Florida requires minimum flows and levels for certain bodies of water to ensure ground and surface withdrawals for potable water don't impact them or surrounding wildlife.
Now after a couple decades and various efforts, the Lower Hillsborough River has plenty of water and a healthy flow going.
"It’s significantly better than it was even a decade ago," said Randy Smith, natural systems and restoration bureau chief for the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
The minimum flow is supposed to be 20 cubic feet per second between July and March, and then it bumps up to 24 cubic feet per second between April and June.
The Lower Hillsborough reached those goals in 2023 and has sustained them since thanks to help from a dam, which creates a reservoir where much of the local drinking water comes from.
Plus, there are other waterbodies contributing to the flow, like Sulphur Springs, Blue Sink, and the Tampa Bypass Canal.
"So, you have these different sources that as the natural river flow comes down, that you basically turn on and supplement the flow," Smith said.
The Lower Hillsborough River is one of the most closely watched water systems SWFWMD monitors, he said, because it's so complex and it discharges directly into Tampa Bay.
"There has been a lot of money spent recovering the system, not only the flows, but the water quality," Smith said.
“The city of Tampa has spent a lot of money on this part of the river improving the water quality. You can hear the residents speak about seeing a lot more wildlife in the river these days. So, I think that's a testament to the investments and the progress that not just the district but the city of Tampa and others have made to improving the system.”
Smith plans to present this third consecutive five-year assessment of the river’s flow and levels to the district board in January, and he expects to recommend another five years of monitoring.
