The Southwest Florida Water Management District agreed to continue funding this year for the Hillsborough County Lake and Stream Monitoring Program.
The program is a cooperatively funded effort between Hillsborough County and the District’s Alafia River, Hillsborough River, and Northwest Hillsborough basin boards. The District’s Alafia River Basin Board is contributing $39,664, the Hillsborough River Basin Board is contributing $66,047, and the Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board is contributing $90,518. The program is funded on an annual basis, beginning in April.
This program, which has been in existence since 1997, involves the monthly collection and analyses of water quality samples from as many as 120 lakes and 20 stream sites throughout the county.
Hillsborough County contracts the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, and Hillsborough Community College to collect and analyze data for this program.
Hillsborough Community College recruits and trains volunteers, such as residents and waterfront property owners, to monitor the streams. Volunteers make it possible to collect more water quality data than if the program only used agency staff.
The University of Florida’s LAKEWATCH Program, which monitors water quality throughout the state, recruits and trains volunteers to monitor water bodies, analyzes the water quality samples and provides the county with data.
The University of South Florida is responsible for maintaining and updating water quality data from the project on the Hillsborough County Lake Atlas Web site. Information on the Web site is available to the public at www.hillsborough.wateratlas.usf.edu.