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The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved the purchase of a perpetual conservation easement for a 652-acre parcel of land located near the Myakka River State Park, contingent upon cooperative funding with the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP.)The transaction includes the property owner, the Myakkahatchee Ranch, LLC., making a 25 percent…

Gov. Jeb Bush recently reappointed William Bunch and appointed Samuel Lyons to the Coastal Rivers Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Coastal Rivers Basin Board represents portions of Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties.William Bunch lives in Crystal River and owns Oysters Restaurant. He joined the basin board March 2, 2002 when he succeeded Margaret West. Mr. Bunch’s current term began August 3 and ends March 1, 2008.Samuel Lyons is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, July 22 at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the live…

With spring break season approaching, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, wants to remind Chassahowitzka River visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts. Recreational activities can have a direct impact on the health of the river. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled vegetation and eroded riverbanks. Also…

With spring break season approaching, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District), along with other local and state partners, wants to remind Weeki Wachee River visitors about the recreational best practices that will help protect the river and reduce ecological impacts.  An ecologically based study found direct links between recreational use on the river and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled…

One Governing Board member returned for another term and two new members joined the District’s Governing Board in March after being appointed by Governor Jeb Bush. The newly appointed members are Sallie Parks and Maritza Rovira-Forino. Todd Pressman was reappointed. Pressman, of Palm Harbor, has served on the Governing Board since April 2005. Pressman says he is looking forward to serving a full term on the Board after getting his “feet wet” completing Ronnie…

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials have rescheduled several meetings due to impacts from Hurricane Irma. The Governing Board tentative budget hearing has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 5:01 p.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. The Evaluation Committee Meeting in connection with Request for Proposals No. 007-17, Investment Advisory Services, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. at…

 Jack Dangermond, ESRI president and CEO, presents Axel Griner, District senior GIS analyst, with the District’s special achievement award. The District received a special achievement award at the annual Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) International Users Conference for its vision, leadership and innovative use of geographic information system (GIS) technology. The District was selected from more than 300,000 organizations worldwide. “…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will close all District-managed campgrounds and properties to include trails and day use areas throughout its 16-county region Saturday, Aug. 3, at 11 a.m., in anticipation of impacts from Potential Tropical Cyclone 4.Additionally, the District is in the process of canceling all existing camping reservations through Tuesday, Aug. 6.For the most updated information, please visit the District’s website at …

Lasting Impression Through Learning A unique environmental education program is giving Dunnellon students the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the community. The students are participating in the Legacy Program, a Southwest Florida Water Management District-funded project that receives matching grant funds from Florida Learn and Serve. The Legacy Program is a hands-on learning experience that allows seventh- and eighth-grade students the opportunity to…

The District recently restructured the Regulation Division to increase the quality of service. Resource Regulation evaluates Environmental Resource, Water Use and Well Construction permit applications and is responsible for addressing permitting compliance. Regulation Division duties include reviewing permit applications, monitoring permitted activities, enforcing District rules and permit conditions, and maintaining regulatory records for the District. The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will close all District-managed campgrounds and properties to include trails and day use areas throughout its 16-county region Monday, Aug. 28, at 3 p.m. in anticipation of impacts from Tropical Storm Idalia. Additionally, the District is in the process of cancelling all existing camping reservations through Friday, Sept. 1.For the most updated information, please visit the District’s website at …

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, June 24 at 9 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the live video stream link. The video stream link becomes active and the…

  In response to this year’s destructive freeze, the District is taking proactive measures to prepare for similar events in the future. From January 3–13, 2010, for the first time in recorded history, temperatures in eastern Hillsborough County dropped below 34 degrees for 11 consecutive days. As a result, area farmers pumped nearly one billion gallons of groundwater per night to protect their crops. This combined pumping dropped the aquifer level 60 feet,…

The Governing Board declared April Springs Protection Awareness Month at today’s Governing Board meeting. The move is part of the District’s ongoing effort to restore and protect area springs and encourage community involvement. The Governing Board also recognized some of its springs community partners. They are:

• Alys Brockway – She organized the Hernando County Groundwater Guardian Committee since 2002. The group helps educate the public about the…

"Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District land this fall and winter to help reduce the wild hog population.Beginning at 9 a.m. on Oct. 11, prospective hunters can purchase permits for these hunts on the District's web site at "WaterMatters.org/hoghunts/(Feral Hog Hunts)":/hoghunts. Permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through 5 p.m. on Oct…

On Tuesday, May 24, Heidi B. McCree was selected by unanimous vote as the first female Governing Board chair in the 44-year history of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.“I want to thank the Board for this honor and look forward to carrying on an important legacy,” McCree said. “We have achieved great things in west-central Florida, but there are many challenges yet to face to ensure an environmentally sustainable water resource. The keys will be maintaining our…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org "Flatwoods Park(Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve Flatwoods Park)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lh-flatwoods.html and "Washburn Equestrian Area(Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve Oak Ridge Equestrian Area)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lh-oakridge.html, which are part of the "Lower Hillsborough Wilderness…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District ":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) is gathering information to improve identification of flood prone areas in Pasco County's Pithlachascotee River/Bear Creek watershed. Residents living in the Pithlachascotee River/Bear Creek watershed are invited to attend an open house on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 or Thursday, May 1, 2014 beginning each day at 4:00 p.m. The meetings will take place at River Ridge High School, located…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is prohibiting campfires and other sources of open flames on District conservation lands in conjunction with numerous county burn bans and dry conditions. Lack of rainfall this spring has made grasses and other light vegetation extremely dry and volatile, increasing the potential for wildfires. Burning is thereby prohibited on these District properties with camping until sufficient rains occur and county burn bans…