing is being done at select project areas within the park. Hammock Park is located north of downtown Dunedin and east of Alternate U.S. 19 and is one of the last remnants of forest that was typical of this coastal region before the area was…

Southwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director David L. Moore this week issued an emergency order authorizing Hernando County to pump water to relieve flooding in the Lakewood subdivision.The property of approximately 30 Lakewood residents remains flooded. The subdivision is located near the northeast corner of Hernando County, north of the Withlacoochee River and adjacent to Lakes Geneva, Elizabeth and Frances. The property was flooded after the rains…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of the Southworth Tract, a 589-acre parcel of land located within the Weekiwachee Preserve. This important property purchase will allow the District to substantially complete the Weekiwachee Preserve Project by connecting seven District-owned parcels. This acquisition meets all four of the District’s Areas of Responsibility, which are water supply, water quality,…

Local elected officials, community leaders, regional water supply authority board members, and other interested people are invited to attend a workshop in Hernando County aimed at explaining minimum flows and levels (MFLs.)The workshop, which is being hosted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Hernando County Utilities Department and the Hernando County Groundwater Guardian Team, will be held Wednesday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Hernando County…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting the public to participate in a workshop aimed at updating the management plan for the Cypress Creek Preserve property in Pasco County.The workshop will be held at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on U.S. 41 (5401 Land O’ Lakes Boulevard) on Thursday, September 29, at 6 p.m.The Preserve property encompasses approximately 7,400 acres and protects an extensive area of floodplain along an 8-mile length of…

The area's first Landscape Challenge competition, scheduled to take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon on March 12, has been postponed due to forecasts for heavy rain. The event has been rescheduled for April 16. The competition at the "Pay it Forward Farm(Pay it Forward Farm, Spring Hill)":http://www.payitforwardfarm.org in Spring Hill will allow landscape professionals to compete for the title of Ruling Water Champions. A media alert will be issued as the April 16 event…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 5 p.m. at Frostproof City Hall, located at 111 West First Street in Frostproof. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on proposed Minimum and Guidance Levels for Lake Clinch. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the District. A minimum flow or level is the…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is closing two water control structures on Tsala Apopka Lake to allow engineers to conduct surveys of the lake system.The Golf Course and Moccasin Slough structures will be closed until Thursday afternoon, Sept. 30. Residents living on the Inverness pool of Tsala Apopka Lake may notice a slight drop in lake levels if natural losses from evaporation or recharge to the aquifer are…

 Jointly acquired between the District and the state to protect the water resources of Tampa Bay, the Terra Ceia Preserve State Park is managed by the Florida State Parks system. The lands are mostly uplands of maritime hammocks and mangrove fringe forests. Various wetland communities such as freshwater creeks, freshwater marshes, karst tidal ponds and estuarine marshes are interspersed within the preserve.