Alligator Creek wasn’t always a straight shot of water moving off the land as fast as possible. It used to be a natural tidal creek in the Lemon Bay watershed, winding its way through the landscape. Decades of drainage work turned it into something closer to a canal, and with that came eroding banks, polluted runoff and lost habitat. Sarasota County is now spending $25 million to reverse the damage and rebuild a more natural waterway.
The plan calls for a winding stream channel, stabilized banks and native plants that support fish and wildlife. Funding comes from a $14.5 million NOAA grant, plus the local penny sales tax and stormwater fees. Mote Marine Laboratory is monitoring the creek’s recovery, and county leaders say the restored creek should handle storm and hurricane water better while cutting erosion, flooding and runoff into Lemon Bay.
For longtime residents, there’s a sentimental piece too. One county commissioner recalled tubing down Alligator Creek to the Intracoastal Waterway as a kid 59 years ago, and said maybe someday our grandchildren will do the same. What do you remember about Alligator Creek? Share your stories in the comments.
