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_More than 272,000 acres of dense seagrass digitally mapped_The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently completed a seagrass mapping project to monitor the long-term health of seagrass beds along the Springs Coast. The project involved digitally mapping more than 525,000 acres of submerged land from the mouth of the Anclote River near Tarpon Springs to the mouth of the Withlacoochee River. Seagrass generally grows in waters less than 14 feet deep and is an…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 200 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during July and August on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to mimic…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during March on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to…

A five-year project funded by the Southwest Florida Management District and Hillsborough County will help predict flooding and water quality problems through updating the county’s topographical maps.This aerial mapping project, which is in its final phase, is providing detailed topographic maps that show the area’s physical features. From these maps, floodplain boundaries and watersheds may be determined to help predict future flooding and water quality problems…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October and November on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve. The property is approximately 1 mile west of Spring Hill. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are…

A devastating weather year led to the creation of the District and weather continues to guide the District’s policies and procedures during the last six decades. As the District celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, today’s water management decisions are strongly guided by the floods, freezes and droughts of the past. The District was founded in response to a destructive year of flooding in 1960 caused by a spring rainfall event that brought 27 inches of rain…

   James Fine, office chief of the Project Management Office A new office at the District aims to improve the consistency and efficiency of District water resource projects. The Project Management Office (PMO) was recently created to support the cooperative funding process and other District initiatives. By reviewing and refining the current procedures, the PMO will find ways to improve the process, said James Fine, the new office chief of the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is inviting residents who live near Lake Hancock to an open house concerning the Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification Project. The open house is being held Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the District’s Bartow Service Office from 3 until 7 p.m.Residents who own property within the Lake Hancock area that may be impacted if the project is implemented are encouraged to attend so they can discuss the project with District staff.The Lake…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will hold a dedication event to celebrate the completion of phase one of the Coral Creek Restoration project. The District, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Charlotte County, restored approximately 250 acres of uplands and wetlands through this important project. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 22 at 11 a.m. at the Coral Creek…

Governor Ron DeSantis has reappointed Ed Armstrong and William Hogarth to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Both Armstrong and Hogarth represent Pinellas County and were both reappointed for a term ending March 2026. Armstrong, of Dunedin, currently serves as treasurer of the Governing Board and was recently elected vice chair. He is a shareholder with…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect officers for the 2022-2023 term. Joel Schleicher was elected chair of the Governing Board. Schleicher represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties and has used his vast knowledge as a successful entrepreneur to challenge the status quo while giving back to the community via various organizations. Schleicher was appointed to the Governing Board in May 2017 and reappointed in July…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect a new slate of officers for the 2018-2019 term. Jeffrey M. Adams was elected chair of the Governing Board. Adams represents Pinellas County and is an attorney and partner with the law firm of Abbey, Adams, LLP, in St. Petersburg.…

Advanced technology has reached nearly every single aspect of the District in one way or another throughout the organization’s history, most notably in the past two decades. “The technological changes during my tenure alone were like going from horse and buggy to putting a man on the moon in a very short period of time,” said Pete Hubbell, District executive director from 1988 to 1997. Information Resources In the early 2000s, the District’s operating system…

h2. Effort Increases Efficiency, Reduces Costs and Retains Major ProgramsThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ this week completed its organizational restructuring which is expected to reduce District expenses by more than $15 million a year. The reorganization increases efficiencies, reduces operational costs and meets the District's core mission responsibilities in the areas of water supply, flood protection, water…

For the second year in a row, Lee Wetherington Homes took home the Water-Wise Landscape Recognition Awards for Sarasota County at the annual Home Builders Association Parade of Homes banquet. This year Lee Wetherington Homes also took home the award for Manatee County.The winning designs were the Addison model in Manatee County and the Casablanca in Sarasota County. Sun State Landscaping designed the landscaping and irrigation at each location.The Water-Wise Landscape…

For the sixth year in a row, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted to decrease property taxes by adopting a rolled back millage rate of 0.3131 mill for the proposed fiscal year 2018 budget.The millage rate is more than 5.6 percent lower than the current fiscal year adopted millage rate of 0.3317 mill, a savings to taxpayers of $6.7 million.For the owner of a $150,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the District tax would…

Water Management on the Move Representatives from the City of Lakeland, Florida Southern College and the District recently celebrated the completion of a stormwater treatment wetland at Anchor Park. The Southern Landing Stormwater Treatment Wetland Project will improve water quality in Lake Hollingsworth, serve as a beautiful area for public recreation, and provide research opportunities for students attending Florida Southern College. This project builds upon…

The public is welcome to attend an information meeting to discuss water resources issues and watershed planning in the Roberts Bay North Watershed in Sarasota County.This public workshop will be held March 15, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Southgate Community Association Building, located at 3145 Southgate Circle in Sarasota.The Southwest Florida Management District and Sarasota County are evaluating conditions in the watershed, which is located in northwest Sarasota County and…