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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input as it updates its long-range Water Management Plan.The District’s Water Management Plan addresses the District’s water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems goals and responsibilities. The current plan, developed in 2000, is being updated and will be provided to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by May. The update will focus on key resource management…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized two Sumter County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by teachers…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today approved a water use permit that will authorize the City of Lakeland to withdraw up to 30.2 million gallons of ground water per day (mgd) based on an administrative law judge’s recommended order.The city requested an administrative hearing after its application for a 10-year water use permit with total withdrawals of 36.8 mgd, with 8.77 from its Northeast well field, was modified by the District. The…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Tampa are offering residents a financial incentive to save water by replacing high-volume toilets with low-flow models.The District and the City of Tampa have co-funded this project, known as the Toilet Rebate Program, since 1994. This year the program will provide approximately 2,200 toilet rebates. Approximately 28,000 toilets have been replaced with low flow models since the program began.The project goals…

Sixty-six school teachers across the District’s 16-county region will teach issues surrounding our freshwater resources with the help of Splash! school grants from the District. The goal of the Splash! school grant program is to provide teachers with funding to enhance student knowledge of topics that meet the District’s core mission and teach students about their local watersheds, water conservation, quality and supply. Splash! school grants provide up to $3,000 per…

Blog note: Projects and Partners is a WaterMatters Blog series that highlights various innovative projects of the District and its partners to benefit the community. District leaders recently helped celebrate the groundbreaking of the Crystal River to Duke Energy Reclaimed Water Project. It will provide highly treated wastewater, known as reclaimed water, from the City of Crystal River to the Duke Energy power plant facility in Citrus County.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized four Manatee County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input as it updates its long-range Water Management Plan.The District’s Water Management Plan addresses the District’s water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems goals and responsibilities. The current plan, developed in 2000, is being updated and will be provided to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by May. The update will focus on key resource management…

A groundwater reuse and conservation project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Lowry Park Zoo will save approximately 38,000 gallons of groundwater a day.The Zoo uses 38,000 gallons of groundwater each day to fill the Zoos animal exhibition water features, such as the hippo pool and the pond at the lion exhibit. At the end of the day, the water is discharged into a retention pond on Zoo grounds and eventually flows into the Hillsborough River…

As more people focus on their lawns and landscaping this time of year, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org promotes "Florida-friendly fertilizing":http://WaterMatters.org/fertilizing practices.Florida-friendly fertilizing is an annual campaign encouraging residents to responsibly maintain their lawns.Recent studies have shown rising nitrate levels in many local water bodies can be traced to fertilizer. Nitrate is a form of nitrogen…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored four outstanding Manatee County projects that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.The Manatee County recipients are listed below. Manatee County is in the District’s Manasota Basin, which also includes Sarasota County.Gail Scout with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary,…

While tropical storms Beryl and Debby provided record rains to the region, they were not enough to restore hydrologic conditions to normal. That's why the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/ voted today to extend its "Modified Phase III water shortage order":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/phase3.php.Phase III restrictions were extended until July 31 for Citrus, Hernando,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is offering six easy ways to prepare for your holiday meals and parties without running up your water bill. During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the cleanup process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations:  

• Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized two Pasco County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by teachers…

Polk County residents are invited to celebrate Earth Day with “Water, Wings and Wild Things,” a family event being held Saturday at IMC Park, next to the Bartow Civic Center.The celebration, which is from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., will feature environmental presentations, exhibits and educational displays. The displays will highlight Polk County’s environmental resources, plants, animals and water conservation.Participants who answer water conservation…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined. Legislation requires the District to review and, if necessary, revise the schedule each year.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources or environment. The District…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Nov. 26 at the Quorum Hotel Westshore. The hotel is located at 700 N. Westshore Blvd in Tampa.The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and will include discussion about extending and possibly tightening the current one-day-per-week watering restrictions, which are scheduled to expire on Nov. 30.The Governing Board typically meets on Tuesdays. This month the meeting is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Tampa are offering residents a financial incentive to save water by replacing high-volume toilets with low-flow models.The District and the City of Tampa have co-funded this project, known as the Tampa Plumbing Retrofit and Education Project, since 1994. This year the program will provide approximately 2,200 toilet rebates. Approximately 28,000 toilets have been replaced with low-flow models since the program…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is seeking public input about the order in which minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers in the District will be determined.A minimum flow or level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment. The District Governing Board sets these limits as part of achieving the delicate balance between meeting human water needs and…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a renewal to a water use permit for the City of Auburndale.The renewal incorporates a modification to the existing water use permit to increase quantities and add two proposed production wells for public supply use. The new permit is for an annual average quantity of 7,036,300 gallons per day (gpd), which is an increase of 2,007,200 gpd or 40 percent.The city’s current adjusted per capita…