Phillippi Creek dredging underway to help bring flooding relief to residents
Phillippi Creek dredging project underway
Dredging is underway along Sarasota County's Phillippi Creek with the hope of preventing flooding from future hurricanes or heavy rain events. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
SARASOTA, Fla. - Dredging is underway along Sarasota County's Phillippi Creek with the hope of preventing flooding from future hurricanes or heavy rain events.
Residents have voiced their concerns for the past year, saying the creek was in need of major maintenance. Now, the first phase of the project is well underway.
What we know:
Each scoop brings up sediment that's long impacted Phillippi Creek, and its nearby neighbors.
"We want to make sure Phillippi Creek is flowing to its capacity and that's what we are doing," said Ben Quartermaine, the Sarasota County storm water director.
The first phase of a multistep project to dredge nearly seven miles of Phillippi Creek is ongoing. Crews are working from Tuttle Avenue to Beneva Road.
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Quartermaine said the first phase should take about six months.
"What we are doing is a 50-foot wide by four-foot-deep trench from Tuttle to Beneva through these high spot areas," he said.
Why you should care:
Crews are working to remove eight high spot areas. These are islands that have formed over time, where they should not be.
"A lot of the material we are removing is actually above groundwater level or portions of these high spot areas. We’ll effectively be removing these islands of material from a large portion of the creek," said Quartermaine.
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The work brings some hope to residents like Seth Johnson.
"It's great to see them start and some progress being made. This is something we have been working hard on as a group for a little over a year now," said Johnson.
What they're saying:
Johnson and others from the South Gate community raised their voices after homes flooded not once, but multiple times during the 2024 hurricane season.
"All of this was underwater, and the hope is we know that large floods, large rain events will still happen, but we want to make sure the creek is as clear as possible," he said.
While the project brings a bit of relief, Johnson said until all areas of concern are cleared, he and others will be waiting.
"Commissioners have been showing their support for that. The staff have been showing their support. We just need to see it done. We need to see those permits come through," he said.
What's next:
Quartermaine said Sarasota County is also looking into ways to stop the sediment from coming back into Phillippi Creek. He said phase two of the Phillippi Creek Dredging is in the design process now, and it should go before county commissioners for approval in April.
For more information visit: Phillippi Creek Dredge | Sarasota County, FL
The Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon through Sarasota County and residents along Phillippi Creek.