Edward Medard Conservation Park includes a lake that is popular with boaters, who if piloting anything other than a canoe or kayak, will need to find another ramp to launch from as the Southwest Florida Water Management District has lowered the reservoir’s water level for an indeterminate length of time. (Photo courtesy of the Hillsborough County website.)

They’ve pulled the plug on the reservoir at Edward Medard Conservation Park, and that means the boat ramp will be closed, according to a news release from Hillsborough County.

The boat ramp at Edward Medard Conservation Park was indefinitely closed beginning June 9 because the water level of the 700-acre Medard Reservoir was reduced by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) a few feet to test how well the drainage system installed in 2022 is working. Hillsborough County operates the park and boat ramp, but SWFWMD is the keeper of the reservoir’s spigot and controls all hydrological matters pertaining to the lake.

An inquiry to SWFWMD about the draining yielded an email response from officials, stating, “The District does not have a set timeline on when the reservoir will be allowed to refill to the normal operating level. The reservoir may be lowered for an extended period of time.”

While the testing means the boat ramp is closed for larger, powered vessels, kayaks and canoes should still be able to navigate the lake. Other nearby public boat ramps operated by Hillsborough County include Alafia River Boat Ramp at 4020 Alafia Blvd. in Brandon, Riverview Civic Center Boat Ramp at 11020 Park Dr. in Riverview, Williams Park Boat Ramp at 9425 U.S. 41 in Riverview and E.G. Simmons Conservation Park Boat Ramp at 2401 19th Ave. NW in Ruskin.

For boaters who prefer navigating freshwater lakes and want to find a space large enough to unleash the power and fury of their chrome and fiberglass nautical beast, the largest lake in Hillsborough County, Lake Thonotosassa, is accessible via the Baker Creek Boat Ramp at 12095 Thonotosassa Rd.

The campgrounds at Edward Medard Conservation Park are also temporarily closed for construction, and an announcement will be made regarding reopening upon that project’s completion.

There is still plenty to do at Edward Medard Park even with the boat ramp and campground closures, with hiking, bird watching, horse riding, bike riding, disc golfing and barbecuing being among the allowed activities there.

Situated on land that was once a phosphate mine and previously called Pleasant Grove Reservoir, Edward Medard Conservation Park is located at 6140 Turkey Creek Rd. in Plant City, about 10 miles east of Brandon, and is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

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Brad Stager
Brad Stager
http://www.bradstager.com/
Avian-named publications have figured prominently in Brad Stager's career. Besides writing for the Osprey Observer, he started out writing sports articles for the Seahawk, a weekly newspaper serving the military community aboard Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. That position followed a career documenting life in the Fleet, from the Straits of Magellan to the North Arabian Sea, as a Navy Photographer's Mate. Since settling in the Tampa Bay area, Brad has produced a variety of written, visual and aural content for clients ranging from corporate broadcasters to small businesses.