Hillsborough River Recovering

The Hillsborough River flows by downtown Tampa

The Hillsborough is a tale of two rivers.

Upstream, it's Florida primeval - oaks and cypress entwined over a twisting ribbon of water stained brown by decaying leaves. Downstream, it's an urban scene of houses and docks leading to the towers of downtown Tampa. What separates the two is the 30th Street dam.

In the past, a mere trickle of water came over the city of Tampa's dam during the dry months. But a landmark agreement penned last year mandated a minimum flow of water had to come over the dam at all times. The effect is already being felt.