Congresswoman Kat Cammack has announced significant progress for the future of the McGriff Channel, also known as ‘Wadley Pass,’ where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Suwannee River in Dixie County, Florida.
“I’m thrilled to have secured this crucial step in getting the challenges with McGriff Channel resolved ,” said Rep. Cammack . “This issue has persisted for far too long, and it’s time we get the Jacksonville Army Corps back on track to advance this project. From here, we will be keeping the pressure on the Army Corps to ensure this project gets done in a timely manner.”
Mid-last year, Rep. Cammack secured the votes for inclusion of McGriff Channel in the 2024 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).
In December of last year, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) included the matching provision in the Senate year-end package. This measure secured a federally required economic impact study by the Army Corps of Engineers for the McGriff Channel, which is a necessary step to keep the project moving.
Also, this move follows the 2021 study, which concluded that dredging was not economically feasible and no action could be taken.
In recent years, the McGriff Channel has faced navigability issues, with missing markers and signage rendering it unsafe for even the smallest vessels. Years without dredging, coupled with the impacts of recent hurricanes and severe storms, have exacerbated these longstanding challenges, hindering both commercial activities and recreational boating. The inclusion of the McGriff Channel in WRDA marks a critical step toward restoring its navigability and ensuring safe access for all users, concluded Cammack.