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Coastal residents press Dixie County to press Army Corps on McGriff Pass dredging; board pledges continued coordination
Summary
Multiple residents told the commission that Suwannee/McGriff Pass and Horseshoe Beach channels remain dangerously shoaled after storms; they urged the county to press the Army Corps and state offices for dredging and temporary fixes. County and state staff outlined funding and permitting constraints but pledged further outreach and a public contact list.
Multiple residents and boaters appealed to the Dixie County Board of County Commissioners for faster action on shoaled channels at Suwannee/McGriff Pass and Horseshoe Beach, describing groundings, damaged propellers and lost business since storms reduced navigable depths.
Speakers at the podium described boats “hung up” in the channel, local economic loss during holiday weekends and safety incidents, and asked the county to use its contacts with the Army Corps of Engineers and state offices to obtain dredging or temporary permitting to allow emergency or temporary work. One speaker referenced the Water Resources Development Act as an enabling federal authorization and urged concerted calls to relevant Corps officials when the assistant civil works position changes.
County staff acknowledged the long-standing nature of the problem, explained that some funding is available through federal programs but that engineering, permitting and project sequencing (including beach renourishment and DOT road projects) affect when work can start. Staff and board members discussed producing a public master list of projects and providing contact numbers so citizens can press state and federal offices; several commissioners said they would help coordinate direct contacts with Corps officials and federal representatives. Temporary, locally organized fixes to reopen ramps were also discussed as stop-gap measures, with an emphasis on safety and permitting limits.
The board did not authorize unilateral dredging; rather, it committed to follow-up coordination with the Army Corps, state partners and local stakeholders and to provide citizens a list of contact points to escalate requests.
