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The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board last week adopted interim rules for water use permits in the Central Florida Coordination Area.The Coordination Area has limited traditional groundwater supplies that will not be adequate to meet all future demands, necessitating the need to develop alternative water supplies.The rules are part of the Action Plan that coordinates efforts among the Southwest Florida, South Florida and St. Johns River…

Above, plantings at the Tampa office are beyond the building eaves, requiring less irrigation.  Below, fixture supply lines are required to be reinforced. As in most District offices, water-saving fixtures are used.  The Tampa Service Office campus has the first water management district building to be certified under the Florida Water StarSM commercial standard. It’s also only the second government building in the state to be certified…

Fifty-two Hillsborough County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Hillsborough County to the strong partnership with Hillsborough County Schools. Four school district staff serve as the District's liaisons to teachers: Pam Caffery, middle school…

For years the land was about the cattle, not about the water. Ranchers, wanting to take advantage of vast tracts of unspoiled land, built roads through the marsh to connect islands. The roads blocked the flow of water, the marsh dried up and cattle began wandering from island to island to graze. But the marsh is returning. Water is now flowing naturally between the Hernando pool of Tsala Apopka Lake and Potts Preserve, thanks to a restoration project the District…

Fifty-one Hillsborough County teachers and three private school teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness…

Citrus County students at two schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Citrus County awardees are:* Marla Gangler, *Hernando Elementary*, was awarded $1,141. Students will study the effects of pollution on the aquifer by collecting and analyzing water samples.* Zachary Leonard, *Citrus Springs Middle*, was…

Students at Sumter Alternative School will learn about freshwater habitats in Florida thanks to a "Splash! school grant":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management 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.…

A former student intern used her District experience to emphasize the importance of fresh, clean water to residents along the Amazon.  Kaylie Kushmer traveled to the Amazon River in Southern Colombia and Brazil last month to help drill wells, run potable water lines to a school and educate children on the hydrologic cycle. Kushmer is the daughter of Danny Kushmer, government affairs program manager.  Kaylie’s trip was in coordination with Wine to Water…

Hernando County students at two schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Hernando County awardees are:* David Peitzman, *Gulf Coast Academy of Science*, was awarded $1,520. Students will visit several river and spring locations to test water quality and learn about human impacts to Florida's diverse…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently signed an agreement with Pinellas County for a project to improve water quality and restore habitat in Sutherland Bayou.Pop Stansell Park is a 4.5-acre park that sits on Sutherland Bayou. Approximately 57,000 people visit the park each year, which is also used for marine access to St Joseph Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. Years of unrestricted public access as a launching point for boating, canoeing, kayaking and…

Seven Sumter County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Sumter County to the strong partnership with Sumter County Schools. Christine Burk, career academy specialist for Sumter County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped…

Five Sarasota County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Sarasota County to the strong partnership with Sarasota County Schools. Brad Porinchak, science program specialist for Sarasota County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and…

Sarasota County students at eight schools will study the issues surrounding our freshwater resources thanks to "Splash! school grants":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/schoolgrants/ from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.The Sarasota County awardees are:* Celestine Campbell, *Emma E. Booker Elementary*, was awarded $1,070. On a field trip to Emerson Point Preserve, students will learn about the habitats and wildlife adaptations of an estuary. They will…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday renewed and modified a water use permit (WUP) for DeSoto County Utilities.The modified permit increases the permitted quantities for the county. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 415,000 gallons of water per day (gpd.) The new permitted quantity is 821,600 gpd, which is an increase of 406,600 gpd.The quantity was increased to meet the water demands associated with the expansion of the…

Twelve Hernando County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’s school…

Four Marion County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Marion County to the strong partnership with Marion County Schools. Jacqua Ballas, science program specialist for Marion County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped get…

Sixty-nine Hillsborough County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is assisting the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in performing maintenance on the Inglis Bypass Spillway water control structure located in Levy County on the Inglis Bypass Channel. The work is scheduled to take place January 12-24, 2018.During that time, the water control gates will need to be partially or fully closed. Closings are anticipated to occur during daylight hours and for a duration…

  The Florida Ground Water Association (FGWA) recently presented an award to Tony Gilboy, the District’s well construction regulation manager, for his outstanding service to the association. The award was presented to Gilboy at the recent FGWA Convention and Trade Show in Orlando. “To be recognized at such a large convention was an extraordinary experience,” said Gilboy. Gilboy was honored for his outstanding contributions to the well industry. His…

A water conservation project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Manatee County will reduce demand and conserve water.The project will offer rebates to eligible residents who install a rain sensor device on their automatic irrigation system. Residents who live in the western unincorporated service area of Manatee County and the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach are eligible to participate if they use potable water for…