Posted on February 25, 2019
DESTIN, Fla. – A popular waterway that fishermen in the Panhandle heavily rely on, is continuing to fill with sand. Okaloosa County officials having been working on solutions.
The East Pass, located at the mouth of the Destin harbor is still in a state of emergency. For the last three months, Commissioners have fought to get a dredging project moving but, have hit several road blocks.
“Well, a couple of wild cards that we hope to work through pretty quick,” said Kelly Windes, Okaloosa County Commissioner.
One is funding. The continuing funds agreement must be approved by the Army CORPS of Engineers in Mobile.
A project of this magnitude costs around $3.5 million.
“As I understand it, our Congressman Gary’s is pushing forward with that, so that should get that through,” shared Windes.
Following a dispute between the county and a few Okaloosa Island residents, the next hurdle, deals with—-who gets the sand that is dredged out of the East Pass.
That was resolved by Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“Half the cubic yards of sand can go west and then, east. In that order,” explained Windes.
There is one more thing the commissioners will be obligated to.
“We will have to agree that, if we come up short with what’s needed, as far as the inlet management plan is concerned,” Windes explained.” “We will have to, within three years, come up with that material from somewhere.”
Okaloosa County officials say they are hopefully they will have a dredging project in place by mid March.
Source: mypanhandle.com
