Flood mitigation projects commence around Lake Maggiore

Several long-awaited flood mitigation projects within the city’s largest stormwater basin will provide some relief for storm-weary South St. Petersburg residents.

Much of the area around Lake Maggiore, including sections of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South, is less than three feet above sea level. High tides and heavy rains often flood several surrounding neighborhoods, and sea level rise has exacerbated the issue.

Four projects totaling $48.5 million have progressed to the design phase or further, and the Bartlett Lake dredging initiative should conclude in the fall of 2026. City council members heard an update on the synergistic flood mitigation efforts at a committee meeting Thursday.

“In spite of what some perception is out there, you guys are really kicking butt with these projects, and getting them moving fast, as much as you possibly can,” said Councilmember Gina Driscoll. “So, thank you for that.”

Basin C encompasses 3,535 acres around Lake Maggiore, which receives most of the area’s stormwater through Salt Creek. The projects will impact several neighborhoods, including Old Southeast, Cromwell Heights, Harbordale, Lakewood Terrace and Bayou Highlands.

Brejesh Prayman, engineering and capital improvements director, said the administration is “getting very close to construction on some of these projects.” That is welcome news, as they identified Basin C and the area around Shore Acres as “critical” in 2016.

Prayman noted that low-lying Lake Maggiore also receives stormwater from other basins during extreme weather events. That and Salt Creek’s narrowness contribute to flooding in nearby neighborhoods.

“When our residents say, ‘My parents never flooded,’ that is so true,” Prayman said. “They’re absolutely right. This is just sea level rise.”

Lake Maggiore overflowed into several South St. Petersburg homes during Hurricane Milton. Photo: Facebook.

Prayman highlighted a graphic showing that what was an extreme sea height in 1980 is now an extreme low. Data from 1947 to 2024 equated to a 1.03-foot increase over 100 years.

High tides and heavy rains prevent Salt Creek from conveying the excess water into Tampa Bay. The city plans to install tidal gates at a location that “complements” the surrounding topography.

Prayman explained that sediment dumps into Bartlett Lake, just north of Lake Maggiore, which significantly impacts Salt Creek’s stormwater conveyance capacity. The city is evaluating proposals for a long-discussed, $3.5 million dredging project.

“We wanted to get Bartlett done way ahead of where we are now,” Prayman added. “But Bartlett had 365 days of monitoring required as part of the grant compliance, for testing. I would have loved to have that done by now.”

The good news is that the city received $3 million in grant funding, and project bids are below the city’s $3.5 million estimate. The project intertwines with another basin initiative across 18th Avenue South.

Prayman said the Bartlett Lake Salt Creek Pump Station project will increase hydraulic capacity and improve water quality. A “secondary outflow” will help mitigate extreme weather events.

A map highlighting Stormwater Basin C.

Officials purchased three acres of vacant property along Salt Creek to make the $21 million project possible. They have also received $10 million in grant funding and expect to open the pump station and a passive park in the fall of 2028.

The city will also create a controlled floodplain with native, drought-tolerant vegetation, replace an existing bridge and adorn structures with artwork and educational content. Additional area projects include elevating a low-lying section of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South and a Wet Weather Stormwater Bypass system at Lake Maggiore.

The former $6 million initiative is currently in the preliminary design phase, and officials expect construction to be completed by the spring of 2028. The latter is a $15 million St. Pete Agile Resilience (SPAR) project, which officials plan to open in winter 2028.

“I just really wanted to thank you for the countless hours you have spent trying to explain all of this, because it is very complicated, and there’s a lot of sequencing,” said Councilmember Brandi Gabbard. “There’s going to be impacts that are going to save property.”

Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. noted that constituents often express frustration over officials seemingly concentrating resiliency projects in neighborhoods to the north. He thanked Gabbard for reminding the committee that the Resilient St. Pete Action Plan would bolster those efforts on the city’s southside.

“I see so many direct benefits,” Givens said. “And again, I’m happy to see that it is South St. Pete neighborhoods that are going to benefit from this.”