It pumped well water to supply the City of Tampa until March 6, 1923, when the people voted to purchase the Waterworks plant.

In the early 1900s the Hillsborough River watershed is heavily logged for its valuable cypress, pine and oak.6) (1916) Bertha Potter Palmer (of Chicago and Sarasota) completes purchases of 19,000 acres (77 km2) bordering the Hillsborough River in present-day Temple Terrace, Temple Crest, Terrace Park and the University of South Florida area.

She calls her property the Riverhills Ranch, a hunting preserve where she builds a lodge and guest houses among other structures.

When local students reach sixth grade in Hillsborough County, they take a visit to the river for one to three days to learn about the ecosystem, watershed, and native Florida animals at a place called 'Natures Classroom'.

The Hillsborough River dam (originally built in 1895 and since rebuilt) at Rowlett Park allows for the supply water for the City of Tampa.

The river above the dam to roughly the 56th Street bridge passes through the neighborhood of Temple Crest.

Nevertheless, it is still a part of the larger Hillsborough River which begins in the Green Swamp and flows to Tampa Bay.

Downstream of the 56th Street bridge in Temple Terrace, is the middle Hillsborough River, often referred to as the reservoir.

The middle Hillsborough River is a wonderfully diverse ecosystem within the larger urban area surrounding it.

Orange Lake, in the Temple Crest neighborhood, is an Audubon Society bird nesting and sanctuary, is also a living wetlands.

Upstream along the banks of the Temple Terrace Park is a scene from old Florida, cypress trees dotting the watery landscape.

Without intervention, establishing minimum healthy water levels and flows, the middle Hillsborough River will continue to deteriorate.