From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
River in the United States of America
The
Tampa Bypass Canal
and
Palm River
[1]
[2]
are a 14-mile-long (23 km)
flood bypass
operated by the
Southwest Florida Water Management District
. The canal includes several concrete
flood control
structures and was constructed during the 1960s and 1970s. Its purpose is to redirect flood waters from large amounts of rainfall from the
Hillsborough River
to
Tampa Bay
to prevent floodwaters reaching homes and businesses. Despite its original purpose it is now used as a drinking water source for the City of
Tampa
. During construction of the canal the
Floridan aquifer
was accidentally breached.
When there is a large amount of rainfall and flooding is expected, this structure redirects the rising waters along the Hillsborough River into the constructed canal and down to
McKay Bay
. This protects homes and businesses in
Temple Terrace
and
Tampa
from flooding.
The Tampa Bypass Canal works together with the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which is land owned by the District. This land provides an area for the storage and detention of overflow water from the Hillsborough River and the Tampa Bypass Canal. Because it is used for water overflow storage, there are no homes or businesses built here.
The land in the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area represents a variety of natural habitats along portions of the Hillsborough River and the connecting floodplain areas. Habitats include river swamps with cypress trees and hardwoods, cabbage palms and oak hammocks, and some areas of pine lands and palmetto prairies. As one of the largest undeveloped areas in Hillsborough County, this area is managed for its water resources and flood management functions. But it has also become a favorite recreational area and a regionally important wildlife area. It is used as a rowing venue for
USRowing
.
References
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External links
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edit
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27°56′31″N
82°24′50″W
/
27.942°N 82.414°W
/
27.942; -82.414
Significant waterways of Florida
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Larger rivers
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Lakes
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Smaller rivers
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Creeks and
streams
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Canals
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See also
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