FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2015
~Reviewing progress and plans for moving forward ~
TEMPLE TERRACE – The Florida
Department of Environmental Protection invites local governments, scientists,
environmentalists, agricultural producers and other interested parties to a
meeting to discuss the outcome of restoration activities for the past five years
and the future efforts needed to achieve improved water quality for the Hillsborough River.
WHAT: Hillsborough River Restoration Plan Development Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday, March 11, 2015
9:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
WHERE: DEP Southwest District Office's Main Conference Room
13051 North Telecom Parkway
Temple Terrace, FL 33637
“While there is more work to be done, we can be proud of the progress we have
seen in this basin,” said Tom Frick, director of the
Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration. “Going forward, we will
use more refined tools to identify sources of bacteria and develop and
implement projects to address these sources.”
The Hillsborough River
restoration plan, known as a basin management action plan or BMAP, addresses
six water bodies that are impaired for fecal coliform bacteria. These water
bodies are Blackwater Creek, New River, Spartman Branch, Baker Creek, Flint
Creek and Lower Hillsborough River. It has been five years since the
restoration plan began, and fecal coliform levels have generally improved in
all six waterbodies. At this meeting, the department will be discussing the
results of samples analyzed using source tracking technology as well as
detailing the restoration progress for the waterbodies in each restoration
plan. Representatives will also outline future efforts that will be implemented
to ensure that progress continues.
The Hillsborough River flows 54
miles from its headwaters in the Green Swamp to Hillsborough Bay, Florida’s
largest open-water estuary. The river flows through Hillsborough River State
Park, one of Florida’s first state parks which opened in 1938. Hillsborough
River was designated an Outstanding Florida Water by the state of Florida,
meaning the river is worthy of special protection because of its natural
attributes.
More information about the
upcoming meeting can be found here.
More information on the
Hillsborough River restoration plan can be found here.
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