Sanibel begins slough-dredging project aimed at reducing flooding during hurricane season

The city of Sanibel is set to begin dredging the eastern half of its slough on Thursday, aiming to restore stormwater capacity and reduce flooding during hurricane season. The water running through Sanibel is calm now, but residents still remember the damage caused by Hurricane Ian. "This is really, really bad," Sanibel resident Lorraine Regan said in a video she recorded showing stormwater flooding her neighborhood streets. Regan stressed the importance of preparation. "I think it's a wake-up call that we need to be proactive, take care of the storm before it hits," she said. Florida designated the Sanibel slough as an impaired water body due to excess nutrient concentrations. The dredging project will remove two Olympic swimming pools' worth of muck from the preserve and is mainly intended to address storm-related flooding.Seasonal resident Makenna Thompson, who experienced the aftermath of Ian, shared her thoughts."It was definitely, like, heartbreaking to see, like all the memories, like going away and, like, how it has impacted, like, my whole family," Thompson said. Thompson said the project gives her hope."Hearing that they're putting in plans to help, like, the future, especially since hurricane season is coming up, it's definitely heartwarming to hear that they're doing that," she said. Regan expressed similar optimism."Everything overflowed with sewage, and it wasn't pretty. So, I believe our city is getting ready and being prepared this time around. So, I'm hoping for the best," she said. Officials expect the dredging project to be completed by November.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.