Sarasota Countys new stormwater director reported progress Oct. 8 on a multi-pronged effort to address tidal- creek sedimentation and localized flooding, including permitting steps on a Phillippi Creek hydraulic dredge and a county-wide sediment management and abatement program.

Ben Quartermaine, who took the stormwater leadership role six weeks earlier, told commissioners his team has secured state Department of Environmental Protection permits for the Phillippi Creek hydraulic dredge and is awaiting a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit (staff said the Corps review had been slowed by a federal funding shutdown). County staff said they expect a contractor to begin dredging work within four to six weeks once permits are in hand.

Staff also said they are running an internal sediment-management review: county GIS, survey, environmental and engineering teams will evaluate tidal creeks countywide to identify similar sedimentation hotspots and recommend local abatement or management work. Quartermaine said the county has prioritized projects intended to remove water from evacuation routes and homes first.

The county is pursuing additional grant opportunities, including SRQ resilient grants and requests for legislative appropriations to fund further dredging upstream to Bee Ridge or Beneva Road. Quartermaine said staff have identified other potential large-capacity projects (for example, potential acquisition of lands such as Forest Lakes Golf Course and improvements in the celery fields) that could yield regional flood-reduction benefits and would be pursued as legacy projects.

Why it matters: Phillippi Creek and similar tidal creeks affect drainage, neighborhood flooding, and access to evacuation routes. A hydraulic dredge is part of a larger mitigation plan that includes sediment management and future capital projects.

Ending: Quartermaine said the county is publishing a work-order map and seeking resident feedback. Commissioners praised staff engagement and outreach and asked him to continue returning with data and project prioritization recommendations as permitting and funding develop.