Since late 2002, surface water withdrawn from the Tampa Bypass Canal, Alafia River and high water from the Hillsborough River has served as a significant source of drinking water for the Tampa Bay region. The Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant on Hillsborough Bay is also supplying water to the region.

These surface water systems are important environmental systems that contribute to Tampa Bay's ecosystem and play a recreational and aesthetic role for the region's citizens.

Water Use Permits issued by the Southwest Florida Water Management District for the Tampa Bypass Canal and Alafia River Water Supply components of Tampa Bay Water's Enhanced Surface Water System and the NPDES permit for the Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination facility required development of Hydrobiological Monitoring Programs (HBMP). These comprehensive monitoring programs were developed to monitor water quality, hydrological and biological conditions in the lower Hillsborough River, the Alafia River, the Tampa Bypass Canal/McKay Bay, and areas in Hillsborough Bay near Apollo Beach and Tampa Electric's Big Bend Power Station, in order to confirm predicted environmental effects associated with these water supply projects, and to provide early warning of any potential changes.

Overall HBMP goals are to ensure that post-implementation conditions do not deviate from the normal rate and range of fluctuation to the extent that water quality, vegetation, animal populations, salinity patterns, or recreational and aesthetic qualities are adversely impacted. HBMP monitoring elements include:

• Hydrology
• Water quality
• Benthic invertebrates
• Adult and juvenile fishes
• Zooplankton and larval fishes
• Water dependent birds
• Habitat/vegetation.

Monitoring elements, critical indicators, sampling methods, and data analyses are tailored to specific environmental conditions in each area, and monitoring is coordinated with other local agency programs to maximize use of resources. In addition to permitting requirements, HBMP design and review includes input from consultant and university experts, representatives of federal, state and local environmental agencies, and various environmental organizations (see HBMP Links page).

HBMP monitoring for the TBC/Alafia River projects and the Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination facility were implemented in 2000 and 2002, respectively, to allow collection of baseline data prior to these water supply projects going on-line.

Details of the HBMP design process, data reports and related documents can be found on the HBMP Documents page.