The South Pasco Wellfield is located in Pasco County near the intersection of U.S. 41 and S.R. 54. With the exceptions of the well sites, the property is owned by the city of St. Petersburg. In the 1980s, the city of St. Petersburg installed an earthen berm on the western edge of a 261-acre wetland located on the wellfield to alleviate downstream flooding. The berm is breached by culverts that route surface water flow through the wetland system to the South Branch of the Anclote River. A road located east of the berm also affects surface water flows and is crossed by numerous culverts.
The project involved evaluating opportunities to modify surface water drainage structures and retain additional water in wetlands located on the South Pasco Wellfield.
Project Costs
The total cost is estimated at $150,000. The project is being funded by Tampa Bay Water ($109,100) with partial SWFWMD ($40,900) funding from the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.
Current Status
A feasibility study was completed for the project in 2004. The results indicated that the effects of permittable drainage modifications would be minor and that the wetlands may sufficiently recover in response to wellfield pumpage reductions. No further action is proposed.
