Florida Construction News staff writer
Sarasota County will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at Woodmere Park in Venice to launch construction on the Alligator Creek Stream Restoration Project, a major project to improve water quality, restore habitat and strengthen coastal resiliency in southern Sarasota County.
Funding includes a $14.5 million construction grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through its Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience funding competition. The remaining project costs are funded locally through the Penny Sales Tax and Stormwater Maintenance Assessments.
“We’re turning years of planning and collaboration into action,” said Sarasota County Stormwater Director Ben Quartermaine. “This project is an important investment in cleaner water, a healthier watershed and greater coastal resiliency.”
Located in southern Sarasota County, Alligator Creek is a tidal waterway within the Lemon Bay watershed. The project will reduce excess nitrogen, nutrient and sediment pollution while restoring more natural water flow through the creek.
Construction will use a natural channel design to transform the existing canal into a more natural, winding stream that better supports the surrounding ecosystem. The work will stabilize eroding banks, reduce sediment and add native vegetation, with the project expected to be complete by fall 2028.
For more information about the Alligator Creek Stream Restoration Project, visit the Sarasota County project webpage.
