Oct. 12, 2024 – The District continues to monitor lake and river levels and manage its water control structures around the clock during this historic flooding event caused by Hurricane Milton.

Lake and River Level Update

• Lake water levels in most areas are starting to decline and most structures are discharging at maximum capacity.
• Upper portions of the Hillsborough River have crested and are beginning to decline while the lower portions are continuing to rise.
• Cypress Creek, which is a major tributary of the Hillsborough River, is at major flood stage and is still rising.
• Water levels throughout the Alafia River have crested and are beginning to decline.

Tampa Bypass Canal System

• The Southwest Florida Water Management District is continuing to store all of the high river flows from the upper portions of the Hillsborough River and are successfully detaining and moving the water. The District does not have a way to detain and move flood water from Cypress Creek.
• The District is currently moving more than 4 million gallons of water per minute through the Tampa Bypass Canal S-160 structure into McKay Bay to protect the cities of Tampa and Temple Terrace from river flooding.
• The District activated the Tampa Bypass Canal System on Tuesday, Oct. 8 in response to heavy rains in the Tampa Bay area from Hurricane Milton. This action closed the Hillsborough River to boaters and redirected water to the Hillsborough Flood Detention Area resulting in some localized flooding on District-owned lands and Morris Bridge Road.
• The Tampa Bypass Canal System, constructed in response to massive flooding caused by Hurricane Donna in 1960, and is made up of three elements: the Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (HFDA) or reservoir, the Tampa Bypass Canal and the Harney Canal. Floodwaters from the Hillsborough River are impounded into the 16,000-acre HFDA. As the reservoir fills with floodwaters from the river and the surrounding 450-square-mile watershed, the flows then enter the 15.7-mile Tampa Bypass Canal, which has five flood control structures located along the canal. The flows are then safely diverted to McKay Bay, protecting the cities of Temple Terrace and Tampa from river flooding.

Medard Reservoir

• The District has stopped emergency pumping at the Medard Reservoir.
• The water levels at Medard are now dropping quickly through normal operating procedures at about 1 inch every three hours, and the reservoir is down 1 foot from the peak.
• The District began emergency pumping at the Medard Reservoir Thursday, Oct. 10 to protect the structural integrity if the reservoir. The Alafia River was at Major Flood Stage and the emergency release was less than 1% of the overall flow in the river.
• The District is currently releasing 600 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the structure per its normal operating procedures to lower the reservoir an additional 4 feet to protect its structural integrity.

October 7, 2024

AUBURNDALE – The Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk) is cautioning the public of the presence of blue-green algae in Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road on October 3, 2024. Water sample testing is underway. Blue-green algae have the potential to produce toxins. Since environmental conditions can change at any time, it is important to exercise caution, even if presence of toxins has not yet been confirmed.

See prior notices below

September 13, 2024

AUBURNDALE – The Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk) has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road. The alert is in response to a water sample taken on September 11, 2024. The public should exercise caution in and around Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road.

August 23, 2024

AUBURNDALE – The Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk) has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road.

The alert is in response to a water sample taken on August 20, 2024.

The public should exercise caution in and around Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road.

August 5, 2024

AUBURNDALE – The Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk) has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road. The alert is in response to a water sample taken on July 30, 2024. The public should exercise caution in and around Lake Van - end of Lake Van Road.

DOH-Polk advises residents and visitors to take the following precautions:

• Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercrafts, or come into contact with waters where there is a visible bloom.
• Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have any contact with algae, or discolored or water that smells unpleasant.
• Keep pets and livestock away from the area to avoid any contact with water. Waters where algae blooms are present are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should use an alternative source of water when algae blooms are present.
• Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate toxins.
• Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts, and cook fish thoroughly.
• Do not eat shellfish from waters with algae blooms.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and partners collect algae samples (link opens in new window) from reported bloom locations. After samples are analyzed at their laboratory, the toxin results can be viewed on Protecting Florida Together (link opens in new window) or on DEP’s Algal Bloom Dashboard (link opens in new window).

POLK COUNTY — The Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk) urges residents to be aware of the health risks following Hurricane Milton.

DOH-Polk recommends the following tips to prevent illness or injury:

Flood Waters

• Basic hygiene is critical. If you are under a boil water notice, use commercially bottled water for mixing baby formula. Wash your hands with soap and either disinfected or boiled and cooled water, especially before preparing or eating food, after toilet use, after handling a soiled diaper, after participating in flood cleanup activities, and after handling objects contaminated with flood water or sewage.
• Avoid eating or drinking anything that has been contaminated with flood waters.
• Avoid contact with flood waters, especially if you have open cuts or sores.
• If you have any open cuts or sores and come in contact with flood waters, wash the area well with soap to prevent infection. If a wound develops redness, swelling, or drainage, seek immediate medical attention.
• Residents who sustain lacerations and/or puncture wounds are encouraged to contact their primary health care provider to make sure they are current on their tetanus vaccine and possibly get a booster.

Visit the link below for tips on these post-storm hazards: Vibrio vulnificus, carbon monoxide, mosquitoes, boil water notices, wildlife, and mold cleanup

Visit this link for information on septic systems and private wells.

At its September meeting in Duck Key, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved rule amendments creating a block grant option within the already established FWC derelict vessel and public nuisance vessel removal grant program.

In collaboration with city and county partners, the FWC Boating and Waterways Section proposed the block grant funding option within the existing program to allow an additional reimbursement option for ongoing vessel removals in areas that remove a substantial number of DVs annually.

The amendment to the guidelines and application will allow block grant funding to be awarded to eligible governments based on the removal data from prior years. Local municipalities will be paid from those funds upon submission of documentation of the removal of eligible vessels. Busy governments will no longer have to wait to apply in advance for each vessel removal project, which should result in less red tape and a quicker removal process.

“Our goal is to keep improving our waterways by removing as many DVs as possible,” said Maj. Bill Holcomb, FWC Boating and Waterways Section Leader. “This amendment will allow local governments that have DV removal experience and are familiar with the process an option to remove these vessels more efficiently. They can remove eligible DVs and submit for reimbursement from their awarded block grant.”

The new rule will streamline the DV removal process, reducing the potential environmental impact and overall removal costs associated with derelict vessels that remain deteriorating in the state's waters.