Watershed Management Plan: Coastal Zone 5
Welcome
The Coastal Zone 5 Watershed Management Plan (WMP) is a project funded by Pinellas County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District to provide an evaluation of the watershed, develop a stormwater model, and identify problems and recommend solutions for flood reduction, and improvements in water quality and natural resources within the watershed.
This project page explains the scope of the project, providing information on the watershed and the preliminary results for the 100-year storm event flood conditions within the watershed. By reviewing the project information below and providing feedback on the accuracy of the extent of the flooding in the below floodplain map viewer, you will help us better understand any flood-prone or degraded areas and compile a more accurate dataset for Coastal Zone 5.
Project Overview
The Coastal Zone 5 Watershed comprises approximately 6.2 square miles in southwest Pinellas County along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). The watershed is bounded on the south by the Tom Stuart Causeway (150th Street) and on the north by the Anona neighborhood in the City of Largo. The watershed is bordered by the McKay Creek and Lake Seminole watersheds.
The Watershed Evaluation found the watershed is highly developed, with 82 percent of the watershed composed of residential areas. The other two most represented land uses are commercial and golf course areas, which account for 4 and 2 percent, respectively. The watershed is mainly comprised of local piped drainage systems that conveys flow from inland portions of the watershed to the ICW. Elevations within the watershed range from approximately 68 feet along the east boundary of the watershed to below sea level along the west edge of the watershed.
Due to the lack of historical data for the watershed, the County’s consultant compared the model parameters and inputs to regionally accepted values used for watershed scale modeling. The comparison included the McKay Creek, which borders the Coastal Zone 5 watershed, and the Curlew Creek watersheds. Both watersheds were developed for Pinellas County and were calibrated for flow and stage using the USGS gages in those watersheds. The consultant mapped the floodplains and reviewed them for reasonableness. Further, the model and floodplain result underwent a third-party peer review for reasonableness and accuracy. All this work leads to the draft floodplain map for your review in the below section.
Community Feedback: Coastal Zone 5 Watershed
We would appreciate your feedback on the Coastal Zone 5 WMP Draft 100-Year Floodplain map viewer below. Your input on areas within your community that differ from the preliminary flood condition findings would be extremely helpful. This information will allow us to refine our model and provide the best solutions to issues within the Coastal Zone 5 watershed.
Map Viewer Help: Click on the map to explore the 100-year floodplain extents throughout the watershed. There are two ways to navigate within the map to the areas of interest: Enter an address using the magnifying glass in the top right corner or drag the map to the desired location by clicking and holding your left mouse button and then moving your mouse to the desired location. You also can zoom with the plus/minus buttons or your mouse wheel.
Project Background
What is a watershed?
A watershed, also called drainage basin, is the land area from which water flows into a stream, river, lake, bay, or ocean. No matter where you live on earth, you live in a watershed! Watersheds are crucial because they act as natural drainage systems, regulating flows and collecting and channeling water, while also filtering pollutants. In doing so, watersheds buffer us from flooding, provide clean drinking water, support diverse ecosystems, and offer opportunities for recreational activities.
Watershed Management Plan Development
Pinellas County takes a watershed-wide approach to managing water and water-related resources within its boundaries. By doing so, all characteristics of each watershed can be evaluated to reflect the real, interconnected nature of our water resources. This allows the County and its partners to clearly identify, prioritize and address issues related to the watershed’s water resources. Pinellas County plans to develop a Watershed Management Plan for each of its watersheds. These plans guide the County in providing flood protection, protecting and managing environmental resources, and achieving improvements in water quality in County waters. This approach provides a method to evaluate the capacity of a watershed to improve flood protection while finding ways to enhance and restore water quality and natural systems. To learn more, watch the County’s watershed planning process video.
Contact Us
Rob Burnes
Project Manager
Public Works / Environmental Management
22211 US Hwy 19 N., Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 453-3149
rburnes@pinellas.gov