HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – For generations, the lower Hillsborough River was neglected and polluted, but a new draft report from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) indicates measures to improve the river are paying off. The report says the salinity, flow and other scientific measures have consistently met their goals for the first time since they were established in 2007.
What they’re saying:
“The chief message in the report is that we’ve made significant progress in the past 20 plus years in achieving recovery targets in the lower Hillsborough River,” Randy Smith, Bureau Chief of Natural Systems and Restoration for SWFWMD, said.
Laurence Salkin, owner of Tampa Water Taxi Company, said he can see the difference. He started his business on the river 20 years ago.Â
“I have seen great improvements. I think the city did well by putting a lot of debris catchers up the river for the street runoff,” Salkin said, adding that there is much more wildlife on the river than when he started.
What’s next:
The draft report on the health of the river will be presented to the SWFWMD early next year. Scientists remain concerned about high salinity near Sulphur Springs and will work with the city of Tampa to investigate the issue.
The Source: FOX 13’s Lloyd Sowers gathered information from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the City of Tampa Water Department. He spoke with Randy Smith, Bureau Chief of Natural Systems and Restoration for SWFWMD as well as Laurence Salkin, owner of Tampa Water Taxi Company.