Its purpose is to redirect flood waters from large amounts of rainfall from the Hillsborough River to Tampa Bay to prevent floodwaters reaching homes and businesses.
When there is a large amount of rainfall and flooding is expected, this structure redirects the rising waters along the Hillsborough River into the constructed canal and down to McKay Bay.
The Tampa Bypass Canal works together with the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which is land owned by the District.
This land provides an area for the storage and detention of overflow water from the Hillsborough River and the Tampa Bypass Canal.
Habitats include river swamps with cypress trees and hardwoods, cabbage palms and oak hammocks, and some areas of pine lands and palmetto prairies.