Tampa’s newest park doubles as flood protection

Tampa’s newest park is part nature park, part stormwater infra to relieve flooding in South Tampa.

MacDill 48 Park features a one-mile walking and biking trail around a 10-acre, 25-million-gallon stormwater pond.

“The stormwater pond in the middle of the park will allow the City to maximize flood relief within the southeast portion of the Lower Peninsula Watershed, which includes most of the area south of El Prado Boulevard,” a press release says. “The project also includes more than 12,000 linear feet of box culverts, pipes, and drainage inlets. Green infrastructure has been added to reduce the discharge of nutrients, oils, sediments, and floating debris into Hillsborough Bay. This is an ideal of the type of stormwater infrastructure that could provide significant benefits in flood-prone parts of the City.”

The park recently was honored with an Excellence in Engineering and Public Works award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Public Works Association, and the American Council of Engineering Companies.

The $51.4 million park project was funded with a $25 million Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant,  $12.5 million from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and $13.9 million from city government.

Access to the park’s trail, covered picnic tables, pond-side benches and a 14-foot wide boardwalk over a natural wetland is currently through three entrances, with two more to be added. No cars are allowed in the park. Pedestrians and bicyclists will have access from sunrise to sunset. Wildlife such as native fish, gopher tortoises and large birds including bald eagles are present in the 48-acre park off Martindale Avenue.