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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Highlands County. The District will provide a virtual public comment now through Sept. 30, at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Jack Creek…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is gathering information to improve identification of flooding risks for six Marion County watersheds.This information is being developed as part of the *Blichton*, *Martel*, *SR 200* and *Cotton Plant 1, 2 and 3* watershed management plans. The plans were cooperatively funded by the District and Marion County.The District is holding an open house in Marion County to present…

District Approves Budget The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board recently adopted its fiscal year 2012–13 (FY2012–13) millage rate and budget. The Governing Board adopted a FY2012–13 millage rate of 0.3928 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2012–13 will run from Oct. 1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2013. With taxable property values declining by 2.9 percent, this rate will result in a $3 million reduction in ad valorem property tax…

Habitats are thriving at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa thanks to a District project aimed at restoring natural systems and improving water quality for Tampa Bay.  District staff completed the third and final phase of a restoration project at MacDill last fall, along the southern tip of Tampa’s Interbay Peninsula near the base’s golf course. Workers dug and expanded water channels, removed non-native plants and planted native species in an effort to improve…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Manatee County. The District will provide virtual outreach now through Sept. 20 at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Pearce Drain/Gap Creek Watershed…

Some Areas Show Significant Gains Scientists with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) completed the latest round of seagrass mapping along Florida’s Springs Coast. The results of the aerial imagery collected show 586,511 acres of mapped seagrass habitat along the Springs Coast, up slightly from the previous total of 577,920 acres in 2016. The open water nature of the area and the largely undeveloped and expansive coastal wetlands…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Polk County. The District will provide a virtual public comment period now through April 29 at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Davenport Watershed. The…

Annually, the fourth Saturday in September is recognized as National Public Lands Day (NPLD)! Founded in 1994, NPLD is the largest single-day volunteer event for public lands, drawing thousands of participants each year. Public lands include national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, forests, grasslands, marine sanctuaries, lakes and reservoirs; as well as state, county and city parks that are managed by federal, state and local governments. These public lands allow…

At its August 4 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2007 (FY2007) millage rate of 0.195 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget for FY2007 is $15,976,982, which is an increase of $2,655,463 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 Basin Board area…

 Gov. Rick Scott (right) with new Governing Board appointee George Mann. Gov. Rick Scott recently appointed George Mann to the District’s Governing Board. Mann, of Polk City, is a retired business development manager at Treatt USA, which processes citrus products. Mann was appointed to succeed Neil Combee, and his term ends March 1, 2013. Mann is currently serving as a board member of Anchor House Ministry. Previously, he served on the Florida Citrus…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard Tuesday adopted its fiscal year 2012 millage rate and budget.The Governing Board adopted a FY2012 millage rate of 0.3928 mill, taking into account the merger of the budgets of the District's eight Basin Boards into the Governing Board, and the $107.8 million cap on ad valorem property tax collections passed by the Florida…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) and Hernando County will hold a public workshop Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m. to share the results of the Weeki Wachee Natural System Carrying Capacity Study. The meeting will take place at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Meeting Hall, located at 4340 Calienta St. in Hernando Beach. This ecologically-based study evaluated how recreational use affects the river. During the workshop, staff from the District, Hernando…

Kendra Antoine and Sylvia Durell, senior communications coordinators, with their Crystal Awards. Kendra Antoine and Sylvia Durell, senior communications coordinators, received top honors from the Florida Government Communicators Association. Two District communications projects were recognized at the annual Florida Government Communicators Association (FGCA) Awards Banquet. The Crystal Awards recognize businesses, community groups, individuals and agencies…

h3. Old World climbing fern threatening the Green SwampWith threats from new invasive plants and animal species continuing to rise in Florida, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is battling to keep a new invasive vine from infesting the "Green Swamp(Interactive Green Swamp)":/education/interactive/greenswamp/greenswamp.html."Old World climbing fern(Old World Climbing Fern)":/projects/invasives/old-world-fern.php…

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with Polk County to move forward on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with heavy rains in the Saddlebag Lake Watershed.The Saddlebag Lake Watershed spans approximately 9.5 miles in southeast Polk County. Water levels in Saddlebag Lake and Lake Thomas rose dramatically after three hurricanes and four years of above average rainfall. More than 300 homes in the area were flooded and roads…

A project aimed at restoring the Weeki Wachee headsprings and river is moving into its second phase.The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s project involves removing sediment and re-planting native aquatic plants to improve the water quality and habitat within the headsprings and river.The Weeki Wachee headspring and the upper reaches of the river have an accumulation of sand, silt, muck and litter in the headspring, which also spreads downstream. Excessive…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Sumter County. The District will provide a virtual public comment period now through Oct. 19 at WaterMatters.org/Floodplain for the public to view preliminary data for flood prone areas within the Nichols Pond Watershed.…

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed Kelly S. Rice to the Withlacoochee River Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Rice was appointed to succeed Paul M. Mazak. He lives in Webster and is president of the Rice Cattle Company. His term began Feb. 9 and ends March 1, 2011.The Withlacoochee River Basin includes portions of Citrus, Hernando, Marion, Pasco, Levy and Sumter counties.The District has seven regional Basin Boards that provide guidance…

Volunteers Remove Invasive Plants Volunteers from the Tampa Bay Sea Aquarium, University of Tampa, and Sexton and 74th Street elementary schools picked air potatoes during a recent cleanup event at the park. Twenty-nine volunteers recently plucked potatoes at Sawgrass Lake Park, but these aren’t the spuds you’ll find on your dinner table. Volunteers from the Tampa Bay Sea Aquarium, University of Tampa, and Sexton and 74th Street elementary schools picked…

Douglas B. Tharp was sworn into office at the District’s September Governing Board meeting. Tharp, a retired industrial engineer who lives in The Villages, was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to represent Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties on the District’s Governing Board. He will also serve as the co-chair ex officio of the Withlacoochee River Basin Board. Tharp joins the Governing Board with a strong interest in the environment as…