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A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Polk County nursery reduce groundwater pumping.The project involves installing a weather station at the Cherry Lake Tree Farm, which is owned by I.M.G. Enterprises, Inc.Weather stations help farmers irrigate more precisely, based on weather conditions. For example, during frost-freeze events the farmer has exact data for the area and can turn on the pumps at the appropriate time instead of pumping all night.…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard on Monday set a March 2, 2010, deadline for well owners to file claims for damage suffered during the Jan. 3-13, 2010 freeze. Most eastern Hillsborough County residents whose wells were damaged when aquifer levels dropped have already called the "District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org to "report their…

At its June 9 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.195 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The proposed budget for FY2007 is $13,840,581, which is an increase of $519,062 from the approved FY2006 budget. The increase is primarily due to an increase in property values. FY2007 will run from Oct. 1, 2006, through Sept. 30, 2007.The Peace River…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping at a citrus grove in Polk County.The project involves installing an integrated irrigation system that will include a weather station, soil moisture sensors, and automated valves at the Camp Mack Grove, owned by Lykes Brothers, Inc. The grove is located northeast of Lake Wales.Installing a weather station helps farmers irrigate more precisely, based…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will activate the Tampa Bypass Canal system tonight in response to heavy rains in the Tampa Bay area from Hurricane Hermine. This action will close the Hillsborough River to boaters, and boat barriers will be in place by approximately 8 p.m. The Hillsborough River has reached an elevation of 25 feet above sea level, which triggers the Army Corps of Engineers activation level of the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention…

At its June 21 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a tentative fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) millage rate of 0.235 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The tentative budget for FY2006 is $8,457,750, which represents an increase of $336,746 from the approved FY2005 budget. The increase in the budget is primarily due to an increase in property values and increases in funding from local governments for…

table(webalert). |Who:|The Starkey family, Pasco County School Board, Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department, West Pasco Audubon Society, Twin Rivers District of the Boy Scouts of America, Tampa Bay Water and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.||*What:*|Celebrate the completion of exhibits inside the Starkey Environmental Education Center, located at the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park. The exhibits will enhance watershed education for Pasco County students…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is currently developing new minimum flow standards for the Upper Peace River. Minimum flows are intended to prevent significant harm to the water resources or ecology of an area that may be caused by water withdrawals. The draft minimum flows report for the Upper Peace River, along with the…

Gov. Rick Scott on April 26 reappointed Albert Joerger, H. Paul Senft, and Doug Tharp to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard.Joerger is from Sarasota and is the founder and president of The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast. His new term ends March 1, 2015. Joerger is also co-chair of the "Manasota Basin Board(Manasota Basin Board)":/about/…

h2. District Seeking Public Input on Evaluation of PropertiesThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering information to determine if public lands that are owned and managed by the District should be considered for surplus.As part of that information-gathering effort, the District is holding public meetings to explain the assessment process and receive public comment. The first two meetings are scheduled for…

The District’s birth was prompted by a hurricane. Its initial mission was to provide flood protection; however, by the end of the decade, the fledgling agency was already maturing to address broad-based water management needs. During the 1960 hurricane season, Hurricane Donna hammered Florida with 128-mph sustained winds and massive flooding. Donna caused storm surges of up to 13 feet in the Florida Keys and 11-foot surges along the southwest coast of Florida. Portions of…

Emergency Operations Center at Level 1 Activation Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have raised the activation level of the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 1 as they continue to monitor Tropical Storm Elsa. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is evaluating potential impacts from the storm that could occur throughout its 16-county region…

The District’s Governing Board, along with the Florida Legislature and Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, declared April Springs Protection Awareness Month. There are many actions you can take at home to help protect springs.  A spring only is as healthy as its springshed, which is the area of land that contributes water to a spring. Activities within springsheds impact groundwater, and therefore, affect the water flowing from a spring. Help…

A Sarasota condominium association received statewide recognition for a project it completed with the help of a Southwest Florida Water Management District Community Education Grant.The Pelican Cove Condominium Association was one of nine condominium and homeowners associations recognized at the Florida Community Association Journal’s Florida Communities of Excellence Awards. The associations were honored for their achievement in addressing the needs and concerns of…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) has approved a contract for the purchase of 410.74 acres that is a connector between the Tsala Apopka/Two-Mile Prairie projects situated at the northern end of the Lake Tsala Apopka system in Citrus County. The property is generally situated between State Road 200 and the Tsala Apopka Outfall Canal. The Tsala Apopka/Two-Mile Prairie project is an environmentally sensitive piece of…

To provide flood protection to lakefront properties, the Southwest Florida Water Management District Tuesday will begin releasing water through flood control structure S-353 on the Hernando Pool of the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes.S-353 releases water into an outfall canal that discharges into the Withlacoochee River near Holder. The operation of the structure is guided by a legal agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that requires water to be released when levels…

To provide flood protection to lakefront properties, the Southwest Florida Water Management District Tuesday will begin releasing water through flood control structure S-353 on the Hernando Pool of the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes.S-353 releases water into an outfall canal that discharges into the Withlacoochee River near Holder. The operation of the structure is guided by a legal agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that requires water to be released when levels…

The District’s Governing Board, along with the Florida Legislature and Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, declared April Springs Protection Awareness Month. There are many actions you can take at home to help protect springs.  A spring only is as healthy as its springshed, which is the area of land that contributes water to a spring. Activities within springsheds impact groundwater, and therefore, affect the water flowing from a spring. Help…

The Southwest Florida Management District and the City of St. Petersburg are working together on three projects that will improve drainage in four St. Petersburg neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are Palmetto Park, Norwood Heights, Ponce De Leon and Jungle Terrace.All of the projects are part of a 1994 stormwater management master plan developed by the city. During heavy rain the neighborhoods experience street flooding because the existing drainage systems are outdated and…

This summer a group of international visitors spent time learning about the District and sharing ideas with District staff. Ed Hobin, outreach projects coordinator for the District and a Rotarian, hosted a group of New Zealanders. Henry Davies, a member of the Wellington North Rotary Club, led the group. Davies is a banker specializing in online services. Accompanying Davies on the tour were a clinical psychologist, a police officer and two hospitality and tourism…