Southwest Florida Water Management District employees and Board members, as well as their friends and families, will be among the hundreds of volunteers taking part in this weekend’s 21st Annual Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. The cleanup begins Saturday at 8 a.m. at the Lowry Park Boat Ramp.
The annual event is one of Tampa’s largest volunteer activities. Each year volunteers scour dozens of shoreline locations along the Hillsborough River and connected waterways to pick up litter and remove nonnative invasive plants that choke out native species.
The cleanup also wraps up Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week, which is a cooperative effort between the District’s Hillsborough River Basin Board and the Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance.
The goal of Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week, which is being held Nov. 15 – 22, is to foster good watershed stewardship through several hands-on activities and workshops.
This year the cleanup has expanded to include marking storm drains in neighborhoods near the river. The goal is to remind residents not to dump anything in the storm drain because it flows into the river.
Maritza Rovira-Forino, Governing Board member and chair ex officio of the Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board, will join District staff in the cleanup and lead the District’s “Rally for the River” Challenge team.
The District also provides financial support for the annual cleanup and will have an information booth at the Rollin’ on the River picnic. The picnic features lunch, live music and environmental education opportunities and is held at Lowry Park.
The Hillsborough River is a central part of Tampa’s identity, serving as the backdrop for Tampa’s downtown. It also provides an alternative potable water source and wildlife habitat as well as enhanced recreational opportunities.
For more information about all of the Hillsborough River Watershed Awareness Week events, please visit the Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance website at www.hrwa-fl.org/.