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From left: Jason DiBattista, left, and Jeff Toth inspect irrigation systems at the District’s headquarters in Brooksville. Center: Kris Miller, a tradesworker in the Tampa service office, checks a microjet. Right: Steve Noble, a tradesworker in the Sarasota service office, inspects a conversion manifold filter. More District tradesworkers are versed in micro-irrigation technology after attending a training course in Tampa. Tradesworkers and other staff from…

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of June, July and August on the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract.Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, lies between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which lies north and south of Interstate 75 just…

In October, the Southwest Florida Water Management District will celebrate the Hillsborough River and the Hillsborough River watershed with a series of events along the river.The District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board has declared the week of Oct. 20 through 27 as “Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week.” The participating city and county governments plan to recognize the week, which was modeled after a similar event in April that focused on the Peace River…

h2. Rate Reduced to Meet $108 Million Ad Valorem CapThe "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard Tuesday adopted its proposed fiscal year 2012 (FY2012) millage rate.The proposed FY2012 millage rate of 0.3928 mill takes into account the merger of the budgets of the District's eight Basin Boards into the Governing Board, and the $108 million cap on ad valorem…

Executive Director Resigns Governing Board Chairman Ronnie Duncan received the call at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 16. After six years at the helm, Sonny Vergara was resigning as executive director, effective Jan. 17. Duncan’s reaction: surprise, sadness, a “little gut wrenching.” It soon became clear to Duncan that Vergara had mountains left to climb. “Sonny is an extraordinary individual, one that thrives off of the challenge, that thrives off of the adrenaline…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is inviting the public to an open house about Lake Panasoffkee on Tuesday, Dec. 7. The workshop will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at "Lake Panasoffkee Recreation Park(Lake Panasoffkee Recreation Park)":http://sumtercountyfl.gov/index.aspx?NID=207, 1582 CR 459, Lake Panasoffkee.The District is holding the open house to discuss the success of the restoration project as well as current…

At its Aug. 12 meeting, the Southwest "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.23 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Withlacoochee River Basin Board(Withlacoochee River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/withlacoochee.php area covers portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and…

Guest speakers and songs will be featured at the 6th Annual Marion County Springs Festival, which is being held Saturday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Silver River State Park.A variety of experts will speak about Florida’s springs and springs protection during the festival, including Chris Zajac, an environmental scientist with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Zajac will talk about the District’s projects on the Rainbow River. Other…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the rest of March and April on the District’s Weekiwachee Preserve and the Annuteliga Hammock.The Weekiwachee Preserve is approximately one mile west of Spring Hill. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Annuteliga Hammock tract is approximately three miles south of Chassahowitzka. Approximately 800 acres of land…

At its June 7 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alafia River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) millage rate of 0.240 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.Further, in the event that a tax reduction is mandated by the Legislature during its special session later this month, the Basin Board has authorized the Executive Director to recalculate its millage rate to reflect the change in revenue prescribed by the…

SWIM Success Story An ugly duckling was transformed into a pollution-removing swan through a District Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) project. The “ugly duckling” in this story was a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) borrow pit that was turned into a stormwater pond to improve the water quality of 600 acres of runoff that flows into Tampa Bay. While the project may not sound like a big deal to someone who doesn’t know anything about…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during the months of October through December on the District’s Deer Prairie Creek property. The property is located north and south of I-75 between mile markers 186 and 190. The property’s southern border is U.S. 41 between Myakka River and the North Port. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of a parcel of land in connection with the Lake Hancock Project. The property is an important part of the creation of a greenway link.The parcel is approximately 590 acres of land and is located along the eastern shore of Lake Hancock. Located west of Thornhill Road, south of the Polk Parkway and State Road 540, the property is being purchased for $5,225,000 from Tom and Tham…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during October and November on two District sites in Hillsborough County. The sites are the Alafia Reservoir property and the Lower Hillsborough property.The Alafia Reservoir property is approximately 3 miles southwest of Lithia. Approximately 25 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.The Lower Hillsborough property is approximately 4 miles northeast…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of a 5,484-acre parcel of land in Citrus County. This acquisition will be added to the 11,454 acres that the District either owns or holds an interest within the Flying Eagle project.The property, commonly known as the McGregor Smith Scout Reservation,is located south of S.R. 44 in Citrus County, approximately 6 miles east of the City of Inverness.The land is being purchased for $…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect a new slate of officers for the 2019-2020 term. Mark Taylor was elected chair of the Governing Board. Taylor represents Hernando and Marion counties and is president of TTG Properties, Inc., a real estate management, investment and development firm. Taylor was appointed to the Governing Board in August 2016. Michelle Williamson was elected vice chair of the Governing Board.…

Sunday marked the start of another hurricane season and the 10th anniversary of one the most destructive  and costly seasons in Florida. During the 2004 hurricane season, four storms – Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jean – crisscrossed the state bringing major destruction and devastation including many parts of the District. That hurricane season changed how the District responded to emergencies. Staff worked in numerous capacities in the recovery efforts from…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is celebrating "Florida Arbor Day(Florida Arbor Day)":http://www.arborday.org/states/?state=FL by inviting volunteers to the District's "Lake Panasoffkee property(Lake Panasoffkee property)":/recreation/areas/lakepanasoffkee.html in Sumter County to plant trees on Friday, Jan. 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.The District is planting several hundred trees, including live oaks and long…

Staff and dignitaries attended the grand opening ceremony of the Frances Archbold Hufty Learning Center and Adrian Archbold Lodge at Archbold Biological Station in Highlands County. The station is an independent, not-for-profit organization offering programs in ecological research, education and conservation. The District provided funding for educational exhibits, signage and a demonstration garden that will educate visitors about the Lake Wales Ridge, Florida scrub…

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 "Flatwoods Park(Flatwoods Park)":/recreation/areas/lh-flatwoods.html in Hillsborough County.Some entrances or trails at Flatwoods Park may be temporarily closed on weekdays during August and September to facilitate the safe execution of prescribed burns. The entrance at 13630 Morris…