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Emergency State Allows Pumping Of Flood-Prone North Tampa Ponds

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By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 18, 2008

TAMPA - Tampa and Hillsborough County public works crews are "pumping like crazy" to lower pond levels in north Tampa and avoid the kind of flooding that hit the area after Hurricane Frances in 2004.

"We're not just sitting back with our fingers crossed; we're working out there," Tampa stormwater director Chuck Walter said.

The city's Donut Pond and the county's Duck Pond system, near University Mall, often flood during heavy summer downpours.

"I won't lie to you: There has been some flooding in the University Area during those heavy rains in July," county spokesman Steve Valdez said. "We had to close some roads. We didn't have water actually get into any structures, but it got right up to the door. Once you left the structure, you had to wade."

The 2004 flooding helped the city and county to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance and funding from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for better drainage in the area.

Improvements will cost $8.4 million. But construction isn't scheduled to start until 2009 at the earliest, which leaves stormwater officials with few options other than temporary pumps. Valdez said that once Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency, the county was able to pump the pond levels below the minimum required by Swiftmud.

"We have more pumps out there than we've ever had before," Valdez said. "It wasn't that we didn't think about it for the July event. It's that we're prohibited by state law from doing it."

Hillsborough County also plans to install a temporary pipeline from Duck Pond to pump stormwater directly to the city's drainage line on 30th Street within the next 30 days.

"It will intercept the water before it gets to Donut Pond," Valdez said.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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