Tampa Bypass Canal

The Tampa Bypass Canal and Palm River^[1]^[2] are a 14-mile-long (23 km) flood bypass operated by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The canal includes several concrete flood control structures and was constructed during the 1960s and 1970s. Its purpose is to redirect flood waters from large amounts of rainfall from the Hillsborough River to Tampa Bay to prevent floodwaters reaching homes and businesses. Despite its original purpose it is now used as a drinking water source for the City of Tampa. During construction of the canal the Floridan aquifer was accidentally breached.

When there is a large amount of rainfall and flooding is expected, this structure redirects the rising waters along the Hillsborough River into the constructed canal and down to McKay Bay. This protects homes and businesses in Temple Terrace and Tampa from flooding.

The Tampa Bypass Canal works together with the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which is land owned by the District. This land provides an area for the storage and detention of overflow water from the Hillsborough River and the Tampa Bypass Canal. Because it is used for water overflow storage, there are no homes or businesses built here.

The land in the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area represents a variety of natural habitats along portions of the Hillsborough River and the connecting floodplain areas. Habitats include river swamps with cypress trees and hardwoods, cabbage palms and oak hammocks, and some areas of pine lands and palmetto prairies. As one of the largest undeveloped areas in Hillsborough County, this area is managed for its water resources and flood management functions. But it has also become a favorite recreational area and a regionally important wildlife area. It is used as a rowing venue for USRowing.

References

↑ "Palm River Restoration (Tampa Bypass Canal)". 2003-06-26. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
↑ Southwest Florida Water Management District (2007-06-08). "Palm River project will improve water quality". Retrieved 2008-10-13.

External links

General information on the Tampa Bypass Canal Watershed
The Tampa Bypass Canal Southwest Florida Water Management District website

Coordinates: 27°56′31″N 82°24′50″W / 27.942°N 82.414°W / 27.942; -82.414

Significant waterways of Florida

Larger rivers	Alapaha Apalachicola Aucilla Blackwater Caloosahatchee Chattahoochee Chipola Choctawhatchee Econlockhatchee Escambia Hillsborough Indian River Kissimmee Myakka Ochlockonee Ocklawaha Pea Peace Perdido Santa Fe St. Johns St. Marys Suwannee Withlacoochee (North) Withlacoochee (South) Yellow

Lakes	Apopka Crescent Blue Cypress East Tohopekaliga George Harney Harris Iamonia Istokpoga Jackson Jesup Kissimmee Miccosukee Monroe Okeechobee Poinsett Rodman Rousseau Seminole Talquin Tohopekaliga Tsala Apopka Washington Weir

Smaller rivers	Alafia Alapahoochee Anclote Banana River Braden Carrabelle Chassahowitzka Crooked Crystal Dead East East Bay Eau Gallie Econfina Estero Homosassa Hontoon Dead Ichetucknee Imperial Little (Biscayne Bay) Little (Ochlockonee) Little Econlockhatchee Little Manatee Little Wekiva Loxahatchee Manatee Matanzas Miami Mosquito Lagoon New (Broward) New (Carabelle) New (Santa Fe) Oleta Orange Pithlachascotee Rainbow Ribault Shark Silver Sopchoppy St. Lucie St. Marks St. Sebastian Steinhatchee Tomoka Trout Waccasassa Wacissa Wakulla Weeki Wachee Wekiva

Creeks and streams	Billy Black Blackwater (Hillsborough) Blackwater (Lake) Crane Cross Econfina Fisheating Myakkahatchee Orange Pottsburg Shingle Snapper Turkey

Canals	Canaveral Barge Canal Cross Florida Barge Canal Haulover Canal Hillsboro Canal Miami Canal Mud Lake Canal St. Johns-Indian River Barge Canal Tamiami Canal Tampa Bypass Canal

See also	Coastal waters of Florida Everglades Intracoastal Waterway Indian River Lagoon List of Florida rivers List of major springs in Florida Okeechobee Waterway Outstanding Florida Waters

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