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This year District volunteers will take part in the 14th Annual National Public Lands Day, a yearly opportunity for Americans to improve and enhance the public lands they enjoy. The event, which is Saturday, Sept. 29, is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort. District staff and volunteers will be conducting a beach cleanup at the District’s Piney Point Tract, which is located in southern Hillsborough County. For more information and to learn how you can… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during January and February on the District's Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco and Polk counties. The Upper Hillsborough Preserve is located approximately five miles east of Zephyrhills. Approximately 600 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… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during January and February on the District's Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County. The Chito Branch Reserve is located approximately six miles south of Plant City. 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 District Land Manager… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during November and December on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County.The site is east of Kings Highway, west of the Peace River and north of Deep Creek Estates. Approximately 350 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units. The scheduled, controlled burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District. According to District Land Manager… Read more

At its Aug. 5 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2300 mill, which 0.0121 lower than the current fiscal year. This lowered millage rate, combined with a reduction in property values as certified by the Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk county property appraisers, will result in a $2.5 million… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is hosting career fairs to recruit people seeking a rewarding career protecting the region’s water resources. The career fairs are open to the public and attendees are encouraged to bring current resumes. The District is a government agency that employs a diverse workforce from across a wide variety of disciplines, including administrative, business and finance, trades work, mechanical, heavy equipment operation,… Read more

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed one member and appointed a new member to the Coastal Rivers Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board area includes the coastal regions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.Randy Maggard of Zephyrhills has been reappointed. His term ends March 1, 2010. Maggard is vice president of Sonny’s Discount Appliances.John Nicolette of Dade City has been appointed to succeed… Read more

What:“A River Runs Through It” celebration at Hillsborough River State Park. This event wraps up Hillsborough Watershed Awareness Week. The event goal is to teach the public about the watershed through a variety of activities, including a canoe race on the river, hiking and other environmental educational activities focusing on the Hillsborough River. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to sign a watershed pledge and commit to behaviors… Read more

Starkey Trail Extension  Left: Bike riders eagerly await the opening of the Starkey Trail extension. Right: Taking part in the trail’s ribbon-cutting ceremony are: Jon Kennedy, Tampa Bay Water; Judy Whitehead, Governing Board Secretary and Coastal Rivers Basin Board Chair; Joanne Hurley, PBS&J; Kathryn Starkey, Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board; and Peter Altman, former Pasco County Commissioner. Representatives from Pasco County and the District… Read more

The Bartow Service Office is one of the three District offices to earn a Florida Yard certification for using Florida-friendly landscaping. Since Gov. Charlie Crist announced his green initiative in 2007, the District has taken significant steps toward reducing its carbon footprint. Through the Environmental Stewardship Initiative, the District examines its entire operation for opportunities to achieve greater efficiencies and further reduce its carbon… Read more

Two District communication projects have taken top honors at this year’s Florida Government Communicators Association (FGCA) Awards Banquet. The FGCA Crystal Awards recognize excellence in government communications. The District received first-place Crystal Awards for the Who We Are & What We Do brochure and the District’s web site, WaterMatters.org. Who We Are & What We Do Brochure This single-topic publication provides overviews on… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the University of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (IFAS) will host two workshops aimed at sharing the latest information about frost and freeze protection with the agricultural community.The workshops, which will be held in Manatee and Hillsborough counties, will focus on understanding different types of cold events and how to protect plants with minimum water use. The workshops will cover the… Read more

The public is invited to attend the Hernando County Weeki Wachee River and Springs Task Force meeting, April 18. The meeting will be held at 3 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Brooksville Headquarters in the Board Room.The task force will be taking public input on the health of the springs and the river.The Florida Legislature created the Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council, which formed two separate county task forces the Citrus… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March on the Prairie Shell Creek Tract in Charlotte County.Prairie Shell Creek is located at 3081 Duncan Road (U.S. Highway 17) in Punta Gorda.Approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.Some major benefits of prescribed… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through March on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County.Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace River Street in Arcadia, east of State Road 769. Approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.Some major benefits of prescribed… Read more

With the growing popularity of home improvement shows, the District turned to a new way to promote Florida-friendly landscaping. The District participated in a radio promotion called “Curb Appeal.” The contest awarded one homeowner with home and landscaping improvements, which included up to $5,000 in new Stanek windows and a front yard makeover of up to a $10,000 value using Florida-friendly plants and landscaping techniques. The contest was a cooperative effort… Read more

A site in Charlotte County named after Florida’s best-known reptile is undergoing a transformation. The District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), is presently undertaking a multiphase ecosystem and hydrologic restoration project in the Alligator Creek Addition of the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park. The 1,600-acre Alligator Creek Addition is owned by the FDEP… Read more

This July, 70 kids from the Boys &Girls Club of Hernando County climbed on board buses to spend half a day at Weekiwachee Preserve as part of a special field trip. The children ranged in age from 5 to 13. The field trip proposal began when Will Miller, District land use and protection manager, approached Yvonne Krajcovic, executive director from the Boys &Girls Club, about the idea. “I contacted several youth organizations, including the Boys &Girls… Read more

David Moore, executive director, reads the plaque honoring John Parker as his family looks on. A canoe launch at the Springs Coast Environmental Education Center on the Weeki Wachee River bears the name and memory of John Parker, a District employee who died in a car accident last spring. “Generations of school children will learn about John Parker’s life as they visit here and learn to become good stewards of the environment,” said Judy… Read more

After decades of being impacted by trash and debris, Clam Bayou’s water quality and wildlife habitats will soon be restored. The largest and final phase of the Clam Bayou Habitat Restoration and Stormwater Treatment Project is currently under way, thanks to a cooperative effort between the District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program and the cities of St. Petersburg and Gulfport. Clam Bayou is a 170-acre estuary that makes up part of Boca Ciega… Read more