The Determination of Minimum Flows for Sulphur Springs, Tampa

DRAFT
Sulphur Springs < 33 cfs,
Hillsborough < 3 cfs
Figure 5-11. Box and whisker plot of 15 minute salinity
measurements at the data recorder at the mouth of the spring run.
Data restricted to periods when there was no flow to the lower river
from the Hillsborough River reservoir.
5.2.7 Other potential effects of reduced flows.
Other characteristics of the upper spring run could potentially be affected by salinity
incursions. As discussed in Section 3.7.1, mats of filamentous algae became
widespread on the bottom of the spring run during the 200-2001 drought when large
withdrawals were frequently made from the spring pool. A substantial reduction in the
distribution of these algal mats accompanied the return of normal flow to the spring run
in 2002 and 2003. It is not known what mechanism allowed the expansion of the algae
during the drought, but reduced current velocities resulting from large springflow
diversions may have been a factor. It is also not known what flows are necessary to
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