What's Going On At Whitcomb Bayou?

The City of Tarpon Springs is working with Pinellas County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a shoreline restoration project at Whitcomb Bayou.

The project began after severe erosion yielded danger to Tarpon Springs roadways in the surrounding area.

"Because of the location it kept eroding and getting closer to the road," Gary Schurman said.

Schurman, Engineering Projects Supervisor for the city, said there are two components to the restoration.

For one, a steel piling will be put into the ground to stop further erosion. Second, a granite rip-rap will be put in place to stop the receding tide from pulling away the area's sedimentation.

When the project is complete, Schurman said there shouldn't be much of a change in the way the bayou appears. He said most of the elements won't be visible. 

However, there has been a loss of trees during the project, but Schurman said the crews are dedicated to keeping Tarpon a "tree city."

The location of the construction and waterline made losing some trees inevitable, according to Schurman.

"We're going to try to replant where we can," Schurman said. 

Schurman said the project is ahead of schedule and should be done by the end of August. 

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