Know Where It Goes

Between 1984 and 1993, ten stormwater ponds were created in Placido Bayou.  The foremost purpose of these ponds, which we call lakes, is water drainage.  Each of the eleven neighborhoods in Placido Bayou has an extensive stormwater drainage system that flows into our ponds, into the 47^th and  54^th Avenue canals, and then into Tampa Bay.  The system works quite well ,and Placido has not experienced any substantial flooding since its inception.

After 30 years, our ponds continue to do their job, but they need our help to maintain their health.  The best way to better health is through prevention.  Water quality, algae blooms, and fish kills are directly related to the materials that wash off all of our properties, into the storm drains, and into our lakes.  This includes reclaimed water used for irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, grass clippings, motor oil, household chemicals, pool drainage, construction waste runoff, pet waste runoff, leaves and yard debris, and littering in general.  We can significantly improve our pond water quality by doing all we can to keep these out of our lakes. 

Let's say a ping pong ball washed off your property and into a storm drain.  Do you know where it goes?  

Our ponds drain into the Tampa Bay via 4 separate watersheds:

Lake Taranto #3 flows into Lake Cypress #2, to Lake Constance #1, then to 54^th Avenue canal.

Lake Messina #4 flows into Lake Lucerne #5, then to the 47^th Avenue canal.

Lake Egret #6 flows into Lake Placido #7, to Lake Heron #8, then to the 47^th Avenue canal.

Lake Sandpiper #9 flows into Lake Flamingo #10, then to the 47^th Avenue canal.

Since our ponds are connected to the Tampa Bay, the FDEP regulates what chemicals we can use around our waterways.  

Let's help keep it clean...know where it goes!