Hillsborough River

I have received numerous concerns from residents of the Upper Hillsborough River regarding the minimum flow agreement and the effects it will have upon our neighborhoods along the reservoir. I have received information (which I've supplied below) that describes the augmentation process.

But I do agree with many of you who feel have been abandoned. Friends of the River is a good organization and they have worked hard for this plan, however I would encourage each of you to continue to press this organization to change its' emphasis to be a friend to the entire river, instead of just the lower Hillsborough River, as it currently markets itself.

The upper Hillsborough River and the Green Swamp is the source of all the water and to ignore its' health at the expense of satisfying individuals south of the dam is, in my opinion, sort of like making sure the dogs tail is healthy and clean but ignoring the rest of the animal.

Contact Friends of the River today and ask them to take care of all of us. - Terry Neal

Achieving Minimum Flows (Lower River) at the Hillsborough River Tampa Dam

and the

Impact Upon the Upper Hillsborough River

One element of the Lower Hillsborough River recovery strategy ( Read the Recovery Strategy for the Lower Hillsborough River ) calls for transporting water from the lower pool of the Tampa Bypass Canal (TBC) to the base of the dam on the Hillsborough River. This is being accomplished by pumping approximately 7.1 million gallons of water a day from the lower pool of the TBC, to the middle pool of the TBC, into the reservoir, and then from the reservoir over the dam to the lower Hillsborough River. The 7.1 million gallons of water that SWFMD puts into the reservoir is water that would not occur there otherwise. Of the 7.1 million gallons that is placed in the reservoir, 25% or 1.8 million gallons is left in the reservoir. As a result of this transfer of water, the amount of water placed into the reservoir increases by 1.8 million gallons daily.

View Recovery Strategy Graphic

When water levels drop in the reservoir it is due to withdrawals for drinking water; it is the City of Tampa's main water supply. Although a relatively small amount of water in comparison to daily withdrawals for water supply, the transfer of water from the Tampa Bypass Canal (TBC) thru the reservoir actually results in a net increase of water to the reservoir from implementation of this element of the recovery strategy. Stated differently, by moving water from the TBC to help meet the minimum flow for the lower Hillsborough River, we are actually adding some water to the reservoir that would not normally be there.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is the source of water for the Tampa Bypass Canal?

A: There are two major sources of water to the TBC; runoff from the watershed as you stated, and direct input from the underlying Floridan aquifer. When the TBC was constructed it was dug deep enough in places so that it penetrated the Floridan aquifer, this explains why both the middle and lower pools of the TBC continue to fill when pumped. There are also lesser contributions from bank storage (water that drains out of the banks the TBC as water levels decline) and direct rainfall on the surface of the canal.

Q: Where is SWFMD putting the water into the reservoir to accomplish minimum flow?

A: Water levels in the lower pool are lower than those in the middle pool, so a pump station has been placed at the intervening structure to pump water from the lower pool to the middle pool. Since water levels in the middle pool are lower than the reservoir, a pump station was also placed at the intervening structure (the gate area of the Harney Canal) to move water from the middle pool into the reservoir.

Q: When there is no natural flow over the dam (when water levels are not high enough to accomplish this), is flow created artificially by pumping water over the dam?.

A: Yes. When the water level in the reservoir is below the crest of the dam (22.5 feet), a pump station at the dam moves water from the upstream side to the downstream side. I will forward you a separate email with photos of the pumps.

View Pump Photos River Discharge Pump TBC Harney Canal Pumps TBC Lower to Middle Pool Pumps

HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? Please send to association@templecrest.org and we will get your answer and post it!

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FROM OUR JULY 11th 2006 MEETING - RIVER AUGMENTATION

The Problem (http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/waterman/tbrrw/index.html )

More than 2.4 million people currently live in the rapidly growing northern Tampa Bay region. The Tampa Bay Regional Reclaimed Water and Downstream Augmentation Project can reduce demand for drinking water and increase surface water availability while improving the environment of wetland and river systems. Our region’s fast-growing population is expected to reach nearly 2.7 million over the next 10 years. While our present water supply infrastructure can adequately serve the area’s population near term, new environmentally sustainable water supplies must be developed by 2012 to protect our region’s economic vitality and treasured natural resources.

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Paula Dye, from Tampa Bay Water, http://www.tampabaywater.org/

Mr. Peter Schreuder (www.schreuderwater.us), President, P.G. SCHREUDER, INC. Water Resources & Environmental Consultants.

FLORIDA Consumer Action Network Report on the Hillsborough River

http://www.fcan.org/SavetheHillsboroughRiverFactSheet.pdf

For even more information please visit the Friends of the River website:

http://www.friendsofhillsboroughriver.org/