#thesouthwest

[naturecoaster]

SWFWMD Chief Professional Engineer Caps Off the Annual "Save our Waters Week" at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum in Inverness

As part of The 28th Annual Save our Waters Week, Mark Fulkerson, Chief Professional Engineer with theSouthwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), entertained and educated a packed house with a “Coffee and Conversations” presentation that lasted almost two hours.  The crowd clearly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the area’s water resources.  Fulkerson is very popular. His newsletter ("Withlacoochee River System Update") is widely read in Citrusand surrounding counties, and he is probably the most trusted leader SWFWMD has in the communities. He greeted a surprising number of the 95 attendees by their first names - and they welcomed himwarmly.  He used personal stories and his deep knowledge of the region, the river, and the area lakes(especially Tsala Apopka) to get some important points across. Learning about SWFWMD Water Management in Citrus County Those points were clear and very appropriate for the event:  - Water is essential for life, but we often take it for granted.  - The water we drink, nourish our crops with, and that sustains our verdant environment meanders 160 miles through eight Florida counties before eventually discharging into the Gulf of Mexico. It is a treasure.  - Nearly one-third of the river’s watershed is conservation land in one form or another which helps provide natural flood storage and improves water quality.  - The Green Swamp (headwaters of the Withlacoochee) is important because of its very high Floridian Aquifer levels and natural plant communities that are home to over 300 species of wildlife.  - The Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes (eastern Citrus County) interacts with the Withlacoochee River through a series of canals and water control structures. Without shying away from several technical issues, Mark Fulkerson explained that SWFWMD operates those mostly inherited structures to maximize benefits to the public through water conservation and flood protection.  Save our Waters Week is all about education and the protection of our waterways. He explained that things have improved dramatically from the days when the Army Corp of Engineers ran the system, but proudly said SWFWMD maintains a courteous professional relationship with ACE and gets good support as a result. Lake Russeau at sunset. Image by Sally White. To the immense pleasure of the members of the Citrus County Historical Society, he showed slides andtalked easily about many special places in the river system - especially Lake Rousseau. He traced itshistory back to its creation in 1909 and explained that it is also managed by SWFWMD to provide floodprotection and to ensure freshwater flows downstream through the Lower Withlacoochee River to theGulf of Mexico. He told the remarkably interesting tale of how he (along with "a couple of other staff" members) walkedand boated the entire river during the severe drought back in 2006 & 2007. He showed pictures of themsurveying the bottom elevations to build a computer model that today provides a much better understanding of the complex river system. He explained how he and his colleagues use those data points - and the deep understanding of it theteam has developed, to help educate the public. He added that more importantly, it helps SWFWMD tomake good (fact-based) management decisions and develop more "property-owner friendly" operatingpractices. Mark was masterful and generous with his time during the Q&A. He was comfortable enough with thecrowd to leave questions for the end. After repeating each question asked to confirm that he knew what he was being asked, he answered them fully. He also took the time to think about his phrasing to ensure he was providing a clear and direct answer. There was no doubt this was not a canned pitch or collection of preselected “must use” phrases. Finally, those who were not already "following him" appreciated that he invited them to register to getup-to-date water level information via his newsletter. He provided useful full-color map handouts, aswell.  Save our Waters Week happens each year, but SWFWMD works to protect water every day. He closed by explaining that SWFWMD doesn't just answer questions (and complaints). They embrace "reaching out to the public," and cooperate with many other agencies. He certainly did that on this Saturday night.  As the crowd departed, the comments I heard, and the atmosphere were upbeat and happy. "What agood speaker," “What a diplomat he was." "What a true professional public servant!"  It was surelyanother great night at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum. There are many activities in Citrus County for Save our Waters Week, but this one was one of the best! Read the full article

[caltraveler]

The Tanque Verde Ranch was the perfect wedding venue and Tucson didn’t disappoint with a gorgeous sunset. #triptotucson #familywedding #tanqueverderanch #arizona #desert #sunset #cactus #mounrains #thesouthwest (at Tanque Verde Ranch) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXHWviPvhjd/?utm_medium=tumblr

[minstrel75itg]

#usstamps - ‘Navajo Jewelry’. A twenty stamp panel of #usps 2-cent #stamps from 2004. The fifth design in the American Design Series. The Navajo Indians began silversmithing in the mid-1800s. The silver and turquoise squash blossom necklace on this stamp is a traditional Navajo motif. Under ordinary circumstances it would have been largely ignored by the vast majority of #uspostalservice customers. However, something happened in early 2006 that raised awareness of the Navajo Jewelry stamp to nearly everyone in the U.S. who mailed first-class letters. On January 8, 2006, the USPS raised the rate for mailing a 1-ounce, first-class letter from 37 cents to 39 cents. People with a supply of unused 37-cent stamps immediately descended upon their local post office in search of 2-cent "make-up" stamps that would allow them to use their 37 cent stamps. #philately #philatelist #philatelic #stampcollection #mystamps #stampcollecting #navajoindians #thesouthwest https://www.instagram.com/p/CWPVwTgrtTO/?utm_medium=tumblr

[woartwo]

New records. Linear tech. #records #vinyl #forsale #art #graffiti #streetart #abstract #linear #brush #ink #montanaink #streetink #lascruces #elpaso #woar2 #thesouthwest (at Big Fat Smelly Horses)

[ccriccardo]

Gotta take advantage of the view when you have it. . . . #overthebigsky #underthebigsky #flight #thesouthwest #clouds #desertrat #wannabe #adventurer #windowseat #solotravel #wander #wanderlust #mybutthurts #wtfblotto (at The Colorado Plateau) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRnrZQzHI0T/?utm_medium=tumblr

[shamarwyn]

A walk in Old Town Plaza, Albuquerque, The Land of Enchantment. French Lavender Luxury Body Wash. Rich botanical ingredients for the body, hands, bobble bath and can be used as a clarifying shampoo! Imported French Lavender Blend with Orange and Wild Marjoram for an instant lifting of your spirit! 🌿 🌿 🌿 #botanicalbodycare #frenchlavender #organicpersonalcare #personalcareproducts #naturalbeautyproducts #naturalbodywash #greenbeautyproducts #greenbeauty #conciousbeauty #smellssogood #lavenderfragrance #shamarwyn #amazonhandmade #oldtownplazaalbuquerque #landofenchantment #southwestfragrances #desertbeauty #thesouthwest #mountainstates #newmexico #skincare #bodyproducts #perfumelovers (at Land Of Enchantment) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLCTLMxhwtA/?igshid=13m6b4ixy2knt

[bazilzerinsky]

Abiquiu lake. #newmexico #abiquiulake #nature #naturelover #roadtrip #travels #thesouthwest #traveladdict #getoutdoors #instatravel #touringtheusa (at Abiquiu Lake)

[hillarystarbright]

Check out my newest blog post on #starbrightsadventure to read all about my amazing trip through Zion National Park and most of New Mexico with my brother @sir_clinksalot ... our country’s national parks are truly a treasure that everyone should experience. On this trip, we visited both Zion and Carlsbad Caverns! #readallaboutit #ontheblog #roadtrip @zionnps @carlsbadcavernsnps #nationalparksusa #nationalparks @nationalparkservice #travelblogger #ontheroadagain @park_journey #bucketlistadventures #parkjourney #zionnationalpark #carlsbadcaverns #newmexico #utah #thesouthwest @str8organics https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNug68Dh5w/?igshid=m8qi81ap58co

[wilsonneate]

America Deserta, after Reyner Banham. Mesquite Flat Dunes, CA, just after the sandstorm had passed -- see below. February 2020

[12goldenberries]

@plumsforbums Gabe climbing an ancient staircase placed by Pueblo folks in Moonflower Canyon, outside of Moab, Utah last week. #canyonlands #moab #archesnp #thesouthwest (at Moab, Utah) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5JeqE-BbkE/?igshid=49g51hajpzsl

[cambian-los-tiempos]

THE LAND ART ROAD TRIP

[thenorfolkapothecary-blog]

My favourite place in the whole world - Dartmoor this evening. #dartmoorponies #dartmoor #devon #ancestors #ancienttracks #sheep #thesouthwest #lovedartmoor #countryside #moorland #beauty #athome #3yp

[loftydreams101]

Lone Star Anguish

Sworn to a family name I drift to the east   Where broad deserts flame Then fade, into the ever-green south

[topangapatina]

It was a great and productive week, lots will be going out Monday, have a great Saturday night from Topanga Patina and thanks for ordering! Desert and abstract sculptures always available, link in profile. . . . . #topangapatina #agave #sculpture #tequila #chatsworth #longweek #weekendvibes #mycraft #sculpture #desertstyle #thesouthwest #westernstyle #escultura #rusticluxury #rusticart #desert #desertstyle #omarwysong #desertdecor #desertdesign #desertdesigns #desertdecor #hoteldesign #interiordesign #designer #etsy #etsysuccess #etsyshop #etsyseller (at Chatsworth, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buh6ee2g-wR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vgq2cys6tnsh

[woartwo]

Another art fight done! Big ups to @crookaloop on the win! All the artists killed it! Good times! @picachopeakbrewing 🤘🤘 Music was fresh! Let's do it again! #artfights #lascruces #brewery #community #painting #graffiti #desertoasis #waterinthedesert #mesillavalley #woar2 #thesouthwest #sabawear (at Las Cruces, New Mexico)

[truckstopscoffeeshops]

“I’m a person of the mountains and the open paddocks and the big empty sky, that’s me, and I knew if I spent too long away from all that I’d die; I don’t know what of, I just knew I’d die.” -John Marsden . . #SuperstitionMountains #PeraltaTrail #TontoNationalForest #GoldCanyonAZ #HikeAZ #Hike #Mountains #ExploreAZ #ExploreTheStates #VisitArizona #Arizona #TheSouthwest #Superstitions #Nature #OptOutside #GetOutside #Outdoors #LostDutchman #ExplorePHX #Explore #Hiking (at Peralta Trail - Superstition Mountain Wilderness)