The Anclote River Federal Channel was established by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 1899. Maintenance dredging of the channel occurred in 1948, 1973, and 1999. The City is seeking another maintenance dredge of the Channel to provide for safe passage of commercial vessels including sponge, shrimp, fishing, and charter boats, as well as keeping the river navigable for the commercial marine industries, including more than 50 boat builders, marinas, boat repair and services, and more located along the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs. The City of Tarpon Springs is working closely with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to complete the maintenance dredge of the Anclote River Federal Channel. As a Federal Channel, the USACE has responsibility for operation and maintenance of this channel, including periodic dredging. The river was last dredged 20 years ago, and significant shoaling (sediment build-up) has accumulated over the years since then.
The Anclote River Federal Channel has a significant economic impact to the Tampa Bay Region. An economic impact analysis shows that the marine commerce and tourism industries contribute $252 million annually to the economy, and the value of all commercial fish landed in Tarpon Springs represents 56% of the total value of commercial fish landed in Pinellas County.
The City is working with the United States Federal Government, The State of Florida, and Pinellas County to fund the work within the Federal Channel boundaries. During the course of the design work, survey work was completed to assess the channel depths to determine the target locations for the dredge activities. Some of the survey work that was conducted outside the boundaries of the Federal channel indicated severe shoaling in an area known as the Extended Turning Basin (XTB). The XTB is at the eastern edge of the Federal Channel and is used extensively for turning large boats back to sea.
The City requested inclusion of this area in the USACE’s project, but the USACE is unable to include it since it falls outside of the Federal jurisdictional boundary. As such, the City is seeking to complete this additional project on its own.
Extended Turn Basin Dredging Permitting and Funding
Notice to Mariners – W912EP21C0011 – Updated March 6, 2023
Please note: The channel will be closed by the US Coast Guard on Thursday, March 9, 2023 from 12 pm to 5 pm. Estimated closure duration is 5 hours.
The US Army Corps of Engineers Anclote Dredge contractor (Diamond Services) is planning to commence construction of the temporary pipeline for transport of dredged materials from the Anclote River to the spoils dewatering site (aka Dredged Materials Management Area or DMMA) located directly north of the Reverse Osmosis Water Facility.
- This will be a 12-inch HDPE (black plastic) pipeline.
- The contractor has County and City ROW use permits.
- The pipeline is a temporary installation and will be removed (and the ROW will be restored) by the contractor after the completion of the dredge project.
- No full road closures are expected during the pipeline construction work, but there will be temporary single lane closures in some locations during construction.
- Estimated schedule is as follows:
- Mobilization for pipeline installation – week of December 12, expected to take 4-5 weeks (including holiday break)
- Dredge operations begin mid or late January 2023
- Dredge operations complete by late March 2023
- Pipeline removal and restoration by April or May 2023
- Due to the temporary nature of the pipeline usage, the County has allowed the pipeline to be installed either in shallow trenches or, in some cases, unburied and at-grade where it’s safe to do so. Installations in the City ROW may be similar.
- There will be an open cut shallow installation at the L&R Industrial and Anclote Road intersection where the pipeline will cross from east to west (see maps below/attached). The contractor is aware of existing utilities in this location.
- The pipeline crossing the river as shown below will be submerged and secured to the river bottom.
- Along L&R Industrial Blvd, the pipeline will be installed on the west side of the road to avoid impacts to FS71 and the ROWF operations.
- Jevon Miller, City Projects Inspector, will be coordinating with the contractor and will be adding this project to his regular field visit rotation. Please coordinate with him during construction if needed. His mobile number is 727-916-2370
- Map and Utilization Permit for Temporary Installation of Pipeline