Project History
East Pass, located on Shell Island in Bay County, originally formed in 1851 after the Great Middle Florida Hurricane. Following the completion of the existing St. Andrew Bay Entrance Channel (SABE) in 1934, East Pass was not maintained and subsequently closed naturally in 1998. Since its closure, there have been reports of a decline in water quality and biological resources in the lagoon that was created between Tyndall Air Force Base and Shell Island. Under a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Experimental Project permit, the historic East Pass was reopened in November 2001. The experimental dredging project resulted in improved water quality and clarity within St. Andrew Bay, but the reopened East Pass naturally closed again by 2003 and has remained closed since.
Bay County is investigating the feasibility of reopening the historic East Pass with support from Restore Act funds. To date, the county has completed a Draft Feasibility Study that evaluated several potential configurations and locations of the reopened pass. Based on study results, the “new pass” is proposed along the eastern half of Shell Island on Tyndall AFB property where the opening to the Gulf of Mexico will have the greatest environmental and recreational benefit. The increased exchange and flushing of Gulf and Bay waters is anticipated to improve water clarity and encourage seagrass growth at the east end of the bay. Once complete, there will be more than six miles of safe navigation within the bay, providing an alternative for boat operators who would otherwise navigate through open Gulf waters to access the bay through the existing SABE. With input from a Technical Advisory Committee and based on preliminary studies and analysis incorporated within the Draft Feasibility Study, the preferred alternative includes the creation and maintenance of a non-armored, 650-fee-wide channel dredged to -10 ft NAVD88 and located approximately 5.5 miles to the east of the SABE.
Objectives for the reopening of East Pass include:
- Design a hydraulically stable channel that will remain open with periodic maintenance dredging and without use of hardened shoreline stabilization.
- Determine optimal placement of the dredged material in the form of either a dune, beach and dune or other locations consistent with FDEP criteria.
- Improve flushing within St. Andrew Bay to improve water quality without impacting existing seagrass habitats.
- Avoid significant adverse impacts to endangered species and their designated habitat.
- Provide a Public Benefit(s).
- Not adversely impact the existing St. Andrew Bay Entrance Channel.
- Qualify for the necessary regulatory permits from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Public Meetings and Studies
Bay County has initiated the permitting process and held a pre-application meeting on Jan. 24, 2023 with state and federal regulatory agencies and resource manager who provided feedback and guidance to assist in the design of the project. The county is also coordinating with Tyndall AFB throughout the feasibility and permitting process to obtain their input on the project design and, ultimately, for their permission for construction of the project. There have been several meetings with stakeholders, Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members, and state and federal agencies to gain input on the proposed project. Below are links to meetings and presentations held to date:
Public Survey
Bay County solicited public feedback through an online survey between January 2024 and July 2024 regarding the proposed project. We received over a thousand (1,000) survey submissions and we appreciate everyone’s input on the proposed project.
Contact Us
If you have a specific question regarding the project, please feel free to send us a message. Typical response times are between 24 and 48 hours during business hours.