Tampa Bay
Establish Minimum Flow of Freshwater in Major Bay Tributaries
Category: Submerged, Intertidal, and Wetland
Cost: $ 4/gal/day or $20 million to develop a new system
to meet a 5 mgd minimum flow
Description: Pursuant to state law, the Southwest Florida
Water Management District, a major Tampa Bay Estuary Partner, is establishing
minimum flows of freshwater to be sustained in the four major tributaries
to Tampa Bay. At the agency's request, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program facilitated
a working group to develop ecological criteria (salinity and dissolved oxygen)
for the agency to consider in setting the minimum flow.
Outcome: A provisional minimum flow has been established
for the Hillsborough River, one of the four tributaries. The minimum flow
will be revisited in several years following collection of more water quality
data, including salinity and dissolved oxygen, at low flow conditions, consistent
with the recommendations of the working group.
Contact: Sid Flanery, Southwest Florida Water Management
District, (352) 796-7211.
Citation: "Analysis of Hydrologic and Ecological Factors
Related to the Establishment of Minimum Flows for the Lower Hillsborough River,"
Southwest Florida Water Management District, 1997.
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