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The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council will meet on Monday, Dec. 1, 5 p.m. at the Lake Panasoffkee Recreation Center’s West Wing, 1532 CR-459, Lake Panasoffkee.The council will discuss the completion of the lake dredging project, canal cleanup and the future of the spoil area. The public is also invited to share comments.The Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council was created by the state Legislature in 1998 to develop a restoration plan for the lake. The council is… Read more

The award is a glass coaster set. A scene is painted on each coaster. When stacked together, they form a 3-D scene of ths mock-up. This November the District will recognize the very best in District-sponsored community and youth water resources education projects at the Partners in Watershed Education ceremony. To select this year’s 32 award-winning projects, District staff reviewed education projects completed through District grant programs by teachers and… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a project that will reduce groundwater pumping at a caladium farm in southwestern Hardee County.The project involves installing an integrated irrigation system at Classic Caladiums, L.L.C. The system includes soil moisture sensors and the equipment needed to transmit the data to the grower’s computer system, which will help the grower make decisions on how to improve irrigation efficiency… Read more

Florida native and citrus grower Ronald E. Oakley took his oath of office to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board during board meeting Tuesday.Oakley was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to succeed Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice. Oakley’s term ends March 1, 2011.The Zephyrhills resident is the executive vice president of Oakley Groves, Inc. in Lake Wales. He feels his experience as a citrus grower and rancher will give… Read more

Water supply planning workshop to start at 9 a.m. The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m. The meeting will immediately follow a water supply planning workshop. Both meetings will take place at the District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit … Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to comment on proposed minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for Gum Slough Spring Run and associated springs in northwestern Sumter County and southwestern Marion County at a public workshop on *Thursday, Nov. 17.* The workshop will be held from *6 to approximately 8:30 p.m.* at the *Marion Oaks Community Center,* 294 Marion Oaks Lane, Ocala.The state… Read more

The Marion County Extension Service Office will receive a $5,000 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2006 Community Education Grant Program.The Marion County Extension Service Office was awarded the funds for the Spring Festival 2006. This festival, which is being held March 11-12, is a continuation of the cooperator’s previous efforts. Approximately 16,000 residents will attend this one-day Florida-friendly landscaping festival.… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board will hold its December meeting at the Villages.The meeting will be held Thursday, Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. at the Coconut Cove Recreation Center, 1398 Stillwater Trail.The basin board usually holds its meetings at the District’s Headquarters in Brooksville.“Holding the meeting at a new location within the basin benefits the board members and the community,” said Lou Kavouras,… Read more

Bobby Lue, Utility Services Program Manager For 27 years, Bobby Lue has tackled environmental and water issues for several agencies including 12 years at the District. In that time, Lue has learned the balance between conservation efforts and community needs. Now, he’s using that experience to head up the District’s Utility Services Program. The program was designed to strengthen communication with public supply utilities. Traditionally, the District… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recommends homeowners with inground irrigation systems observe “Smart Irrigation Month” by taking a moment to tune up their irrigation systems and check their rain shut-off devices.Each year the Irrigation Association designates July as “Smart Irrigation Month” to raise awareness about how residents can improve irrigation efficiency, conserve water, lower their water bills, reduce runoff and eliminate… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August and September on the District's Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County.The "Deep Creek Preserve(Deep Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/deepcreek.html is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 350 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units… Read more

Top left: Junior high students spent the day fishing. Putting the worm on the hook was a test for some! Top right: Joseph Verdi gets an up-close view of the watershed model. Lower left: Alexis Verdi studies the hiking guide. Lower right: Bob Brady, senior field technician, shows children how he takes water quality samples. For the second year in a row, members of the Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County piled into buses that would take them to the Weekiwachee… Read more

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) staff, state and local elected officials from Pinellas, Manatee and Hillsborough counties, Department of Environmental Protection staff, former Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) staff, SWIM volunteers, SWIM cooperators and consultantsWhat: The District will host an event at Cockroach Bay to celebrate 20 years since the Florida Legislature passed the SWIM Act. The event… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us will be conducting ""controlled, prescribed burns"(Prescribed Fire - a Tool of Nature)":/publications/files/prescribed_fire.pdf during June, July and August on the District's Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve property in Marion County.The "Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve(Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve)":/recreation/areas/halpata.html property is located… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during May and June on the District's Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. The "Deep Creek Preserve(Deep Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/deepcreek.html is located northeast of Port Charlotte, west of King's Highway and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 350 acres of land will be burned in… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a workshop on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. at Dunnellon City Hall, located at 20750 River Drive in Dunnellon. The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum flow for the Rainbow River System in Marion County. The Florida Legislature requires the District to set minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for priority water bodies within the District. A minimum flow or… Read more

Members of the Calusa Lakes & Woodland Trail Homeowners Association in Venice are briefed on how to install Florida-friendly landscaping and a micro-irrigation system. Before clearing a pond of unwanted, invasive plants, residents from Pelican Cove in Sarasota learned how fertilizer and pesticide use affects local stormwater ponds. If you are interested in organizing a project that provides your neighborhood, community group or the general public… Read more

Just east of New Tampa’s subdivisions is an area where riders can wander through shaded forested wetlands and sunny pine flatwoods. The Oak Ridge Equestrian Area is a 1,000-acre wilderness made to order for equestrian enthusiasts. The area is part of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, one of the largest premier contiguous recreation areas in Hillsborough County. While the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department manages many park… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently approved an agreement to help Marion County fund its first irrigation evaluation program.As part of the program, approximately 250 residents may volunteer to participate in this free program. Participants will receive an irrigation system evaluation, site-specific recommendations, installation of a rain sensor or a soil moisture sensor if an operable automatic shutoff device is not present, and Florida-friendly… Read more

Three Citrus County projects expected to reach up to 167,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/. This year the District approved 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $120,471. This is the 14th year "Community Education Grants(Community Education Grant program)":/business/communitygrants have been available. These grants offer reimbursement up to $5,000 to help… Read more