Watershed Management

Water Shed

Congratulations to
J.C. Pritchett III, winner of the high school watershed photo contest! The photo is featured in both the public education campaign poster and video.

What is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that drains to an open body of water and in Pinellas County every square foot of land drains somewhere. For example, rainwater runs from your lawn and driveway, down the street along the gutter to a stormdrain, then runs through underground pipes to a neighborhood pond or stream. It drains to Allen’s Creek, Brooker Creek, Lake Tarpon, Lake Seminole, Cross Bayou and other areas of water. Eventually it washes into the open waters of Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. As stormwater drains to water bodies, it carries everything we leave on the land: fertilizers, dog waste, trash, motor oil and other substances. By changing the way we live, work and play, we make a difference.

Learn more:

No matter where the pollution begins, it all ends up in the same place. What we do makes a difference.

Watershed Management protects and improves the environmental and aesthetic quality of the County surface waters such as creeks, streams, lakes, bays, and coastal waters.

Permits and Applications:

Dock / Dredge and Fill Permits & Applications
Fertilizer Information - residents, applicators and landscapers
Mangrove Trimming and Regulations

File or Report:

File a Water Quality Complaint - for bays, lakes, ponds, creeks.
Report Pollution - If you see someone polluting, email us at watershed@pinellascounty.org.

Topics of Interest:

It’s the law!

Pinellas County Code prohibits dumping of any hazardous waste including chemicals, oil, sewage and yard waste, into the separate stormwater system or to any water bodies in the county. Fines of up to $10,000 per violation, plus cleanup costs can be levied.