A land management update and the Upper St. Johns River Basin project are among the items to be discussed Feb. 22 during the district's Southern Recreational Public Meeting. The southern recreational area includes district properties in Brevard and Indian River counties. The public will have an opportunity at this meeting to provide input on recreational topics involving district lands.

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Allan Roberts of St. Augustine to the St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board, filling a vacant seat that represents the St. Johns River below the Ocklawaha River and the coastal area between the St. Johns River and Ponce Inlet. The appointment takes effect immediately and runs through March 1, 2020.

The reconnection of Lake Griffin to Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area in Lake County was a cause for celebration today for the district and its partners, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Lake County.

The district will begin regrading the roads of the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive beginning Monday, March 5, 2018. Weekend access will not be affected by the regrading project, which will take place Monday through Thursday each week.

The St. Johns River Water Management District is hosting the Gainesville chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for its youth turkey hunt March 10–11 on portions of the Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve and the Newnans Lake Conservation Area in Alachua County.

For the fifth consecutive year, the district's Governing Board has approved a proclamation designating April as Springs Protection Awareness Month. The annual designation helps increase awareness about the importance of Florida’s springs and encourages residents and stakeholders to participate in the protection of springs.

February proved to be a dry month for the 18 counties within the district, with most of the district receiving less than an inch of rain. By comparison, average February rainfall for the district’s southern counties ranged between 2.5 and 3 inches.

The district’s Governing Board on Tuesday approved a proclamation designating April as Water Conservation Month to encourage awareness about the importance of water conservation.

The district’s Governing Board on Tuesday approved an agreement with Fellsmere Joint Ventures that will allow for construction of a boat ramp and other amenities at the northeast corner of the 10,000-acre reservoir.

The district’s Governing Board on Tuesday approved a feasibility evaluation of a proposed project to restore the flow between the St. Johns River and the eastern portion of Lake Jesup. The project would potentially enhance water quality and habitat in the lake and is supported by local stakeholders and Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs.

The district’s Sunnyhill Restoration Area in Marion County will host veterans’ group Operation Outdoor Freedom for a guided turkey hunt on March 28 and 29.

The district has issued an environmental resource permit related to construction of the new First Coast Expressway. The permit authorizes a stormwater management system for a 31-mile segment of the highway from Blanding Boulevard in Clay County to I-95 in St. Johns County, the second phase of the project.

The district and the city of Palatka are coming down the homestretch on three water resource protection projects totaling nearly $2 million. Projects will reduce potable water losses from old cast-iron water pipes, aid in fire suppression and reduce stormwater discharges into the St. Johns River from commercial and residential areas of the city.