Dredging project underway at Clam Pass beach park

Crews at Clam Pass Beach are moving hundreds of pounds of sand as part of a dredging project aimed at keeping the inlet open.

“Oh, I think it’s fantastic. I used to come here even to fifth grade, middle school. And so we just came down to show the boys a little bit of what we used to grow up with. And I had no idea the channel changed. So, it’s great that Collier County is fixing things,” said Ross Moreno, who grew up in Naples.

“I like the ocean, and I like the Dippin’ Dots,” said his son Reagan.

One of the main appeals of Clam Pass Park is the inlet, where the mouth of Clam Pass meets the Gulf of Mexico. But the inlet is currently inaccessible.

“All I know is that they’re gonna just kind of bring it back to the original pass. They have the markers out there,” added Moreno. “Sounds great.”

So, what exactly are crews doing? They’re hard at work dredging the inlet to manage a problem with shoaling. Shoals form when sand and sediment build up in a waterway, making it too shallow for boats and blocking water flow.

Dr. Felix Jose with the FGCU Water School said when it comes to the environment, “Dredging is very, very important because if, for example, if you’re not doing anything and keep it close, the mangroves in the bay will die. And also, that will adversely affect the seagrass. So many of these organisms that call that estuary that the plant bears at home, they will suffer a lot.”

He said there’s no permanent solution to the problem, but it’s worth the effort.

“I think ends justify the means,” Moreno said. “Just because right now might look a little ugly. It gives kids the opportunities to see construction vehicles, and they love it just that’s why we’re here. And I think it’s going to be a beautiful spectacle when they finish.”

The company in charge of the project also helped with dredging on Fort Myers Beach. County officials expect the project to be completed within the next two weeks.