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All About
The Euclid Canal in our Alta Vista Neighborhood - Brief Overview of Sarasota area drainage and watersheds
- Stormwater Environmental Utility (SEU) Sarasota County - About Euclid Canal - Other local flooding issues --References: Readings for deeper detail - Call for Dredging of Hudson Bayou |
flood zones,
per Sarasota County flood maps
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- Brief Overview of Sarasota area drainage and watersheds
In the west part of Sarasota County including the City of Sarasota, Phillippi Creek and Cowpen Slough are two major drainage systems (our "rivers"), along with the coastal bayous: Hudson Bayou, Whittaker Bayou, and little Hog Creek. All the little canals and ditches drain into one of these, eventually to the Bay. Originally most were dug out, ditched or enlarged for agricultural use; urban residential development, with its impervious surfaces and different requirements and issues, has grown around them over the past 100 years.
- Stormwater Environmental Utility (SEU)
In the late 1990s the City signed an Interlocal Agreement with the County for the County SEU to maintain all stormwater facilities within the City. Currently (Spring 2025) there are discussions to terminate this arrangement and have the City maintain in-city stormwater facilities. This is in early planning stages, with "when" and "how to transfer" as yet undecided. This will be a major change. The County recently added 40% more area in the county for which they will start maintaining the stormwater drainages, due to extensive, mainly- residential development in previously-unmaintained areas. The County funds their SEU through non-ad-valorem property tax assessments, which will need to change for the City takeover of this responsibility. The city will also need to purchase and fund its own equipment (the amazing Menzi-Muck machine?) and staff. Another issue to be decided is what happens with all the "stormwater" properties in the City that currently are owned by the County.
- About Euclid Canal
"Our" Euclid canal (a.k.a. "the Ditch") drains the east section of Gardens of Ringling Park, Paver Park and Alta Vista neighborhoods. It divides the Alta Vista neighborhood between "east of ditch" and "west of ditch" and breaks the street grid into dead-ends, except for Wood Street, the only east-west "thru street." The canal runs southerly from Ringling Boulevard, turning west by the Euclid/Courtland St/Hatton intersection; there once was a road bridge there, now there is the footbridge. Between Shade & School Aves along Hatton St there is a slit weir, constructed about 20 years ago, to regulate stormwater flow. Running west under School Ave through Sarasota High School grounds, the canal is then "undergrounded" for a very short bit, then turns southerly again to the dam -- presumably the line between fresh and salt water -- where it also joins up with the ditch from Arlington Park and flows west through mangrove wilds, under Tamiami Trail, to feed the upper portion of Hudson Bayou...and thence out to Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of ???!!!. [Ed. note: i don't wanna get deported]
The Euclid canal is scheduled for regular routine maintenance twice a year (for the past 10-15 years), each February and September/October. Major storm-related clearing is done on demand when needed. As with most of the little canals, Euclid Canal is not mechanically dredged.
WASHOUT! In 2024's, 3 major storms and flooding, the interlocking-blocks bank stabilization below the Hatton St weir was severely eroded. Resident Mrs. M. met with SEU supervisor on this repair, projected to take approx. 2 weeks, dates yet to be scheduled. The existing block-supported, failed bank structure will be enhanced and built up with riprap stone. Upstream of the weir -- sometime after the completion of the current SHS major construction project by Gilbane, when they vacate their temporary canal-side Hatton St site -- SEU workers will use the {amazing!) Menzi Muck ditch-crawler machine to clear excess silt/mud from the canal bottom back up onto the banks and then re-seed the banks. Most work will be done from Hatton St side of canal, but as access is needed from back of Browning St homes, the county will reach out to the residents with Right of Entry forms before they enter.
In other associated repair work, the mangled fence on the north side (canal side) of Hatton St across from Alta Vista Elementary will be repaired, not replaced, and the filter box drain structure in the retention swale also will be repaired.
(And thanks to Mrs. M., one of the most knowledgeable local residents on these issues, for much of this information, and for getting action on related problems when necessary, on an ongoing basis!)
- Other local flooding issues
Regular longtime flooding issues nearby, in the west half of Paver Park (west of Shade, north of Legacy Trail), aren't directly related to the Euclid Canal. The Pelican Drive area is a very low neighborhood that was built without drainage infrastructure. The drainage pattern runs west thru what is now Payne Park Village (and now channelized around PPV and alongside the Legacy Trail) towards that ditch in what is now Payne Park, which runs towards Sarasota Ford (at the end of East Av), and from there underground beneath Tamiami Trail to the The Ravine (still there), and thence into Hudson Bayou, and again, thence into the Bay.
- References: Interesting Readings for deeper detail
- Local radio station WSLR's program "Our Changing Environment" 9/3/24 show: Sarasota Flooding: Jono Miller and Julie Morris discussion with Steve Suau, a very knowledgeable engineering professional with decades of experience working for County on stormwater projects. A really good overview of general flooding and local stormwater management.
- Sarasota Water Atlas. About Euclid Canal. An essential research tool on local waterways, in general as well as in-depth. Explore this! sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu
- Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) About Euclid Canal. Lots of info about Sarasota Bay and the waters that drain into it. sarasotabay.org
- Suncoast Searchtlight 3/7/25 newsletter has a really good comprehensive article about Phillippi Creek regarding issues of flooding, maintenance and dredging.
- Sarasota County flood maps
- Hudson Bayou Basin Master Plan 1994 (in Sarasota Water Atlas)
- Call for Dredging of Hudson Bayou
In March 2025 AVNA shared an initiative spearheaded by the Laurel Park neighborhood association laurelparksarasota.org for dredging of Hudson Bayou, as follows:
"The county is considering dredging all of Hudson Bayou. Here are the details and how YOU can help.
Hudson Bayou’s 2700 acre watershed provides storm drainage for a substantial portion of the City of Sarasota. As such, it serves a critical function in minimizing flooding of our neighborhoods. But years of storm runoff have deposited large quantities of silt, pollutants, and debris into the Bayou. Recent hurricanes only made matters worse. Dredging has not occurred since 1996. If nothing is done, in the not too distant future, the bayou is at risk of silting over and becoming unusable for drainage, navigation and wildlife.
Sarasota County will soon be receiving $75 million of FEMA/HUD funds which it has targeted to dredge key County waterways for flood resilience. But there will be much competition to use these funds among interest groups so we need to make our voices heard.
Submit comments to the County in support of dredging of Hudson Bayou BEFORE APRIL 3 when the comment period closes. Your message need not be long but should, in your own words:
Ask that the county dredge the entirety of Hudson Bayou, including the two north channels that feed into it
Stress the importance of proper storm drainage for the entire City
Discuss how shallow Hudson Bayou has become
Describe any flooding and damage that you or your neighbors have experienced"
(Plus, while you are at the Laurel Park website, here's a somewhat-related initiative from 2022 regarding the Oak Street Canal (which apparently did not come to pass); did you know there was once a canal into Laurel Park neighborhood?
In the west part of Sarasota County including the City of Sarasota, Phillippi Creek and Cowpen Slough are two major drainage systems (our "rivers"), along with the coastal bayous: Hudson Bayou, Whittaker Bayou, and little Hog Creek. All the little canals and ditches drain into one of these, eventually to the Bay. Originally most were dug out, ditched or enlarged for agricultural use; urban residential development, with its impervious surfaces and different requirements and issues, has grown around them over the past 100 years.
- Stormwater Environmental Utility (SEU)
In the late 1990s the City signed an Interlocal Agreement with the County for the County SEU to maintain all stormwater facilities within the City. Currently (Spring 2025) there are discussions to terminate this arrangement and have the City maintain in-city stormwater facilities. This is in early planning stages, with "when" and "how to transfer" as yet undecided. This will be a major change. The County recently added 40% more area in the county for which they will start maintaining the stormwater drainages, due to extensive, mainly- residential development in previously-unmaintained areas. The County funds their SEU through non-ad-valorem property tax assessments, which will need to change for the City takeover of this responsibility. The city will also need to purchase and fund its own equipment (the amazing Menzi-Muck machine?) and staff. Another issue to be decided is what happens with all the "stormwater" properties in the City that currently are owned by the County.
- About Euclid Canal
"Our" Euclid canal (a.k.a. "the Ditch") drains the east section of Gardens of Ringling Park, Paver Park and Alta Vista neighborhoods. It divides the Alta Vista neighborhood between "east of ditch" and "west of ditch" and breaks the street grid into dead-ends, except for Wood Street, the only east-west "thru street." The canal runs southerly from Ringling Boulevard, turning west by the Euclid/Courtland St/Hatton intersection; there once was a road bridge there, now there is the footbridge. Between Shade & School Aves along Hatton St there is a slit weir, constructed about 20 years ago, to regulate stormwater flow. Running west under School Ave through Sarasota High School grounds, the canal is then "undergrounded" for a very short bit, then turns southerly again to the dam -- presumably the line between fresh and salt water -- where it also joins up with the ditch from Arlington Park and flows west through mangrove wilds, under Tamiami Trail, to feed the upper portion of Hudson Bayou...and thence out to Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of ???!!!. [Ed. note: i don't wanna get deported]
The Euclid canal is scheduled for regular routine maintenance twice a year (for the past 10-15 years), each February and September/October. Major storm-related clearing is done on demand when needed. As with most of the little canals, Euclid Canal is not mechanically dredged.
WASHOUT! In 2024's, 3 major storms and flooding, the interlocking-blocks bank stabilization below the Hatton St weir was severely eroded. Resident Mrs. M. met with SEU supervisor on this repair, projected to take approx. 2 weeks, dates yet to be scheduled. The existing block-supported, failed bank structure will be enhanced and built up with riprap stone. Upstream of the weir -- sometime after the completion of the current SHS major construction project by Gilbane, when they vacate their temporary canal-side Hatton St site -- SEU workers will use the {amazing!) Menzi Muck ditch-crawler machine to clear excess silt/mud from the canal bottom back up onto the banks and then re-seed the banks. Most work will be done from Hatton St side of canal, but as access is needed from back of Browning St homes, the county will reach out to the residents with Right of Entry forms before they enter.
In other associated repair work, the mangled fence on the north side (canal side) of Hatton St across from Alta Vista Elementary will be repaired, not replaced, and the filter box drain structure in the retention swale also will be repaired.
(And thanks to Mrs. M., one of the most knowledgeable local residents on these issues, for much of this information, and for getting action on related problems when necessary, on an ongoing basis!)
- Other local flooding issues
Regular longtime flooding issues nearby, in the west half of Paver Park (west of Shade, north of Legacy Trail), aren't directly related to the Euclid Canal. The Pelican Drive area is a very low neighborhood that was built without drainage infrastructure. The drainage pattern runs west thru what is now Payne Park Village (and now channelized around PPV and alongside the Legacy Trail) towards that ditch in what is now Payne Park, which runs towards Sarasota Ford (at the end of East Av), and from there underground beneath Tamiami Trail to the The Ravine (still there), and thence into Hudson Bayou, and again, thence into the Bay.
- References: Interesting Readings for deeper detail
- Local radio station WSLR's program "Our Changing Environment" 9/3/24 show: Sarasota Flooding: Jono Miller and Julie Morris discussion with Steve Suau, a very knowledgeable engineering professional with decades of experience working for County on stormwater projects. A really good overview of general flooding and local stormwater management.
- Sarasota Water Atlas. About Euclid Canal. An essential research tool on local waterways, in general as well as in-depth. Explore this! sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu
- Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) About Euclid Canal. Lots of info about Sarasota Bay and the waters that drain into it. sarasotabay.org
- Suncoast Searchtlight 3/7/25 newsletter has a really good comprehensive article about Phillippi Creek regarding issues of flooding, maintenance and dredging.
- Sarasota County flood maps
- Hudson Bayou Basin Master Plan 1994 (in Sarasota Water Atlas)
- Call for Dredging of Hudson Bayou
In March 2025 AVNA shared an initiative spearheaded by the Laurel Park neighborhood association laurelparksarasota.org for dredging of Hudson Bayou, as follows:
"The county is considering dredging all of Hudson Bayou. Here are the details and how YOU can help.
Hudson Bayou’s 2700 acre watershed provides storm drainage for a substantial portion of the City of Sarasota. As such, it serves a critical function in minimizing flooding of our neighborhoods. But years of storm runoff have deposited large quantities of silt, pollutants, and debris into the Bayou. Recent hurricanes only made matters worse. Dredging has not occurred since 1996. If nothing is done, in the not too distant future, the bayou is at risk of silting over and becoming unusable for drainage, navigation and wildlife.
Sarasota County will soon be receiving $75 million of FEMA/HUD funds which it has targeted to dredge key County waterways for flood resilience. But there will be much competition to use these funds among interest groups so we need to make our voices heard.
Submit comments to the County in support of dredging of Hudson Bayou BEFORE APRIL 3 when the comment period closes. Your message need not be long but should, in your own words:
Ask that the county dredge the entirety of Hudson Bayou, including the two north channels that feed into it
Stress the importance of proper storm drainage for the entire City
Discuss how shallow Hudson Bayou has become
Describe any flooding and damage that you or your neighbors have experienced"
(Plus, while you are at the Laurel Park website, here's a somewhat-related initiative from 2022 regarding the Oak Street Canal (which apparently did not come to pass); did you know there was once a canal into Laurel Park neighborhood?
