What is Stormwater?

Stormwater drainage lines are located throughout the entire city. Rain water flows off urban streets, parking lots, construction sites, and neighborhoods, where it is then channeled into the city's Stormwater drainage system of pipes and ditches. Its final destination is the Hillsborough River and Tampa Bay.

There are two important aspects of Stormwater: Quantity and Quality. The Storm Water Department strives to maintain the City's system to provide adequate levels of flood protection and pollution prevention efforts.

Current Operations and Initiatives:

Stormwater personnel are responsible for the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of Tampa’s Stormwater system. This system includes 613 miles of Stormwater lines, 259 miles of ditches and culverts, 105 retention ponds, and 21,000 miles of curbed roadway swept annually to prevent sediments and debris from entering the drainage system. more...

View Waterway Management Program presentation document (PDF, 3 MB)  which was presented to the Tampa City Council Workshop on October 25. 2007.