Local-Sarasota County, Midnight Pass Re-Opening?

Midnight Pass used to separate Siesta Key from Casey Key along Sarasota’s suncoast. Until two homeowners on the southernmost tip of Siesta Key filled in Midnight Pass with 2 bulldozers. These two landowners acquired a permit to close one section of Midnight Pass and provide a new pass further to the South. Several attempts to relocate and keep the pass open were made in 1984, however they were met with failure.

Unless hardened (ie Venice inlet or jetties) wild navigable passes migrate or change their relative geographic position along the shoreline. Efforts to reopen the Midnight Pass were made in 1991 and again in 2008, both were met with permit denial. Reasons behind the 2008 denial were the amount of nutrients being run-off into Little Sarasota Bay from upland contaminates.

Dr. Dave Tomasko, Executive Director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program has stated that re-opening Midnight Pass will increase water quality, especially within Little Sarasota Bay. “So, what would that mean from a water quality and habitat standpoint? The short answer is it’s complicated. SBEP is not in favor of one solution over another. However, we are here to help share what we know so that all alternatives to restore hydrology can be explored and a decision can be made using the best available science.” (SBEP April 18, 2023)

Tomasko believes there are 4 possible alternatives to the controversial conundrum of Midnight Pass:

• Do nothing. Keep the Bay waters separate from the Gulf.

  • Pros - Cost $0

  • Cons - Large citizenry organizations and the general public who are knowledgeable of the history want to restore natural flows, maintain poor water quality and increased salinity.

• Restore historic hydrologic flows by dredging a new channel - a wild pass.

  • Pros - Water quality, marine habitats, increase of parcel values within proximity, thus increased County property tax revenues.

  • Cons - Pass will migrate and potential erosion of private lands.

• Create a hardend pass with the installation of jetties. (ie Venice inlet).

  • Pros - Water quality, marine habitats, Real Estate market value enhancement, increased County property tax revenues.

  • Cons - Cost could approach $100 Million. Mitigation for loss of sea turtle nesting habitat, loss of seagrass, loss of mangroves. These mitigation efforts & costs will continue into the future.

• Build a culverted structure to allow flushing of Bay waters into & from the Gulf.

  • Pros - Low costs. Water quality, marine habitats, Real Estate market value enhancement, increased County property tax revenues.

  • Cons - Not aesthetically pleasing, could be damaged in large watershed event.