Midnight Pass monitoring funded for another year

As it has since the reopening of Midnight Pass on Siesta Key one year ago, Sarasota County will continue keeping tabs on the link between the Gulf and Little Sarasota Bay with the approval of $500,000.

In a routine consideration without discussion on Wednesday, county commissioners OK’d the West Coast Inland Navigation District funding for another 12 months of regular measurements and monitoring of Midnight Pass.

Less than three weeks after the pass was torn all the way open by hurricane wind and waves on Oct. 10, 2024, survey teams began weekly measurements of its area, depth and flow at a consistent location. Also, county commissioners have made clear their intention of keeping open the pass, approving in early 2025 a strategic plan that includes steps and policies intended to do just that.

One main reason for the monitoring is to alert officials to changes in the status of Midnight Pass, which had been artificially closed in 1983.

The $500,000 will pay for “ongoing monitoring and maintenance, including implementation of an Emergency Response Plan if imminent natural closure of the pass is anticipated. The funds will also serve as a match for a 2026-2027 state appropriations request.’’

Boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts have hailed the reopening of Midnight Pass for its recreational options, and environmental experts have said the additional point of tidal flow between open water and Little Sarasota Bay is a benefit.