With regional water levels falling and no significant rainfall forecast in the coming weeks, South Florida Water Management District has declared a water shortage in South Florida. For more information log on to www.sfwmd.gov/waterwatch. Download Audio
FL Grower Water Shortage Meeting CANCELLED
A special meeting that was to have been held this Friday, January 14th in Belle Glade, Florida for growers in the Lake Okeechobee Service Area has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date. When this meeting is rescheduled, SFWMD district staff will brief attendees on actions the District is planning to take to address the impending water …
FL Farm Bureau South Florida Ag Report
This report from Charlie Shinn, Asst Director, Gov’t and Community Affairs, Florida Farm Bureau Federation: South Florida Growers Brace for Water Restrictions Water restrictions will be a certainty by late January or early February without ample rainfall in the District. The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet in Clewiston next week and the amount of available water …
South Florida Experiences Driest October on Record
West Palm Beach, FL — With little rainfall in recent weeks, meteorologists from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) reported that last month was the driest October in South Florida since recordkeeping began in 1932. The low monthly rainfall total, coupled with seasonal forecasts of exceptionally dry conditions, underscores the need for water conservation to protect the region’s limited …
U.S. Sugar “River of Grass” Land Acquisition Closes
This news release just in from U.S. Sugar Corporation: CLEWISTON—October 12, 2010—U.S. Sugar Corporation and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) today closed on the initial River of Grass land acquisition which provides nearly 27,000 acres of land in areas of critical need for improving water quality and ecosystem restoration.
Water Board Unanimously Approves Smaller Sugar Buy
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA – The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board on Thursday unanimously approved a smaller purchase of land from U.S. Sugar for Everglades restoration, over the objections of those who said the district is getting a bum deal that will prevent other needed restoration work. Download Audio
Farm Bureau South Florida Report: EPA Numeric Nutrient Update
This in today from Florida Farm Bureau’s Charlie Shinn, who keeps pretty close tabs on water goings on in the south Florida region. EPA Extends Deadlines for Enacting New Numeric Nutrient Criteria in South Florida Waters including Canals On June 7, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Plaintiffs in the numeric nutrient litigation filed a notice of extension of …
Governor Downsizes U S Sugar Buyout Plan In Hopes Of Saving It
Amidst photos of the “River of Grass” Florida Governor Charlie Crist this week explained a plan to reduce the size of the proposed U S Sugar purchase plan in hopes of saving the deal. The battered economy has lots of folks asking lots of questions about the reasoning, and the timing of the deal. Meanwhile, U S Sugar put out …
Florida Farm Bureau South Florida Ag Report for February
This report from Charles Shinn, Asst Director, Gov’t & Community Affairs, Florida Farm Bureau Federation. You can e-mail him at charles.shinn@ffbf.org Deadline Approaching for Lake Okeechobee Service Area Water Users Irrigation permits using surface water from Lake Okeechobee or its tributaries for landscape, golf course, nursery, livestock, improved pasture and agricultural uses need to be renewed to avoid losing the …
Irrigation Water Use Permit Renewal Workshop – Clewiston 2/25
The South Florida Water Management District has begun the water use permit renewal process for the Lake Okeechobee Basin, which includes portions of Palm Beach, Martin, Glades, Okeechobee, Lee and Hendry counties. All individual and major general water use permits for irrigation withdrawals from Lake Okeechobee or its tributaries will expire on February 28, 2009. Since Water Use Permits have …