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The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hillsborough County will celebrate the completion of the Fred & Idah Schultz Preserve with a dedication ceremony Wednesday, Nov 10th at 3 p.m.The preserve, which is located in southeastern Hillsborough County, is part of a 204-acre ecosystem restoration project known as the “Kitchen.” This area includes Port Redwing, Dug Creek and the Davis Tract. Restoration of the 60-acre Davis Tract was completed in 2002… Read more

The Coleman's Landing boat ramp on the east side of Lake Panasoffkee will reopen to the public on Saturday, July 15. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has completed an aquatic plant removal project which required the temporary closure of the boat ramp.Aquatic plants were harvested to create boat access trails across the lake through areas of dense vegetation. For more… Read more

District Governing Board members and staff; Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council members; and Florida Department of Environmental Protection officers display the Future of the Region Award. The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Florida Public Relations Association recently recognized several District programs. In March the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council presented the 18th Annual Future of the Region Awards. These awards highlight projects and… Read more

A media alert issued this morning by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue regarding smoke in northern Hillsborough County contained incorrect information. The Southwest Florida Water Management District has not conducted any controlled burns in two months due to the current drought conditions.A 118-acre wildfire started on Saturday in the District’s Conner Preserve near Ehren Cutoff in Pasco County. The fire is contained and under the authority of the Florida Division of… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 27 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… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 28 at 10 a.m. at the District's Sarasota Service Office, located at 6750 Fruitville Road. To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit Watermatters.org and click on the "Live Video Stream" link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.The meeting agenda and meeting… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit Watermatters.org and click on the "Live Video Stream" link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.The meeting agenda and meeting materials are… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit Watermatters.org and click on the "Live Video Stream" link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.The meeting agenda and meeting materials are… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit Watermatters.org and click on the "Live Video Stream" link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.The meeting agenda and meeting materials are… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has temporarily closed the Brogden Bridge airboat slide at Turner Camp Road in Citrus County due to required maintenance associated with the wooden deck. The slide is located between the Hernando and Inverness pools of the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and is expected to be reopened by Nov. 17.Attempts to use the slide in its current condition could damage airboats.The District operates two additional airboat slides in… Read more

​ The District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday for the latest slate of officers for the 2023-2024 term. Governing Board members are unpaid, citizen volunteers who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The Governing Board sets policy for the District, whose mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks and ensure the public’s water needs are met. The new officers are:  … Read more

Restoration project areas. Recently, District Governing and Basin Board members and staff got an up-close look at restoration projects and toured major components that are part of the Lower Hillsborough River Recovery Strategy. Terra Ceia and Cockroach Bay One tour viewed restoration projects from infancy to maturity at the Terra Ceia and Cockroach Bay preserves. This tour was designed to give Board members and staff a better… Read more

Alejandra Marin, right, an INROADS intern, presents the Supervisor of the Year Award to Jan Burke, District surface water regulation manager. District staff and interns were recently honored by the Tampa Bay INROADS organization at its annual awards banquet in Tampa. Jan Burke, District surface water regulation manager, was chosen as Supervisor of the Year among 14 nominees. He was nominated by Eric Ho, a civil engineering major and graduating senior who… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Jan. 23 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… Read more

Left to right, Sumter County Commissioners Garry Breeden, Dick Hoffman, Doug Gilpin, Don Burgess and Randy Mask celebrate the April 27 reopening of the renovated Evan A. “Billy” Merritt & David C. Hanson Public Boat Ramp and Park at Coleman Landing on Lake Panasoffkee in Sumter County. The Coleman Landing site was closed during the $28.3 million restoration of Lake Panasoffkee, which was funded by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board and the state Surface… Read more

Governing Board member Neil Combee gave his resignation at the May 22 Governing Board meeting. He is leaving his position to run for a state House seat. Combee was first appointed to the Governing Board in April 2005 and has served as Governing Board chair, vice chair and secretary. Elected to the Polk County Board of County Commissioners in November 1988, Combee held that position until November 2004. During his tenure as a commissioner, he served as the Board’s… Read more

Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) officials deactivated the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 2 p.m. today. In addition, the District deactivated the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area/Tampa Bypass Canal system and removed boat barriers where I-75 crosses the Hillsborough River restoring navigation in that area. The District’s EOC provides unified command for activities before, during and after emergency events, like hurricanes… Read more

At its August 16 meeting, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) millage rate of 0.265 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year.The budget forFY2005 is $11,312,338, which is an increase of $6,769,805 over the approvedFY2004 budget. The main reason for this major budget increase is because the District will receive a $4.3 million state appropriation and anticipates receiving $1… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 25 at 10 a.m. at the Lake Eva Banquet Hall, located at 799 Johns Avenue in Haines City. To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit Watermatters.org and click on the "Live Video Stream" link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.The meeting agenda and meeting materials… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 24, 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 video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before… Read more