Project Description
The residents of Gulf Cove have reported that shoaling within the maintained canals has occurred since they were last dredged in 2010. Concerns regarding safe navigation within the canal have been brought to the County’s attention, prompting the initiation of this project. The Gulf Cove Waterway MSBU Committee has requested and approved a budget for survey and design only. Noting construction planning and services will be considered after all data is collected. A bathymetric survey will be conducted on all 35 canals within the waterway system, and data will be collected for the design of a -4' MLW depth. The data will be reviewed and presented to the MSBU with a recommendation on whether to proceed with an interior dredge project.
Project Location
Gulf Cove Waterway System, Port Charlotte Fl, 35 Interior Canals.Project Impacts
No negative impacts are expected as a result of this design project. This MSBU can expect to gain improved depth for safer navigation from the dredging.
Latest Updates
The Gulf Cove interior dredge design project has been in a holding pattern since hurricane Ian. Post storm surveys were conducted to find what changes had accrued to the shoaling within the canal system. In addition, the consulting firm that performed the survey was to determine if significant changes had accrued which would prompt application to FEMA for aid. Unfortunately, there was not enough historical data to produce credible shoaling rates, therefore not providing enough evidence to support such claims.
Prior Updates: Coastal Engineering Consultants updated draft design deliverables for county staff review. Staff is looked at data collected in the access channels out in the Myakka River to determine if there are other dredging needs. The MSBU Waterway Advisory Board will be updated at the next quarterly meeting.
Update as of March 14, 2025: Public works staff are planning to combine this project with the Pirate Harbor dredging project with the goal of reducing costs by achieving economies of scale. AIM Engineering and Surveying was contracted to perform a 2024 Pre-Storm Survey of the exterior channels. However, the data collection on some of the channels was performed prior to Hurricane Helene, some in between Helene and Milton, and some after Milton. Therefore, County staff obtained a quote from AIM to resurvey the areas done prior to Helene and Milton so that we have a survey that is all post-Milton - that quote is working its way through the County's administrative approval process. County staff is also considering the need to perform a new survey of the interior waterways since the latest survey was performed in October of 2020, and also due to concerns of new shoaling due to the several, recent hurricanes.
Budget
| Phase | Cost |
|---|---|
| Design | $42,500.00 |
| Engineering | $139,190.00 |
| Construction | $1,600,000.00 |
| Total Budget | $1,781,690.00 |
Schedule
| Phase | Estimated Start Date | Forecast Completion | Actual Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Development | 09/21/2020 | 09/29/2023 |
Supporting Materials
Project Phase
Design Development
Last Updated
03/14/2025
Project Manager
DeWayne Nodine
Public Relations
Chad Ray
Email Public Relations
Project Number
c391203
Sponsor Department
Public Works
Design Engineer/Architect
Coastal Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Construction Contractor
TBD