Posted on April 29, 2026
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — A long-awaited dredging project at John’s Pass is starting to wind down, but some local businesses say the work may not go far enough to prevent the problem from returning.
After more than two months of work, crews have removed thousands of cubic yards of sand from the channel — a buildup that had created dangerous currents and contributed to dozens of water rescues.
Still, some who pushed for the project say they’re both grateful and concerned.
“It is a little frustrating,” said Captain Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina, who has been closely involved in efforts to address the issue.
Years ago, Hubbard and other stakeholders helped fund a $40,000 study to determine how to best fix the problem.
“So, we all pulled our money together for the study. It was a 149-page report that told us exactly how to design this dredge project to dig to a -21 [feet]. It’s to create a sediment trap, a nice deep hole, just west of the bridge, and unfortunately, seemingly, that report in that study was ignored because this project behind me is only to a -12 and there’s no sediment trap hole being dug,” Hubbard said.
That study suggested deeper dredging and an offshore trench would help keep sand from quickly returning — potentially lasting 15 to 20 years. But with a shallower dredge and no sediment trap, Hubbard worries the timeline could be much shorter.
“Now, we don’t know how fast it’s going to come back because this isn’t quite what was originally designed. So we need to start working right away,” he said.
The $1.5 million project is focused on removing sand along the north jetty and beneath the bridge, where a “false beach” had formed over time. That area became a magnet for swimmers, despite strong currents and heavy boat traffic.
“Often, we were watching children starting to swim inside this main navigable channel with extremely dangerous tides and current flows. So, I think we’ve eliminated that attractive nuisance,” Hubbard said.
Last year alone, there were 36 water rescues at John’s Pass — the highest in the region.
The dredged sand is being transported a few miles away to the Tom Stuart Causeway, where it’s being used as fill to elevate land that could eventually become a public park.
Contractors say reusing the sand in this way is saving the city of Madeira Beach roughly $1.5 million.
Nearby residents say the difference is already noticeable.
“Well, all the sand that was in front of the boardwalk over there is gone now, basically. That was all beach. Right where the fishing boats are — that’s gone. Sand is all gone,” said neighbor Debbie Corrado.
Others say the dangerous conditions were easy to see before the dredging.
“Oh, it’s strong. We used to watch the kids jump off of there, and it’s like they’re there one minute there, and whoosh — it’s strong. Strong current,” Corrado added.
Now, some neighbors say the area is starting to look more like it once did.
“It looks pretty good what they’re doing now. You know? Bring it back the way it was, you know?” Carmen Corrado said.
Hubbard does agree the project has already improved safety — not just for people, but for wildlife as well.
“The dolphins, the manatees. Instead of forcing them off this north seawall and forcing them into boat interactions in the middle of the channel, they will be able to more closely hug this seawall and stay a little safer as well. So, it’s safer for the humans, it’s safer for our marine mammals,” he said.
Even so, he believes more work will be needed.
“I think we’re gonna have to go back to the drawing board and make sure this sand behind me doesn’t come back in a really exponential way,” Hubbard said.
Hubbard says he is already working with city and state leaders on a potential follow-up dredging project, though that process could take several years due to permitting, design and funding.
In the meantime, he says the current work likely buys valuable time — even if it may not be the long-term solution many had hoped for.
