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Phillippi Creek Dredge

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Phillippi Creek is a 7.2-mile tidal creek and part of the Sarasota Bay Watershed. It plays an important role for adjacent communities, collecting and transporting stormwater to Roberts Bay. Over the past several years, areas of the creek have seen significant sediment buildup. Sarasota County's Stormwater Department is working with the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) to improve stormwater drainage and reduce flooding potential by dredging between the mouth of the creek and South Beneva Road.

There is a planned, multi-phased approach to dredge from the mouth of the creek to South Beneva Road. The county and WCIND have all necessary permits and are coordinating with their respective contractors in preparation for the dredge. A start date has not yet been determined, but work is anticipated to begin fall 2025.

Phillippi Creek Video Updates (Click to Expand)

Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners Meeting: Stormwater Update: Oct. 21, 2025

Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners Meeting: Stormwater Update: Oct. 8, 2025

Board of County Commissioners Stormwater Workshop #4: Sept. 5, 2025

Sarasota Board of County Commissioners Meeting: Stormwater Update June 3, 2025

Stormwater Update: Improving flow in Phillippi Creek

Sarasota County Government Stormwater Workshop May 21, 2025

Sarasota Board of County Commissioners Meeting: Stormwater update May 6, 2025

Sarasota County Government Stormwater Workshop March 12, 2025

Sarasota County Government Stormwater Workshop January 21, 2025

Sarasota County Public Works cleaning up Phillippi Creek in preparation of Hurricane Season.

Upper & Lower Creek Dredging

Summary:

All permits have been received. WCIND will manage this portion of the project to dredge from the mouth of Phillippi Creek to Tuttle Ave., ensuring a 30’ wide x 4’ deep Mean Low Water area along the centerline of the Creek. The WCIND will fund the lower portion of the Creek, from the mouth to approximately ¼ mile east of U.S. 41. Sarasota County will fund the upper portion of the Creek, starting where WCIND ends and continuing north to Tuttle Ave.

Funding:

The WCIND secured funding through County Navigation Improvement Funds (CNIF). The county is actively working to secure funding through a federal grant.

Applications:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Permit No.: SAJ-2024-03986-JLA): Permit issued Oct. 8, 2025.
Department of Environmental Protection: Verification of Exemption received on July 11, 2025.

High-Spot Dredging

Summary:

All permits have been received. The county, independent of the Upper and Lower Creek, will manage this portion of the project to dredge several isolated areas between Tuttle Ave. and South Beneva Road identified as having significant sediment buildup. The dredge is intended to be 50’ wide x 4’ deep Mean Low Water, along the centerline of the Creek.

Funding:

Approximately $16 million of county funds have been allocated.

Applications:

U.S. Army Core of Engineers Permit (Permit No.: SAJ-2025-01036): Permit issued Oct. 8, 2025.
Department of Environmental Protection: Verification of Exemption received Oct. 3, 2025.
Water and Navigation Control Authority (WNCA): Governmental Exemption received Oct. 14, 2025

Dredging Operations

Once dredging contracts have been awarded an estimated operational timeline will be developed.

A minimum 10-foot buffer will be maintained from docks and other structures. As such, in some areas where the Creek narrows, the intended width of the dredge may not be achievable.

Project Area Benefits

Residential area: 44,818 homes within the Phillippi Creek basin
Commercial area: 2,108 properties within the Phillippi Creek basin
All residential and commercial properties located within Phillippi Creek basin will benefit from improved stormwater drainage.

Phillippi Creek Basin

FAQ

What is the importance of Phillippi Creek to Sarasota County Stormwater?

What policy does the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners have to maintain waterways, such as Phillippi Creek?

a. According to county code Article XXX Section 54-951, the Navigable Waterways Maintenance Management Program (NWMMP) will provide services and facilities, including, but not limited to, boat traffic management, derelict vessel management, maintenance dredging for boating navigation, signage and boat traffic management, environmental enhancements, sediment source abatement, and boater safety and education, for certain waterways within the unincorporated County. The Waterways Management Program will provide services and facilities which constitute a higher level of service that is generally not provided by county governments for county purposes.

b. Background information regarding the county code listed above: In a June 2000 survey of 34 local governments in Southwest Florida by Biological Research Associates, seven out of 17 municipalities have dredging or waterways management programs, while only three out of 17 counties provide dredging or waterways management services. Those three counties fund such activities through municipal services taxing or benefit units, or other assessments levied on the waterfront properties. The Board of County Commissioners determined that the Navigable Waterways Maintenance Management Program was to provide municipal services and essential facilities which should be funded principally by the property owners primarily benefitting from such municipal services and essential facilities.

What has been done since 2001 according to Board policy to dredge Phillippi Creek?

a. In 2001, the Board created the Navigable Waterways Maintenance Management Program which is a resident-initiated and petition-driven process for maintenance dredging of navigable waterways. The program is funded by a non-ad valorem assessment of properties located on various navigable waterways including upland cut canals and natural waterbodies. County staff facilitates the feasibility study, design, permitting and construction of the projects and after project completion, benefitting properties are assessed to recover the cost.

b. One Navigable Waterways project (Phillippi Cove on Nassau Street) was completed in 2008.

c. The original America Drive project did not proceed beyond the feasibility study (due to lack of sufficient petition signatures) and was deactivated in 2008. The original Pirate’s Pass and Phillippi Creek Tuttle to Hyde Park projects did not proceed beyond the feasibility study (due to lack of sufficient petition signatures) and were deactivated in 2010. A combined America Drive/Pirate’s Pass/Ships Channel project did not proceed beyond the feasibility study (due to lack of sufficient petition signatures) and was deactivated in 2020.

What is dredging?

How is dredging regulated?

a. Any activity on or over wetlands and other surface waters (dredging) is regulated by the FDEP and five water management districts (Northwest Florida, Suwannee River, St. Johns River, Southwest Florida and South Florida) through the Environmental Resources Permitting program.

b. Dredging also is regulated by the federal government under a separate program administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The process is initiated by submitting a joint (interagency) application to the department or to one of the above water management districts. The appropriate agency is determined by a division of responsibilities specified in Operating Agreements between the agencies. Upon receipt of the application by the department or district, a copy also is forwarded to the USACE to initiate the federal permitting process.

c. Dredging is also regulated by local jurisdictions including the county’s Environmental Protection Division (Planning and Development Services Department) and the Comprehensive Plan which prohibits any new dredging.

Who is the USACE and why do they matter for Phillippi Creek dredging?

a. The USACE, through the Regulatory Program, administers and enforces Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA), Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research, & Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA). Under RHA Section 10, a permit is required for work or structures in, over, or under navigable waters of the United States. Under CWA Section 404, a permit is required for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.

b. Many bodies of water, including wetlands and streams, are considered waters of the United States and are subject to the USACE regulatory authority. Based on the project impacts, the USACE will determine what type of permit is required.

When was the permit application for dredging submitted?

a. Standing Board policy since 2001, the county has operated the Navigable Waterways Maintenance Management Program in accordance with its governing ordinance. At that time, the Board of County Commissioners directed that the program be funded principally by the property owners who directly benefit from the services provided. As a result, the cost of the program is not covered by general tax revenues, but through special assessments levied on those benefiting waterfront properties.

b. On March 12, 2025, the Board authorized the County Administrator to work with West Coast Inland Navigation District on design and permitting for emergency dredging of Phillippi Creek and bring it back to the board for further action.

c. On April 13, staff submitted the permit application to the USACE.

Why was Sarasota County not eligible for the emergency permitting process?

a. The USACE regulations define an emergency as a situation, which would result in an unacceptable hazard to life, a significant loss of property or an immediate, unforeseen, and significant economic hardship if corrective action requiring a permit is not undertaken within a time period less than the normal time needed to process the application under standard procedures.

b. The USACE stated Sarasota County is not eligible for the emergency permitting process due to the size of the project, as well as the location of the dredge areas (not previously permitted). This permit application is routing through the Standard Permit process facilitated by the USACE in an expedited manner.

Will we be able to complete other projects with this permit?

To plan for future dredging in the other waterways, will the county apply for additional permits with the USACE?

What is Sarasota County’s Stormwater maintenance schedule for Phillippi Creek?

a. Maintenance on Phillippi includes annual excavation of sediment sumps near Beneva Road and Fruitville Road, hand-clearing of vegetation along the levee is completed alongside portions of the Creek inaccessible to heavy equipment twice a year, long arm mowing along the creek banks four times a year, excavated, mowed and reshaped by a walking excavator (Menzi) once a year. North of Beneva Road and removal of large debris (i.e. downed trees) on an as needed basis.

What does Sarasota County’s Stormwater group do for maintenance?

a. The Stormwater Operations team and its contractors maintain nearly 300 miles of open drainage in roadside ditches and swales, over 400 miles of closed drainage pipeline and 20,994 structures or inlets, nearly 600 acres of 305 lakes and ponds, moveable weir gates, stormwater pump stations, and canals, waterways and streams. They also mow 194 miles of canal annually and hand-clear 182 miles of canal semi-annually.

What opportunities has the county provided for feedback regarding Stormwater concerns?

What does this mean for the 2025 hurricane season?

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