Tampa Bay from a NASA satellite

Tampa Bay is a large, natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay.^[1]

"Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality. This misconception probably stems from the naming of several professional sports franchises (including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays, and FC Tampa Bay) whose names represent the collective Tampa Bay Area, the hub of which is the city of Tampa, Florida.^[2]

Geography[link]

Tampa Bay watershed from USGS

Origin[link]

Approximately 6,000 years ago, Tampa Bay formed as a brackish drowned river valley type^[3] estuary with a wide mouth connecting it to the Gulf of Mexico. Prior to that time, it was a large fresh water lake, possibly fed by the Floridan Aquifer through natural springs.^[4] Though the exact process of the lake-to-bay transformation is not completely understood, the leading theory is that rising seas levels following the last ice age coupled with the formation of a massive sink hole near the current mouth of the bay created a connection between the lake and the gulf.^[5]

Ecology[link]

Tampa Bay is Florida's largest open-water estuary, extending over 400 square miles (1,000 km²) and forming coastlines of Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties. The freshwater sources of the bay are distributed among over a hundred small tributaries, rather than a single river.^[6] The Hillsborough River is the largest such freshwater source, with the Alafia, Manatee, and Little Manatee rivers the next largest sources. Because of these many flows into the bay, its large watershed covers portions of five Florida counties^[7] and approximately 2,200 square miles (5,700 km²). The bay bottom is silty and sandy, with an average water depth of only about 12 feet (3.7 m).^[8]

Tampa Bay's shallow waters, sea grass beds, mud flats, and surrounding mangrove-dominated wetlands provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. More than 200 species of fish are found in the waters of the bay, along with bottlenose dolphins and manatees, plus many types of marine invertebrates including oysters, scallops, clams, shrimp and crab. More than two dozen species of birds, including brown pelicans, several types of heron and egret, Roseate spoonbills, cormorants, and laughing gulls make their year-round home along its shores and small islands, with several other migratory species joining them in the winter. The cooler months are also when warm-water outfalls from power plants bordering the bay draw one out of every six West Indian manatees, an endangered species, to the area.^[9]

Tampa Bay has been designated an "Estuary of National Significance" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Two National Wildlife Refuges are located in Tampa Bay: Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge and the refuge on Egmont Key. Most of the islands (including several man-made islands built from dredge spoil^[8][10]) and sandbars are off-limits to the public, due to their fragile ecology and their use as nesting sites by many species of birds. The Tampa Bay Estuary Program keeps watch over the Bay's health.^[8]

Human habitation[link]

Earliest known detailed map of Tampa Bay, by Don Francisco Maria Celi of the Spanish Royal Fleet, 1757. Map is oriented with east at the top. Pinellas peninsula is at bottom, Tampa peninsula in middle, Hillsborough River shown extending into the interior at top left

Humans have lived in the area for millennia, possibly as long as 12,000 to 14,000 years. The first local people to fully adapt to a sea-side lifestyle were those of the Manasota culture, a variant of the Weeden Island culture, who lived on the shores of Tampa Bay beginning around 5,000 - 6,000 years ago^[11]. They were in turn replaced by the Safety Harbor culture approximately 800 AD.

The Safety Harbor culture was dominant in the area at the time of first contact with Europeans. The Tocobaga, who built their principal town near today's Safety Harbor in the northwest corner of Old Tampa Bay, are the best known group from that era, but there were many coastal villages organized into various small chiefdoms all around the bay.^[12]

Spanish maps dated as early as 1584 identifies Tampa Bay as Baya de Spirito Santo ("Bay of the Holy Spirit").^[13] A map dated 1695 identifies the area as Bahia Tampa.^[14] Later maps dated 1794^[15] and 1800^[16] show the bay divided with three different names, Tampa Bay, Hillsboro Bay and the overall name of Bay of Spiritu(o) Santo.

The United States acquired Florida from Spain in 1819. The name Spirito Santo seems to have disappeared from maps of the region in favor of "Tampa Bay" (sometimes divided into Tampa and Hillsboro Bays) soon after the US established Fort Brooke at the mouth of the Hillsborough River in 1824.^[17]

For the next 100 years, many new communities were founded around the bay. Fort Brooke begat Tampa on the northeast shores, Fort Harrison begat Clearwater on the west, the trading post of "Braden's Town" developed into Bradenton on the south, and St. Petersburg grew quickly after its founding in the late 19th century. By 2000, the region surrounding Tampa Bay had more than 2.5 million residents.

Environmental decline and recovery[link]

Tampa Bay was once teeming with fish and wildlife. People of the Safety Harbor culture lived almost entirely from mullet, shellfish, sea turtles, manatees, crabs, and other bounties harvested form the sea. After Tampa had been incorporated for several decades, visitors still reported schools of mullet swimming in such numbers that they "impeded the passage of boats."^[18]

The growth of the surrounding communities slowly caused deterioration of the natural environment. Heavy fishing, dredging to deepen shipping channels, and the clearing of mangroves for shoreline development were important factors.^[19] Most damaging was the discharge of waste water and other pollutants into the bay, which destroyed water quality and grasses.^[20] By the 1970s, sea grass coverage (which is vital to marine life) had decreased by more than 80%, the water was so murky that sunlight could not reach the shallow bottom, and bay beaches were regularly closed due to unsafe levels of pollutants.^[20]

Beginning in the early 1980s after federal and state legislation to improve water quality, authorities installed improved water treatment plants and tightened regulation of industrial discharge. Gradually the bay was being cleaned.^[21] By 2010, measures of sea grass coverage, water clarity, and biodiversity had improved to levels last seen in the 1950s.^[22]

The Port of Tampa

Transportation[link]

In Tampa's early days, the easiest way to get to Fort Brooke was by boat. But by the late 19th century, the deeper drafts of newer vessels meant that much of naturally shallow Tampa Bay was not navigable by commercial shipping. When Henry B. Plant's railroad reached the area in 1885, he continued the line past Tampa and across the Interbay Peninsula, where he built the town of Port Tampa on Old Tampa Bay. He wanted to create a new port for his fleet of steamships.

To alleviate the problem of the shallow bay, the US Army Corps of Engineers began dredging operations in the early 20th century. The Corp currently maintains more than 80 miles of deep-water channels in Tampa Bay; these must be continuously re-dredged and deepened due to the sandy nature of the bay bottom. Dredging has enabled seaborne commerce to become an important part of the Tampa Bay area's economy but sharply threatened the bay and region's ecology. From its small beginnings, the Port of Tampa has grown into the largest port in Florida and the 10th largest in the nation. It accommodates half of Florida's cargo in the form of bulk, break bulk, roll-on/roll-off, refrigerated and container cargo. It is the site of a ship repair and building industry, along with recently expanded cruise facilities.

The Port of Manatee, with more refrigerated dockside space than any other Gulf of Mexico port, is the closest of the three Tampa Bay deepwater ports to the Panama Canal. It is also one of the state's busiest, ranking fifth among Florida's fourteen seaports in total annual cargo tonnage. The Port of St. Petersburg is home to a U.S. Coast Guard station. The smallest of Florida's ports, it operates as a landlord port managed by the city of St. Petersburg.

The Sunshine Skyway from its southern approach, St. Petersburg in the distance

Bridges that cross Tampa Bay[link]

• Sunshine Skyway Bridge: spans the mouth of Tampa Bay from Bradenton on the south to St. Petersburg on the north. Part of I-275
• Gandy Bridge: spans Old Tampa Bay from Tampa on the east to St. Petersburg on the west. First bridge to link Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
• Howard Frankland Bridge: spans middle of Old Tampa Bay from Tampa on the east to St. Pete on the west. Part of I-275
• Courtney Campbell Causeway: spans northern Old Tampa Bay from Tampa on the east to Clearwater on the west.
• Bayside Bridge: runs roughly parallel to the western shore of Old Tampa Bay from Largo on the south to Clearwater on the north

See also[link]

• Climate of the Tampa Bay Area
• Battle of Tampa, an American Civil War naval battle in Tampa Bay.
• St. Petersburg Pier, a tourist attraction that juts into the bay from downtown Saint Petersburg, Florida
• Bayshore Boulevard, street near Downtown Tampa that runs along the bay, world's longest sidewalk

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tampa Bay Water Atlas
• Hillsborough Bay (USACE)
• Tampa Bay Watershed - Florida DEP

v t e Tampa Bay Area Topics Tampa Bay · Climate · History · Media · Sports · Tampa International Airport · Hillsborough County Schools · Pinellas County Schools · University of South Florida Central cities Tampa · St. Petersburg · Clearwater Smaller communities Pinellas Park · Temple Terrace · Brandon · Zeyphrhills · Plant City · Largo · Dunedin · Tarpon Springs · Lutz · Greater Sun Center Counties in MSA Hernando · Hillsborough · Pasco · Pinellas See also:  Florida

Coordinates: 27°45′45″N 82°32′45″W / 27.7625°N 82.54583°W / 27.7625; -82.54583

Dashon Goldson

Goldson at 49ers training camp in August 2010
No. 38     San Francisco 49ers
Safety
Personal information
Date of birth: (1984-09-18) September 18, 1984 (age 27)
Place of birth: Carson, California
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Weight: 205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College: Washington
NFL Draft: 2007 / Round: 4 / Pick: 126
Debuted in 2007 for the San Francisco 49ers
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (2007-present)
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowl (2011)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2011
Tackles 271 Sacks 3.0 Interceptions 11 Stats at NFL.com

Dashon Hugh Goldson^[1] (born September 18, 1984) is an American football safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Dashon started playing football with the Tri-City Falcons which is a Pop Warner team in Harbor City, California. He played college football for the Washington Huskies.

High school[link]

Goldson played high school football at Narbonne High School in Harbor City where as a senior he totaled 130 tackles and six interceptions, with two returned for touchdowns.

College career[link]

Goldson played college football for the Washington Huskies where he played 43 games and recorded a total of 293 tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack. He graduated in June 2006 with a degree in American Ethnic Studies.

Professional career[link]

San Francisco 49ers[link]

(* represents 2007 NFL Combine)

Goldson was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round (126th overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he played in ten games, recording 15 tackles as a backup to then-starting safety Mark Roman. In his second year with the 49ers, Goldson recorded 21 tackles as a backup.

2009 NFL season[link]

In 2009, the 49ers front office announced that Goldson would be the starter for free safety going into next season, while giving current starter Mark Roman permission to seek a trade.

Dashon Goldson made his NFL debut as a starter against the divisional rival Arizona Cardinals on September 13, where the 49ers were victorious on the season opener, winning 20-16 against the reigning NFC conference champions. In week 2, Goldson recorded his first career interception by diving under a pass that was tipped by Nate Burleson. The 2009 season would prove to be a productive season, where Goldson led all San Francisco defenders in interceptions with 4, and he also forced 3 fumbles. Goldson finished his first year as a NFL starter with 94 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 pass defenses and 4 interceptions.

2011 NFL season[link]

Prior to the 2011 season Goldson was an unrestricted free agent and visited with the New England Patriots. He ultimately decided to sign a 1 year contract and re-sign with the 49ers. He was named to his first career Pro Bowl, coming in second in the NFC in voting behind Earl Thomas. He had a career-high 6 interceptions and 9 pass deflections during the regular season and is now known to be one of the hardest hitting safeties in the NFL. In the playoffs, he intercepted a Drew Brees pass and returned it near the goal line which resulted in an Alex Smith touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree to give the 49ers a 1st-quarter 14-0 lead.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dashon Goldson

• San Francisco 49ers bio

Mark Barron (born October 27, 1989) is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Alabama, was twice recognized as an All-American, and was a member of two BCS National Championship teams. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 7th overall pick.^[1]

Early years[link]

Barron was born in Mobile, Alabama. He attended St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile, where he played for the Episcopal Saints high school football team. He played multiple positions, including running back, wide receiver, and linebacker from 2004 through 2007. As a junior, Barron had 785 yards rushing as a junior on 78 carries and added 368 receiving yards on 23 catches, scoring a total of 12 touchdowns. As a senior, Barron was the MVP of the 2007 Class 5A state championship game after rushing for 1,094 yards on 122 carries with 15 touchdowns in his senior season. He was also named first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State selection in Class 5A as a senior.

He was ranked as a five-star prospect and the number one weakside linebacker in the 2008 class by scout.com. He was also ranked as the 5th best player in the state of Alabama and the 55th best player in the nation in the class of 2008 by rivals.com.^[2] Barron chose to play at Alabama over offers from Auburn, LSU, Florida, Florida State and Tennessee among others. In addition to playing football, he also competed in track and field, where he won multiple 5A individual state titles in events ranging from the shot put to the long jump during the 2008 season.

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	40‡	Commit date
Mark Barron S	Mobile, Alabama	St. Paul's Episcopal School	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	4.50	Aug 24, 07
	Scout:   Rivals:   ESPN grade: 80
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 12 (WLB)   Rivals: 55 (WLB)  ESPN: NR
‡ Refers to 40 yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout and Rivals may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time. In these cases, an average of the two was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Alabama Signee List 2008". Rivals.com. http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/commitments/2008/alabama-73. Retrieved 1/29/12.  "Scout.com Football Recruiting: Alabama". Scout.com. http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=8&yr=2008. Retrieved 1/29/12.  "2008 Player Signees- Alabama". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/college-football/recruiting/school/_/id/333/class/2008. Retrieved 1/29/12.  "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=14&yr=2008. Retrieved 1/29/12.  "2008 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. http://www.rivals.com/TeamRank.asp?type=0&sort=0&year=2008. Retrieved 1/29/12.

College career[link]

Barron accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Alabama, where he played for coach Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 2008 to 2011. As a true freshman for the 2008 Crimson Tide, he made his first appearance on kick-off coverage against Clemson. He had his first career tackle early in the game on a crushing blow of Jacoby Ford on a kickoff return.^[3] Barron played in all of Alabama's 14 games, recording 18 tackles and a sack.

During his sophomore season in 2009, Barron took over as a starter at safety and was second on Alabama's national championship team with 74 tackles and an Southeastern Conference-leading seven interceptions and a touchdown. He also had a career high two interceptions against Mississippi State.^[4][5] Barron finished the regular season tied for third in the nation with 7 interceptions and tied for sixth in the nation with 17 passes defended.^[6] He was recognized as a first-team All-SEC selection and third-team All-American at safety.^[7]

Barron was the Crimson Tide's only returning starter in the defensive secondary for the 2010 season. He finished the season with 77 tackles and three interceptions, and was named an FWAA All-American.^[8] In 2011, he was again a first-team All-SEC selection and was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American.

College statistics[link]

Professional career[link]

Mark Barron was drafted with the 7th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL Draft.^[13] He is the highest selected Alabama defensive back in school history, surpassing Antonio Langham, who was chosen ninth overall in 1994.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio
• Alabama Crimson Tide bio