A five-year project funded by the Southwest Florida Management District and Hillsborough County will help predict flooding and water quality problems through updating the county’s topographical maps.
This aerial mapping project, which is in its final phase, is providing detailed topographic maps that show the area’s physical features. From these maps, floodplain boundaries and watersheds may be determined to help predict future flooding and water quality problems.
The elevation data collected from the project will be used by Hillsborough County to determine the effects of development on natural drainage patterns, develop stormwater management plans, update the County’s elevation data and Geographic Information System (GIS) base maps, as well as warn the public about flooding dangers, support floodplain and water quality modeling efforts, and assist Emergency Operations Centers in identifying safe evacuation shelter locations.
The Hillsborough County Surveying Division is managing the project.
The cost of the final phase of the project is $500,000. District funding will be divided among the Alafia River, Hillsborough River and Northwest Hillsborough basin boards. Contributions are as follows: Hillsborough River $122,964, Alafia River $80,513, and Northwest Hillsborough $46,523. Hillsborough County is contributing $250,000.