Apalachicola Riverkeeper has wrapped up a 6 year, 4.7 million dollar slough restoration project in Florida.
River sloughs are important in transporting freshwater to floodplains and in controlling the flow of freshwater and nutrients into the river and ultimately into the Apalachicola Bay.
This project removed the sediment and re-established hydrologic connectivity through East River in Franklin County as well as Spider Cut and Douglas Slough, which are in Gulf County.
One of the main goals of the Slough Restoration Project was to restore historic water flow patterns in the East River by removing sediment that built up in the slough’s mouth and throughout its course.
According to the Riverkeeper, removing sand deposits from the East River increases vital freshwater flow and essential nutrients to the northernmost and most productive sections of East Bay, especially during low water periods.
The sand removed by Apalachicola Riverkeeper was taken by barge and trucked to old borrow pits on land outside the river’s floodplain for disposal, and some sand was also made available to local governments for projects such as road construction.