City of Sarasota looks at ways to prevent flooding during storms

SARASOTA, Fla. — It may not be the prettiest sight to see during your visit to Lido Beach, but the city’s renourishment project is meant for coastal protection.

The Lido Key Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction project is one of the largest contemplated by the state. It will ultimately remove 710,000 cubic yards of sand from Big Pass and renourish about 1.56 miles of Lido Beach with it.

Some businesses endured flooding during Tropical Storm Eta. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been because of the added sand. But the goal is for properties not to go through that again after the next phase of Lido’s Beach Renourishment project is complete.

Even after having to stop work because of Eta, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it is still on target to finish the project on time. The crew should be off the beach by the end of the month or first week of December.

The Army Corps says it will begin the groin construction phase after that. “Groins” are man-made structures that are designed to hold sand in place and minimize beach erosion.