with monitoring expenses). The program entails monthly sampling at 54 
bay and 12 tidal tributary stations, with in situ measurements and water 
samples taken near the surface, middle, and bottom of the water column. 
Twenty-eight parameters are measured. Results are reported every two 
years in graphic and text form. More than 388,000 data are available for 
trend analysis of parameter-specific and "general" water quality of the 
bay, and another two-year report for 1986-87 is in press. 
Comparison to Other Systems 
In their Tampa BASIS review of nutrients, Fanning and Bell (1985) 
stated, "Compared to other estuaries and coastal waters, Tampa Bay is 
considerably enriched in phosphate. In fact, no other major estuarine 
or coastal area we know of even comes close to having as high a phosphate 
concentration". The Alafia River has been the primary source of 
phosphate because it [and neighboring rivers] drain the lands east of the 
bay which are underlain by a phosphate-rich "Bone Valley" Formation. 
Industrial discharges elevated phosphate levels in the river and bay for 
decades but these levels are declining as water conservation and 
discharge limits are enforced. The same geology and industrial 
processing have caused relatively high levels of radionuclides in the 
upper bay (Fanning, Breland and Byrne 1982). 
GENERAL WATER QUALITY 
Standards and Beneficial Uses 
Waters of Tampa and Sarasota Bays are classified by the State of 
Florida as Class II or III, which provide for shellfish propagation or 
harvesting and maintenance of fish and wildlife, respectively. Both 
categories recognize body contact with bay water as a safe use (Table 1). 
Actual taking of shellfish is limited to smaller parts of Class II waters 
because of contamination from runoff, and sewage treatment plants. 
Despite such contamination, most of the two bays are also classified as 
"Outstanding Florida Waters", which is supposed to prevent degradation of 
existing water quality by applying more stringent conditions on state 
discharge and dredge-fill permits. Except for Sarasota Bay, all 
outstanding waters are also state aquatic preserves. The preserves are 
managed to perpetuate their ecological, recreational, or scenic 
qualities. 
Bav-wide Assessments 
The State of Florida made a recent assessment of Tampa Bay’s water 
quality (Palmer and McClelland 1988) and concluded that "overall water 
quality in Tampa Bay is improving. Furthermore, the long-term averages 
indicate that the water quality throughout the bay is fairly good. 
However, water quality standards violations do occur in all of the major 
bay segments with Hillsborough Bay and Old Tampa Bay generally exhibiting 
the worst problems." Another, earlier assessment by the State of water 
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