Environment

Landfill sinkhole appears stable

Monday, January 3rd, 2011, 4:51pm

Lithia, Florida - On Monday officials said a sinkhole that opened up in a landfill has not increased in size. The cracks around the sinkhole span 110 feet, the same as their last reading.

On Tuesday, Hillsborough County will begin sampling four grove irrigation supply wells to get additional data on the water quality around the landfill. So far, no contamination has been detected to the underground water supply.

Photo Gallery: Aerial pictures of the landfill sinkhole

The county will send out another update next Monday, January 10, unless something significant develops with the sinkhole.

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Submitted by Kristin Weber, Web Producer, 10News In Your Neighborhood

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010, 10:19am

Reduce, reuse or recycle your Christmas trees

Tampa, FL -- Make a dent in holiday waste this year by reducing, reusing, or recycling your live Christmas tree after the holiday celebrations are over.

Hillsborough County is offering three Yard Waste Processing Facilities that accept Christmas trees for residental waste customers.

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Submitted by WTSP Web Staff

Thursday, December 16th, 2010, 5:17am

Experts watching sinkhole in Hillsborough landfill

Lithia, Florida -- A sinkhole that opened up under a Bay area landfill has county authorities on edge.

In the nearly 30 year history of Hillsborough County's Southeast County Landfill in Lithia, a sinkhole has never formed.

Photo Gallery: Aerial pictures of the landfill sinkhole

But that is exactly what authorities believe caused the ground to give in on Tuesday afternoon.

Workers discovered the initial depression on Tuesday. At that time, it was only five feet deep. Within 24 hours, it dropped 45 feet.

Now, the sinkhole is 75 feet wide and 50 feet deep and still growing.

Landfill supervisor, Larry Ruiz had been surveying the initial depression when the ground gave way, sinking more than 40 feet of waste into the earth.

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Submitted by WTSP Web Staff

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010, 11:08am

Dover, Florida - He's been up since 11:30 p.m.

But by 5 a.m. Tuesday, Parkesdale Farms co-owner Gary Parke had some good news. It appeared his 170 acres of strawberries had survived a third morning of freezing temperatures.

"We've heard the temperature is as low as 23 degrees," he said. "We've seen it as low as 26."

"But it's not our first rodeo," Parkesdale said.

He's hoping the farm can continue to rebuild after last winter's crippling freeze.

Last January, eastern Hillsborough County saw a record 11 straight days of freezing temperatures.

For the month, 24 total mornings were 32 degrees or colder.

It was particularly devastating for Parkesdale Farms, which makes about 40 percent of its yearly income during January.

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