St. Petersburg’s low-lying neighborhoods along creeks, ponds, and the coastline have experienced some of the city’s most severe flooding in recent years, particularly during the back-to-back hurricanes of 2024.
In December 2025, the city approved a project to study canal dredging in Riviera Bay, one of several neighborhoods that has experienced recurring flood issues. The need for additional flood mitigation has become increasingly urgent as tidal flooding becomes more frequent.
In 2005, tides exceeded two feet above sea level on just three days. By 2024, that number had risen to 21 days.
According to the Florida Flood Hub, St. Petersburg could experience tidal flooding on approximately 70 days per year by 2033. The organization also estimates that about 45% of the city sits at an elevation low enough to fall within FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area.
The canal study is one of several flood resilience initiatives currently underway. Earlier this year, the city secured a $2 million state appropriation to help fund a new stormwater pump station and drainage improvements in Shore Acres, another neighborhood that has experienced chronic flooding.
City leaders are also advancing the St. Pete Agile Resilience (SPAR) program, a proposed $600 million bond initiative that would accelerate flood protection projects, stormwater upgrades, and utility system hardening throughout the city before the next major storm.