Madeira Beach city commissioners approved a $1.5 million contract Wednesday to dredge sand from John’s Pass, addressing a problem that has worsened since 2020.

Bayside Dredging will remove up to 12,900 cubic yards of sand from the waterway, which has become increasingly clogged with natural sand deposits. The buildup has narrowed the channel and created dangerous swimming conditions, making the area the top location for water rescues in Pinellas County.

A 2021 study by Dr. Ping Wang from the University of South Florida’s Coastal Research Laboratory found the sand deposit resulted primarily from natural currents transporting sand into the inlet, with minor contributions from county beach renourishment projects and the John’s Pass bridge.

Former Mayor John Hendricks first warned about the issue in 2020. Since then, one swimmer has drowned in 2022, and the faster-moving current continues to pose risks.

The project received state funding in 2022 through a grant from State Rep. Linda Chaney, but permitting delays and what current Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks described in August as mismanagement by the previous city manager stalled progress for over three years.

The city reduced costs by planning to use the dredged sand as fill material for recently purchased waterfront property rather than paying disposal fees, which would have cost nearly $1 million.

Public Works Director Megan Wepfer said the department hopes to start the project in January, pending permit approvals from the Army Corps of Engineers and Pinellas County and the completion of a nearby county beach renourishment project.

According to Dr. Wang’s research, Madeira Beach should expect to dredge John’s Pass every 10 to 15 years.

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