Search Content

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Hampton Tract, including closed area tracts at Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County, will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts March 18-20.Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 30 permits for these hunts have been sold.The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Hampton Tract is located at 14301 Rock Ridge Road in Lakeland.This activity is one of a… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials are monitoring the tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico, and the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains at its lowest activation, Level 3 – monitoring only. The EOC provides direction regarding District activities during an emergency weather event. The District is currently operating water control… Read more

The Governing Board appointed Brian Armstrong as executive director at today's monthly Board meeting. Robert Beltran, who announced his resignation earlier this month, will stay on temporarily to assist in the transition. Beltran was appointed to serve as the District's executive director in September 2013, and is returning to the private sector.Mr. Armstrong has served as the District's assistant executive director since May 2014. In that role he has been responsible for… Read more

The District’s work with springs is receiving worldwide attention as a Paris production crew recently documented some of the District’s projects.  One Planet Productions, based in France, writes and produces films dedicated to science, society, nature and the environment. Their films are broadcast on French television, as well as National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.  The film crew spent about a week documenting springs in the District. They… Read more

Clockwise from top: Water Quality Monitoring Program employees, George DeGroot and David Sua receive their suggestion awards from their managers. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the District’s Employee Suggestion Program, which began with a goal of awarding employees who save taxpayer dollars and increase efficiency. To date, more than $1.8 million of taxpayer money has been saved by employee suggestions. “This is truly a win-win situation for… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual workshop Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual workshop is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for Lower Shell Creek in Charlotte County. Members of the public may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams through this link https://bit.ly/3arKI1S. The Google Chrome browser is… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during September on the District's "Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/greenswamp.html.Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August on the District's "Cypress Creek Preserve":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/cypresscreek.html in Pasco County.Cypress Creek Preserve is located in Central Pasco. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August on the District's "Annutteliga Hammock":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/annuteligahammock.html in Hernando County.Annutteliga Hammock is located in the Royal Highlands Area. Approximately 150 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August on the District's "Conner Preserve":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/conner.html.Conner Preserve is located four miles north of Land O' Lakes. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the Jack Creek property in Highlands County.The Jack Creek property is located in Sebring. Approximately 422 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to mimic natural fire cycles… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Cypress Creek Preserve in Pasco County.Cypress Creek Preserve is located in Central Pasco. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to mimic… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Conner Preserve.Conner Preserve is located four miles north of Land O' Lakes. Approximately 500 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to mimic natural fire… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during July on the District's Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County.Chito Branch Reserve is located in Lithia. Approximately 300 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.According to Land Management Supervisor Will VanGelder, burns are conducted to mimic natural… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its fiscal year 2010 (FY2010) millage rates for the General Fund and the seven Basin Boards.The Governing Board adopted a FY2010 millage rate of 0.3866 mill for the District’s General Fund, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2010 will run from Oct. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010.The total FY2010 budget for the District is $298.9 million, 20.6 percent lower than the adopted… Read more

Nestled just north of the Inverness city limits in Citrus County is 8,500 acres of pristine Florida wilderness with more than 30 miles of trails and four camping areas where you can hike, camp, bike, boat, fish — even bring your horses. Freshly restored to its historic natural flow patterns, Potts Preserve is bordered by the Hernando pool of the Tsala Apopka Lake system to the west and the Withlacoochee River to the east. Purchased by the District to protect the area’… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday recognized Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice for his dedication to public service as an outgoing member of the Governing Board and the Withlacoochee River Basin Board.Rice was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in March 2003. He served as the Governing Board chair from June 2006 until May 2007. Before serving as chair Rice was also the Board’s vice chair and treasurer. As a Governing Board member… Read more

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed Devon Higginbotham to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board.Higginbotham was appointed to succeed Hung T. Mai. She is from Plant City and is a residential contractor with Archive Properties. Her term ends March 1, 2010. Higginbotham was appointed to the District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board in 2006, but resigned her seat to serve on the Hillsborough River Basin Board.… Read more

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed one and reappointed another member to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board.Ken Harrison of Arcadia was reappointed. He is a rancher. His term ends March 1, 2010.Pat Crisman of Bartow was appointed to succeed Ann Dunlap. She is a State Farm Insurance Agent. Her term ends March 1, 2010.The Peace River Basin Board area includes DeSoto and Hardee counties as… Read more

Who:Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful staff and volunteersWhat:A volunteer river cleanup is being coordinated at Hillsborough River State Park. Volunteers will be provided with canoes, gloves, garbage bags and trash pickers to collect trash along the river. If there are enough participants, volunteers will also collect trash along the park’s trails and parking areas.The river cleanup is part of “Hillsborough… Read more