Dredging Starts For Lake Seminole Restoration

A county contractor has started a dredge operation that will remove about 900,000 cubic yards of organic sediment from Lake Seminole in Pinellas County, Florida, as part of the Lake Seminole Restoration Project.

Lake Seminole is the county’s second largest freshwater lake, a critical part of the watershed and a major amenity for recreation and nature enjoyment. Accumulated sediment has contributed to persistent water quality problems and habitat degradation. The three-year dredging operation will remove about 54 tons of phosphorus and 311 tons of nitrogen, reducing nitrogen loads by 56 percent in Long Bayou and Boca Ciega Bay.

The Lake Seminole Restoration Project is part of the Lake Seminole Watershed Management Plan, which set forth best practices for improving water quality in the lake. One of the contributions was the addition of four “Alum” stations that reduce nutrient inputs into the lake by capturing urban stormwater before it enters the lake and treating it with aluminum sulphate.

Clearwater-based Gator Dredging is using a hydraulic dredge to remove the muck from the bottom of the lake. It’s transported to a Dredge Material Management Area (DMMA) located on county owned land between Lake Seminole Park and the Cross Bayou Little League Fields. Eventually, the DMMA will form a berm that can be used for park land or ball fields.

The $19 million project is scheduled for completion in early 2023. It’s funded by Penny for Pinellas, Southwest Water Management District, a legislative appropriation and the RESTORE act.