Highlights
- Designated an “Estuary of National Significance” in 1990
- Florida’s largest open-water estuary at 373 square miles
- Over 2 million residents in the watershed
- Includes portions of Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties
- 2,200-square-mile watershed
Challenges
Three main challenges exist in the Tampa Bay watershed:
- Alteration and loss of coastal uplands and wetlands due to development
- Spread of non-native animal and plant species
- Degraded water quality from pollutant and nutrient loading
Strategies
Through cooperation with other government agencies, these challenges are met by:
- Developing a comprehensive conservation and management plan
- Restoring the balance between coastal upland, wetland, and intertidal habitats
- Implementing water quality improvement projects
Success Indicators
Successful project implementation is indicated by:
- Improved water quality
- Increased hydroperiods
- Increased coverage of seagrasses within the Bay
- Reduction/removal of non-native terrestrial and wetland species
- Increased wildlife use
Future goals are then developed through an adaptive management process, always striving to help restore Florida’s natural ecosystems.