County board OKs project to prepare for Blind Pass dredging
On April 7, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a Supplemental Task Authorization (STA) to an existing contract with Coastal Engineering Consultants to provide professional services preparing for a dredging project for Blind Pass.
The county reported that Blind Pass, which typically divides Sanibel and Captiva, has filled in recent weeks with accumulating sand.
Coastal systems are naturally dynamic, and the area of Blind Pass has been even more so now as projects on the two islands’ beaches recently have been completed to repair erosion caused by multiple storms since 2022.
Lee County policy is to have an open pass to achieve ecosystem benefits associated with tidal exchange between the Pine Island Sound and Gulf. Without maintenance dredging, there is a significant chance the inlet would remain closed for the near future.
The services to be provided under the $290,580 authorization include permit application, processing, design, bid services, construction services, construction surveys, construction observations, environmental surveys and physical surveys for completion of the project. Funding is available in the current year’s budget.
The county is preparing to dredge when the conditions are right to minimize how quickly it might fill back in. Because of the recent beach projects, it is prudent to allow the coastal systems some time to reach equilibrium before engaging in further activity. Completing this work now is expected to allow for dredging to begin in 2027.
The exact timing will depend on:
– Engineering data
– Shorebird and sea turtle nesting
– Changes in beach erosion
– Any future weather impacts
– Contractor availability
All the dredged beach-compatible sand will be used to nourish the critically eroded shoreline of northwestern Sanibel between Blind Pass and Bowman’s Beach Park.
Lee County Community Engagement has created a short video about Blind Pass that includes aerial images, maps and explanatory information from Department of Natural Resources Operations Manager Steve Boutelle. To view it, visit the county’s YouTube channel or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RBCpEciMrc&feature=youtu.be.