EnvironmentalEducation

Programs

EnvironmentalEducation

Programs

601 E Kennedy Blvd23rd floor

Tampa, FL 33602(813) 272-5912

www.hillsborough.wateratlas.org

Adopt-A-Pond, Lake Management, Officer Snook, Pond Walk, Pond Watch, StreamWaterwatch, Storm Drain Marking, Stormwater Ecologist, and Watershed Atlas are partial-ly funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Alafia River, HillsboroughRiver, and Northwest Hillsborough Basin Boards.

University of Florida LAKEWATCH and University of South Florida Center forCommunity Design and Research work with Hillsborough County on LakeManagement.

Hillsborough Community College Environmental and Technical Program works withHillsborough County on Stream Waterwatch.

University of South Florida Center for Community Design and Research works withHillsborough County on the Watershed Atlas.

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Dear Citizen:Thank you for expressing an interest in our

environmental programs. We are extremely pleasedwith the success of these programs and lookforward to working with you and yourneighborhood.

All of our programs are public-privatepartnerships assisting neighborhoods and schoolgroups to improve water quality, wildlife habitat,and appearance of lakes, streams, and stormwaterponds. There are no fees or costs required toparticipate in these programs. In order to qualify forparticipation, you must simply meet a program�scriteria.

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Officer SnookThe Officer Snook Water Pollution Prevention Program

teaches second grade students in Hillsborough Countyschools about water pollution and its effects on our waterresources. The program aims to help children connect theconcept and vocabulary of water pollution with actions theysee and take in their daily lives. Presentations are interactiveand fun. The program provides educational materials tostudents and a curriculum guide to teachers for follow-upactivities. The program and all materials are provided free ofcharge.

If you are interested in having the Officer Snookprogram presented to your classroom or youth organization,make the request on our web site at:

www.hillsborough.wateratlas.org/adoptOr by phone at (813) 272-5912.

Officer Snook teaches kidsto help stop water

pollution. He’s always ahit when he makes an

appearance.

Stormwater EcologistThis program is

designed to give studentsand teachers the power tomake responsible decisions

about stormwater pollutionprevention and to demon-strate how our actions all playa role in the health of theworld around us.

Stormwater Ecologistnot only talks about making adifference, we'll actually helpyou make one with our hands-on and community projects.

This program incorporates aspects of science, politics, andeconomics, making it appropriate for a wide range ofclasses. If you're interested in how Stormwater Ecologist canwork in your school, call 272-5912.

Here's what we can offer you:

l Interactive presentations on stormwater pollution andecology using models and games. A perfect one-timeevent and a great introduction to further study.

l Interpretive walks. Students tour a pond or wetland at theschool with an environmental scientist who will identifyplants and animals and explain how organisms andprocesses fit into an ecosystem. A great way to translateclassroom concepts to reality.

l For those interested in longer-term field study, StormwaterEcologist works with Adopt-A-Pond to perform stormwaterpond restorations and set up pond monitoring programs.Students become real citizen scientists reporting usefuldata and performing an actual restoration.

Can you tellwhat’s happening

here?

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Adopt-A-PondDid you know that stormwater ponds are an important

part of the vast system of pipes, canals, gutters, and ditchesthat keep our homes and roads from flooding? Not only dothey hold water that would otherwise be in our streets, yards,and homes, but they also provide valuable water treatmentand groundwater recharge. Properly designed stormwaterponds can mimic natural wetlands, providing habitat fornumerous plants and animals.

These necessary facilities can also be excellentamenities for a community, but homeowners are oftenunprepared for the challenges these highly productivesystems present. That is where Adopt-A-Pond comes in.Through our program, you can learn to manage your pondand create a beautiful and functional wetland ecosystem inyour own neighborhood�created and managed by youand your neighbors.

A Map of Adopt-A-PondsAdopt-A-Pond hasbeen in existence

since 1991. Over 300ponds have been

through the program.

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Adopt-A-Pond is a volunteer program sponsored bythe Stormwater Management Section of the HillsboroughCounty Public Works Department/Engineering Division andthe Northwest Hillsborough, Hillsborough River, and AlafiaRiver Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida WaterManagement District. We can help you restore and manageyour stormwater pond in a healthy and functional way.

You provide the work and we can provide theresources and expertise.Learn to manage afreshwater ecosystem andcreate a naturallybeautiful pond settingwhile helping to protectour freshwater resources.

You can take a pond thatlooks like this...covered inalgae, with little habitat or

treatment...

You get the benefits of

l Increased property value

l Assurance thatstormwater structures arefunctioning properly

l A beautiful communityasset that will yieldbenefits for years tocome

...and turn it into this!A healthy freshwater wet-

land!

Storm Drain MarkingStorm drains are a major

source of water pollution.When it rains, gallons of waterflow through our streets andyards and into these inlets.From there, it will eventuallyend up in a body of water, likeour ponds, or a lake, river, orbay. As it flows, this watercarries pollutants such as oil,fertilizer, sediment, and trash.The Storm Drain MarkingProgram is an easy way for youto remind people that thesedrains are not for dumping!

The kits are free toanyone interested in sponsoring anevent. You�ll get a set of PVCmarkers, like the one on this page, atube of special glue to apply them,and door hangers to let everyone knowwhat�s going on.

The weather-resistantmarkers are easy toapply. Storm drain

events are great for kidsand the whole family.

Just sweep the area, applythe glue, and stick themarker in place. The

bright-colored markersare sure to draw attention.

Request a kit on our web site:www.hillsborough.wateratlas.org/adopt

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Here’s what you’ll need toundertake an Adopt-A-Pond

project:

l A GroupAdopting a pond is toomuch of a job for oneperson, so the first thingyou�ll need is a group thatis willing to work on it withyou.

l A CoordinatorTo organize the project,commuicate with groupmembers, and work with us.

l TimeA pond restoration can�tbe done in a day. Think interms of months and years.

l WorkPond restoration requiresthat you and your groupbe willing to get into thewater and brush to cleanup, plant, maintain, andmonitor the pond for atleast three years.

Your pond will also have tomeet these criteria:

1. The pond must beowned and maintainedby the County orprivately owned with oneor more drainageeasements dedicated toHillsborough County.

2. No wetland or protectedconservation areas areallowed in the program.

3. Adopt-A-Pond may notbe used to satisfy permitconditions for theSouthwest Florida WaterManagement District.

4. The pond group mustsubmit an Adopt-A-Pondapplication anddemonstrate acommitment to fullyparticipate in theprogram and maintaintheir pond.

5. Access to the pond mustbe available for Countycrews and equipment.

Pond WalkHave questions about your pond? Need to get your

neighbors together to talk about it? Then you need a pondwalk! We�ll send a pond expert out to walk around thepond with you and your neighbors and answer questions.The expert can tell you about the plants and animals, theregulations, and the work needed to help you get yourpond into top shape.

This free service is available to anyone in HillsboroughCounty, spring through fall, Tuesdays through Thursdays inthe evenings. Walks last approximately one hour. Ourvolunteer experts are all trained professionals in freshwaterwetlands who donate their time to help you betterunderstand your environment.

The only requirement is that you invite as many of yourneighbors as you can to make the best use of our experts�time. Pond walks are a great low-commitment way to learnabout your pond and to get neighbors interested in takingcare of it. Pond walks also make an excellent precursor toapplying for Adopt-A-Pond.

Request a pond walk by going online atwww.hillsborough.wateratlas.org/adopt or by phone at

272-5912.

Pond walks are agreat way to learn

about your pond andgenerate interest inyour community!

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Remember that Adopt-A-Pond is not a one-time fixfor your pond. It�s a program for people who want to learnhow to care for a pond. We can serve as a guide andresource center, but the success of the project is up to you.You are adopting the pond. But with our help, you won�tbe doing it alone.

This program is the first of its kind in the nation andgroundbreaking in its efforts. So if you want to learn how totake charge of your pond, if you want to gain a betterunderstanding of your environment through hands-onexperience, or if you simply want to take up a rewardinghobby with benefit to your health and the community, thenAdopt-A-Pond is for you.

Pond groups bring theneighbors together for a

common goal.

Don�t wait! Get in touch with us now!www.hillsborough.wateratlas.org/adopt(813) 272-5912Adopt-A-Pond601 E Kennedy Blvd. 23rd FloorTampa, FL 33602

Group workdays are a bigpart of keeping a pond

looking good. This pond is well

established.

Pond WatchPond Watch is a watershed education and water

quality sampling program in which citizens who live on oraround stormwater ponds volunteer to take monthlysamples in their pond for a period of one year. Volunteersare trained in proper procedures and good samplingtechniques, just like Lake Management volunteers. Thedata collected through Pond Watch is posted to theHillsborough County Watershed Atlas.

This data is an important part of our growing library ofwater quality data that helps inform scientists and decision-makers as wemanage our waterresources.

Take samples for lab analysis of:

l Total nitrogen

l Total phosphorus

l Chlorophyll A

Simply freeze the samples and drop them at a nearbylocation at your convenience. The University of Florida willpick them up and run the lab analysis.

Test in the field for:

l Dissolved oxygen

l pH

l Clarity

l Temperature

Volunteers get to:

Hillsborough County has approximately 230 namedlakes within its borders. Many of these lakes are in urbanand suburban areas with a variety of potential threats to thelake ecosystem and watershed. Most lakes in HillsboroughCounty can support a diversity of uses, but these uses needto be carefully managed. The Lake Management Programcan help lake residents learn about these complex andinteresting lake ecosystems through a variety of means,such as teaching citizens how to collect crucial data thathelps ensure long-term sustainability of the lake ecosystem.The Lake Management Program consists of several majorsections, including:

The Lake and Stream Management Program is acooperative program between Hillsborough County and theSouthwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).The program incorporates assistance, expertise, andresources from the University of Florida LAKEWATCH, theUniversity of South Florida, and Hillsborough CommunityCollege. This program is divided into two tracts (LakeManagement and Stream Waterwatch), which areavailable to all citizens interested in learning aboutmanaging or improving our many lakes and streams. Formore information about the Lake Management Program orStream Waterwatch, please contact us at (813) 272-5912.

Lake & StreamManagement

Lake Management

Investigation & Management Issues: As per the HillsboroughCounty Public Works Lake Management Program Policy, wecan advise and assist citizens with vegetation management,investigate citizen concerns, and provide technical expertise.

The Hillsborough County Watershed Atlas is anInternet-based water resource information tool. UsingGeographic Information System (GIS) technology, users cannavigate interactive maps with all kinds of water resourceinformation�just like an atlas in a book, but with much morefunctionality.

Each water body in the County has its own pagefeaturing pictures, histories, and information for volunteers inthat area.

The site also contains water quality data from varioussources, including our volunteer programs, graphing andanalysis tools for the scientifically interested, educationalmaterials on a variety of subjects, and information on all ourprograms.

The site is continually updated and improved, so visitoften to stay up on the latest water resource information.

Watershed Atlaswww.hillsborough.wateratlas.org

See aerials, plans,data, and pictures of

our watersheds atthe Watershed Atlas.

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Volunteers learn abouttheir lake and enjoy

activities at the annualLake Day.

Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring: Volunteers are trainedthrough the University of Florida's LAKEWATCH Program totake water quality samples (phosphorus, nitrogen, andchlorophyll) and determine water clarity. Samples arecollected and analyzed by the LAKEWATCH Program on amonthly basis. All data is submitted to the Watershed Atlaswhere it is continually updated, analyzed, and available tothe public in several different formats.

Outreach & Education: Our public education effort is a verypopular component of the Lake Management Program. Wesponsor and provide a variety of programs including theWatershed Atlas, lake walks, stormdrain markers, decals,brochures, and the Lake, Pond, and Stream Seminar.Another component of our outreach effort is the LakeManagement Academy, which is a series of bimonthlymeetings to educate lake residents on various topics in lakemanagement.

Research Programs: The Lake Management Program has andwill continue to support or conduct important researchprojects such as toxic algae studies, lake assessments,stormwater input studies, paleolimnological studies, andsocial marketing.

Streams, just like lakes, areimportant water resources. But like anynatural system, they present particular challenges when thesurrounding watershed is altered. Stream Waterwatch is avolunteer-based program implemented throughHillsborough Community College and funded byHillsborough County. Volunteers are trained in the field totake water quality samples, measure field parameters, andcollect, sort, and identify macroinvertebrates (bugs andother spineless creatures). Stream Waterwatch volunteergroups typically adopt a 1.5 mile stream segment andconduct a variety of activities, such as:

l Attending a minimum of four stream training classes in thefirst year

l Taking monthly samples from three sites on the stream

l Measuring field parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidi-ty, and temperature)

l Conducting quarterly habitat, macroinvertebrate, andstream surveys

Volunteers are trainedand participate in

stream cleanup andrestoration projects.

Stream Waterwatch