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Gulf County agrees to sign letter of intent for Corps of Engineers PAS study of flow into St. Joe Bay
Summary
Baysavers presented verified flow‑meter data showing an average diversion of about 2 billion gallons per day into St. Joe and East Bay and asked Gulf County to sign a letter of intent to begin a Corps of Engineers PAS (Section 22) study; the board approved the letter of intent and staff said the county would not be immediately obligated for the local cost share until a subsequent agreement.
The Gulf County Board of County Commissioners voted to sign a letter of intent asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin a PAS (Section 22) planning‑assistance study into freshwater and sediment diversion from the Apalachicola River into St. Joe Bay and East Bay.
Keith Neal, president of BaySavers Florida, told the board that flow meters installed at the Gulf County Canal‑GIWW intersection show an average daily diversion of about 2,000,000,000 gallons from the Apalachicola River into St. Joe Bay and East Bay (approximately 1.4 billion gallons into St. Joe Bay and 600 million into East Bay). Neal said those measurements were verified by the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Neal explained the PAS study is estimated to cost $300,000, shared 50/50 between the Corps and a nonfederal sponsor (Gulf County). He said BaySavers and other partners are pursuing state appropriations, city and neighboring‑county contributions, and private fundraising; BaySavers indicated willingness to cover the county's portion if necessary. Neal framed the letter of intent as the necessary procedural step to begin the Corps' process; the letter itself carries no immediate county obligation for the local cost share, and any funding agreement would be the subject of a later vote.
Commissioners asked about the study's scope (flow, nutrients, sedimentation) and how quickly federal funding could be available; staff and the Corps' contact said timelines could vary from weeks to a year, though a two‑to‑three‑month window was a practical estimate based on submitted schedules. Commissioners voted to approve the letter of intent to initiate the Corps' process.
Next steps: county staff will return any required agreements for board approval if and when the Corps requests the county's local cost share and will coordinate with BaySavers, the city and neighboring counties on potential contributions.
