SARASOTA COUNTY— The Sarasota County Stormwater Division of Public Works has updated the Watershed Master Plan and is sharing it with the community.

A public presentation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 1, via Zoom. Residents are encouraged to watch, so they can learn about the study’s findings. Residents can register to attend the Zoom meeting by visiting the Public Works website https://bit.ly/3RxnpJm

This countywide study serves as a tool for making decisions to reduce flooding across the county caused by climate change, new development and redevelopment. 

The plan includes mitigation recommendations, structural control of runoff, non-structural programs, protection of natural areas and other regulatory controls.   

Attendees will learn about how a watershed responds to rainfall under various conditions and what types of measures can be implemented to control and mitigate flooding now and in the future.

The Watershed Master Plan includes the following major tasks:

• Evaluate future conditions storms as well as existing conditions storms.
• Assess the impact of sea level rise and climate change.
• Identify wetlands and natural channels.
• Provide a dedicated funding source for plan implementation.

Successful completion and adoption of the Watershed Master Plan is a prerequisite for improving Sarasota County’s Community Rating System (CRS) classification.

Additionally, it is part of the county’s strategic plan and helps provide additional discounts on federal flood insurance premiums through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). 

To learn more about Watersheds, visit the Sarasota County Public Works Watershed website https://bit.ly/3GqGTNr.