–Tom Ries[/su_pullquote]
A new project spearheaded by the not-for-profit Ecosphere Restoration Institute is bringing the spring back to life so that fish and manatees can take advantage of the critical freshwater flow and low-salinity habitat. Connecting people to the restored ecosystem also is an important part of the plan. The city is extending the Riverwalk north to make Ulele accessible to downtown workers and walkers, plus renowned restaurateur Richard Gonzmart of the Columbia Restaurant Group is opening a new restaurant overlooking the restored springs.
With water so clear that the concrete pond supports one of the few stands of native tape grass in the state, the spring flows at about 25,000 gallons per day and a constant 75 degrees year-round, making it a perfect place for manatees that already hang out nearby. “The first time I was here, I leaned over the river to see where the water was flowing, and there was a manatee sniffing at the fresh water coming from the underground pipe,” says Tom Ries, founder of Ecosphere (see related story). “I knew we had to do something.”
Ulele Springs Photo Gallery — Photos by Victoria Parsons
[easymedia-gallery med=”163″ size=”100,100″]“Something” turned out to be a $650,000 project that will redirect the freshwater flow through a series of ponds protected from the river by a mangrove-covered breaker but open to manatees and juvenile fish that depend upon low-salinity habitat. Two bridges over the ponds and a series of flagstone patios will make viewing the wildlife in the ponds easy for visitors, and the restaurant’s open-air patio will overlook the restored ecosystem.
The restoration also will transform 500 feet of seawall into a “living shoreline” to improve wildlife habitat along the urbanized stretch of river, complimenting the recently completed shoreline Ries designed catty-corner across the river at Stewart Middle School (see Bay Soundings Winter 2011). On the west side of the ponds, the city is updating its Water Works Park with a festival lawn and staging area as well as pavilions and gazebos for relaxing.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore urban springs to their original function, Ries notes, and multiple organizations stepped up to help fund the project. Along with $5,000 from Ecosphere – and hundreds of hours of coordinating and design services by Ries – the restoration is funded through:
- $500,000 from Southwest Florida Water Management District for construction of the ponds and “living shoreline”
- A $10,000 Tampa Bay Estuary Program mini-grant that will cover native plantings, including volunteers to get them in the ground, and post-construction monitoring
- $50,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for design and permitting services
- $50,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for breakwater construction and design services
- $50,000 from the City of Tampa for construction services
- $800 from the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County for post-restoration water quality sampling.
“It’s been one of those projects where everyone can see the benefits,” Ries said. “We won some very competitive grants because it will transform a hidden spring into a wildlife refuge that’s accessible to people who might never see one if it wasn’t in the middle of an urban area.”
[su_divider]