The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board today celebrated two District projects that received an Award of Excellence at the Hillsborough County Planning Commission 26th Annual Community Design Awards. The Community Design Awards recognize projects that contribute to the quality of life in Hillsborough County.
Both projects were managed by the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program.
Newman Branch Creek Habitat Restoration Project
The District and its partners received an Award of Excellence in the Environmental category for the Newman Branch Creek Habitat Restoration project.
The project restored 12 acres of fisheries habitat in Newman Branch Creek, a tributary to Tampa Bay. The restoration involved the removal of non-native plant species and the restoration of a variety of native estuarine and freshwater habitats, which will provide a salinity gradient for aquatic species.
Restoration efforts included dozens of volunteers planting 6,000 plugs of marsh grass and upland plants at the site.
This project was implemented through a unique partnership between the District, Tampa Electric Company and Protecting the Environment through Ecological Research (PEER), which is a nonprofit group. PEER provided most of the funding for the project by securing grants.
“This project is one of the first SWIM projects that was a successful cooperative effort between public and private entities,” said Brandt Henningsen, chief environmental scientist and project manager. “We hope to have more opportunities like this with other private groups.”
This property is located near TECO’s Manatee Viewing Center, and is under a perpetual conservation easement which will protect the habitats forever.
Epps Park Stormwater Sediment Removal Pilot Project
The Epps Park Stormwater Sediment Removal Pilot project, which was a cooperative effort between the District and the City of Tampa, received an Award of Excellence in the Environmental category.
This project involved installing eight sediment traps in the existing stormwater infrastructure to reduce the amount of oil, grease, and suspended solids that would have otherwise ended up in the Hillsborough River. The sediment traps provide water quality treatment of stormwater runoff from approximately 68 acres of watershed in Tampa. The reduction in sediment loading improves water quality within the Hillsborough River and, ultimately, Tampa Bay. The sediment is collected and processed so that it can be used as daily cover at area landfills.
“This project represents the beginning of an initiative by the City of Tampa to reduce sediment loading to the Hillsborough River and Tampa Bay,” said Janie Hagberg, senior professional engineer.
To learn more about the SWIM Program, visit the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/projects/swim.