Army Corps to work with St. Pete to address canal-based flooding in Riviera Bay and other neighborhoods

The Metropolis of St. Petersburg is one step closer to advancing tasks geared toward reducing canal-connected flooding and restoring local waterways, with Riviera Bay expected to be a essential focal level.

In line with the Riviera Bay Civic Affiliation, the neighborhood’s drainage canals possess stuffed with sand and sediment over time, reducing their skill to elevate and switch water and contributing to recurring flooding.

Earlier this month, town introduced that its seek info from for authorization from the U.S. Navy Corps of Engineers for flood resilience, ecosystem restoration, and canal dredging used to be unanimously accredited by the Condominium Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The approval is included within the 2026 reauthorization of the Water Resources Style Act (WRDA), the federal legislation that authorizes water infrastructure, flood agree with watch over, and ecosystem restoration tasks nationwide.

The St. Petersburg mission peaceable depends on final passage of the bill, which is expected to be regarded as by Congress later this year.

Working with U.S. Win. Kathy Castor, St. Petersburg used to be regarded as one of simplest three Florida municipalities to earn a identical authorization within the legislation—and potentially the most efficient city to possess a mission explicitly approved.

The legislation authorizes a mission centered on flood risk management, coastal storm risk reduction, and ecosystem restoration in St. Petersburg, including work on town’s canal arrangement.

A look will be conducted to uncover which canals must be dredged as share of town’s ongoing efforts to within the reduction of flooding.

“The seek info from for motion approval manner the Metropolis will possess extra resources to establish which canals must be dredged and enlarge overall flood mitigation for our residents,” Mayor Ken Welch mentioned in an announcement.

“Here’s no longer simplest a rep for Riviera Bay, nevertheless for our complete community. I thank our residents for keeping us responsible,” he added.

St. Petersburg’s low-lying neighborhoods alongside creeks, ponds, and the shoreline possess skilled one of town’s most extreme flooding in most modern years, seriously for the length of the assist-to-aid hurricanes of 2024.

In December 2025, town accredited a mission to appear canal dredging in Riviera Bay, regarded as one of diverse neighborhoods that has skilled recurring flood points. The need for added flood mitigation has was extra and extra pressing as tidal flooding turns into extra frequent.

In 2005, tides exceeded two toes above sea level on correct three days. By 2024, that number had risen to 21 days.

In line with the Florida Flood Hub, St. Petersburg may presumably perchance also journey tidal flooding on approximately 70 days per year by 2033. The organization also estimates that about 45% of town sits at an elevation low sufficient to fall within FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Condominium.

The canal look is thought of as one of diverse flood resilience initiatives right now underway. Earlier this year, town secured a $2 million disclose appropriation to assist fund a fresh stormwater pump put of dwelling and drainage improvements in Shore Acres, any other neighborhood that has skilled power flooding.

Metropolis leaders are also advancing the St. Pete Agile Resilience (SPAR) program, a proposed $600 million bond initiative that will presumably perchance streak up flood protection tasks, stormwater upgrades, and utility arrangement hardening throughout town earlier than the next essential storm.