Water Quality Assessment Report - Florida Department of ...

management cycle.) Pinellas County, which is already 95 percent built out,
has the highest population density in the state and the Southwest Florida
Water Management District (SWFWMD). Many of the barrier islands
bordering the Gulf of Mexico are also very densely developed; residential
communities in these areas include Indian Shores, Redington Beach,
Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, and St. Pete Beach.
On the mainland, the largest cities in western Pinellas County are
Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, and Gulfport.
Major waterbodies include the Anclote River, Anclote Anchorage,
Intra coastal Waterway, Lake Seminole, Bear Creek, Joe’s Creek, and Long
Bayou. The Intracoastal Waterway has different names along its length,
including St. Joseph Sound, Clearwater Harbor, the Narrows, and Boca
Ciega Bay. The Cross Bayou Canal traverses the peninsula in a southwesterly
direction from Old Tampa Bay to Cross Bayou, which then fl ows
into Boca Ciega Bay.
Beginning in the 1920s, numerous waterfront areas in Pinellas County,
including Clearwater Harbor and Boca Ciega Bay, were fi lled for residential
and commercial development and contain extensive seawalls. From 1950
to 1965, about 20 percent of the surface area of Boca Ciega Bay was fi lled.
Most aquatic systems in these areas have deep channels that restrict seagrass
growth, and water quality is typically poor.
The adjoining areas are also highly urbanized, with Pinellas County
having the largest population per acre in the state (SWFWMD, 2001a).
Many of the historic freshwater springs have dried up or have been contaminated
by saltwater intrusion. Most of the wetlands in the basin are
concentrated along the coast and occur in large, contiguous blocks.
Of the 194,500 acres in the basin dedicated to conservation, approximately
141,350 acres, or 73 percent, are sandwiched between the Gulf of
Mexico and U.S. Highway 19. Three of the 4 large conservation tracts
located inland of the coast (Citrus, Serenova, and Starkey) lie on the basin
boundary, with large portions extending into adjoining basins. Conservation
lands in the basin include 130,250 acres of state-owned lands,
18,500 acres of SWFWMD-owned lands, 3,500 acres of county-owned
lands, and nearly 1,000 acres of privately owned lands.
The Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1931,
comprises 31,000 acres of shallow saltwater bays, estuaries, brackish
marshes, and tidal streams, with a fringe of hardwood swamps. Accessible
only by boat, the refuge provides habitat for approximately 250 species of
birds, over 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, and at least 25 different
species of mammals. Endangered and threatened species found in the
refuge include manatees, sea turtles, and bald eagles.
The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1983 and
located in Citrus County, comprises 20 islands and several small parcels
of land, surrounded by the crystal-clear, spring-fed waters of Kings Bay.
Six hundred million gallons of fresh water fl ow daily from more than
30 natural springs in the refuge. The water fl owing from the springs
remains at a constant 72°F. The springs are Florida’s most signifi cant
natural warmwater refuge for the endangered West Indian manatee and
provide critical habitat for the Crystal River herd, which makes up about
Water Quality Assessment Report: Springs Coast
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