Stormwater
Since 1991, the City of Sarasota has had an interlocal agreement with Sarasota County to maintain all stormwater systems located in the City of Sarasota. As a result, maintenance, cleaning, and repair of most stormwater systems within City limits are the responsibility of the County. Click here to access the Sarasota County Stormwater webpage for more information on the Sarasota County Stormwater system.
Facilities & Maintenance
Visit the Sarasota County Stormwater GIS here for a map of all existing stormwater facilities, structures and ongoing maintenance activities. This map is updated in real-time with all current and anticipated maintenance and construction work in Sarasota County.
The County's Sarasota Bay Watershed Master Plan studies the existing and projected state of Sarasota Bay and coastal marine habitats, including pollutant loads, flooding, and stormwater flow. It further details the County's best management practices for the capture, retention, and release of stormwater within all County Watersheds - including those within the City of Sarasota. The complete report can be found here.
Further information on Sarasota County's watershed projects can be found here using the Stormwater Future Projects Dashboard. Future Projects are listed along with all pertinent characteristics including location, category, estimated cost, and both individual and cumulative benefits.
Cooperation with the City of Sarasota
The City of Sarasota Public Works Department works closely with Sarasota County Stormwater Department to identify areas of concern, and plan future projects. Currently, four county projects within City limits have been approved through the Resilient SRQ Grant Program, the webpage for which can be found here. These projects are managed by Sarasota County Stormwater Department.
Approved Projects:
- The Dr. Martin Luther King Way & Orange Avenue enhancement project was approved for funding in 2022. This project is currently in the design phase and is intended to reduce flooding in Amaryllis Park whilst simultaneously improving capacity and the quality of the surface runoff into Whitaker Bayou.
Two dredging projects, and one infrastructure project were approved for funding by the County Commission in 2025. The dredging projects aim to clear the existing bayous of undesirable sedimentation and pollutants settled at the bottom of the waterways; the infrastructure project aims to improve flood mitigation in the St Armand's Area.
Community Involvement
Good Stormwater management starts at the source. Soil that doesn't erode is water that doesn't become turbid; Litter and leaves cleaned off the road cannot clog the stormwater inlets. Pet waste, yard clippings and fertilizer not dumped into the stormwater system reduces nutrients that would otherwise contribute to red tide (City Code Ord. No. 93-3699, § 3, 10-18-93). Communities, neighborhoods, businesses, or even motivated individuals can have massive positive effects on the quality of our waterways by any number of means. For information on how you can improve the quality of our stormwater system, you can visit the Sarasota County Community Stormwater Tips page here.
The County is an active participant in the Raincheck Rebate Program: An initiative to monetarily encourage homeowners to install small scale best management practices to improve stormwater quality across the County. Click here to learn more.