SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Sarasota County was chosen to receive a $14.5 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the Alligator Creek Stream Restoration Project, the county announced Monday.
The funding is part of the NOAA's funding for Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Projects.
The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners will now work to consider the grant allocation over the next months. With this funding, the grant allows the county, project partners and stakeholders to mitigate the "past negative impacts of the urbanized Alligator Creek and restore vital ecological habitats."
"The Alligator Creek Stream Restoration project is an outstanding opportunity for Sarasota County to demonstrate that stream restoration via natural channel design is feasible in Florida," Sarasota County Public Works Stormwater Environmental Utility Manager Amanda Boone said in a news release. "The restoration extends beyond the stream, restoring wetlands and upland habitats. Fisheries are an important part of Florida’s economy, and our restoration effort is intended to bolster habitat for important fish species."
Alligator Creek is an 11-square-mile tidal creek that serves as an urbanized drainage basin. It flows into Lemon Bay and the county says it's responsible for more than 20 percent of the water drainage.
The Alligator Creek Restoration Project will reconstruct about 42 square acres of corridor and stabilize banks to improve water quality and fisheries habitat.
"It will also prevent further erosion, reduce nutrient and sediment pollution, restore a more natural hydrology, and reconnect to adjacent wetlands," the county said.
"This grant is a major success for realizing the county’s mission toward improving area water quality and creating flood resiliency," Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson said in a statement. "We’re so grateful for the continued support from county administration and the board of county commissioners."