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County, Water District Are Right To Help Rivers

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2007

Florida is more than sandy beaches, golf courses, Disney World and other attractions. The environment is as beautiful as anywhere in the country, and that includes Pasco County, with its rivers, salt marshes, lakes and thousands of acres of conservation land in public ownership.

Two of Pasco's most beautiful bodies of water are the Anclote and Pithlachascotee rivers. But development along stretches of both in west Pasco have degraded the scenic beauty and resulted in increased stormwater discharges and nitrate levels.

Fortunately, county government is continuing to step up its environmental awareness and plans to partner with the Southwest Florida Water Management District on a project properly entitled the Pithlachascotee Anclote Conservation Effort, PACE for short. The purpose is to study the feasibility of diverting excess flows, or floodwater, from the rivers onto the Serenova Preserve, Starkey Wellfield and other adjacent lands.

If doable, the project could result in numerous benefits to these watersheds - including reducing flooding down river, improving water quality significantly and restoring wetlands. It would be a win-win for the environment and residents.

The budgeted cost for this initial engineering phase is $500,000, and the two entities will split the cost. It's a very fair arrangement all the way around.

It's extremely sad that development has been detrimental to the rivers' health, but at least the water management district, which has no control over municipal and county growth policies, has correctly made it a priority to address adverse impacts. Pasco County government, despite past development policies, is right to help, especially when it comes to the Pithlachascotee, also known as the Cotee.

The Cotee begins in the Crews Lake area near Shady Hills, where the county has a park. The county also purchased 111 acres of environmentally sensitive land for preservation along the upper river as part of its environmental land acquisition and management program funded by the Penny for Pasco sales tax. So, the county definitely has a stake in protecting the blackwater river, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

To gain a better appreciation of the river and the area's environment, residents should check out the water management district's Web site for a tour of the Springs Coast Watershed, of which Pasco is part. The address is www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/education/ interactive/springscoast/intro.shtml. It's Florida at its best.

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