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Trails Being Created Near Reservoir

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 12, 2008

PICNIC - By year's end, equestrians, mountain bikers and avid birders could be sauntering down newly opened trails around the enormous C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir east of County Road 39.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, which owns the property, has sent staff members to fence and mark multiuse trails and put up gates before opening the property to the public.

Water district officials last year surveyed area residents, asking them what kinds of recreational activities they would like to see available around the reservoir, said Chuck Lane, a senior land-use specialist with the district. More than 60 percent asked for more equestrian access.

"We looked at what was already available in parks like the Alafia River State Park, and then used the public's ideas in conjunction with our development plan," Lane said.

The district, known as Swiftmud, purchased 5,515 acres around the reservoir in 2001, then signed an agreement with Tampa Bay Water allowing the utility to construct a 16-billion-gallon drinking water reservoir on about 1,100 acres, said Swiftmud spokeswoman Robyn Felix.

The remaining property is a variety of habitats, including wetlands, pine and scrubby flatwoods, scrub, freshwater marshes and pastures once used for cattle grazing.

Construction of the reservoir, which stores water pumped from the Alafia River, destroyed about 190 acres of wetlands, said Tampa Bay Water spokeswoman Michelle Biddle Rapp. To mitigate that loss, Rapp said, the utility's environmental staff has restored or enhanced about 1,000 acres of wetlands and uplands around the reservoir.
Tampa Bay Water staff members focused on restoring pine flatwoods that were destroyed years ago when the land was cleared and drained for cattle ranching.

The overall mitigation plan called for preserving and restoring wildlife corridors and historic plant communities, creating marshes and burning areas where brush had become too dense.

Some of those areas will remain off limits to people because permits issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection require them to remain isolated until young plantings reach maturity, said Gina Sowders, a senior land-use specialist with Swiftmud.

Once that happens, more areas could be open to the public, including what could become a primitive campground accessible only by foot, she said.

Initially, the trails will have two entrances - one off Browning Road, which will have a parking area, and one on the west side of the property at a point yet to be determined.

Temporary toilets and an educational kiosk will be installed near the parking area.

Once word gets out and more people start using the trails, Lane said, some additional parking could be added.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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