Estuary Program Launches Transformative Carpenter Creek Restoration Project
March 3rd, 2026 —PPENSACOLA, FL. The Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) is proud to announce the official launch of the Carpenter Creek Restoration Project, in partnership with the City of Pensacola and Escambia County.
This multi-phased effort will advance design and permitting of restoration projects to improve water quality, strengthen community resilience, and enhance public access. The project area includes a 2.5-mile stretch of Carpenter Creek from Interstate 110 to 12th Avenue, with benefits extending to adjacent properties and contributing to the long-term health and improvement of Bayou Texar.
Restoration of Carpenter Creek was identified as a high priority project in Escambia County’s 2022 Carpenter Creek and Bayou Texar Watershed Management Plan. Once a thriving waterway in the heart of Pensacola, Carpenter Creek has been degraded due to suburban sprawl and stormwater runoff. Today, the creek is experiencing eroding banks, impaired water quality, and loss of public access points. Historically a gathering place and community asset, its central role in Pensacola daily life has been forgotten.
Funded by a $2.2 million RESTORE Component 2 Grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and a $1.3 million National Coastal Resilience Fund Grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the project will be managed by PPBEP, with support from the Design Team. The Design Team is led by Moffatt and Nichol, with stream restoration expertise provided by Black and Veatch, and public engagement and access support by Waggonner and Ball. In addition to the City and County, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will also serve as project partners.
Before restoration projects can be identified, the team is gathering data to better understand the creek’s current conditions and constraints. PPBEP and the Design Team are coordinating with 140 unique landowners to secure access agreements to allow for data collection within the creek and along its banks.
Using this data, the Design Team will develop a series of conceptual restoration and public access projects. Community feedback and landowner coordination will guide decisions about which projects move forward to 100% design. The resulting suite of projects will improve water quality, stabilize eroded creek sections, restore wetland habitat, and enhance public access.
“This project is about more than restoration—it’s also about reconnecting our community to the creek.” says Matt Posner, PPBEP Executive Director. “This project is an opportunity for our community to reimagine what Carpenter Creek can be. The insight of those who live, work, and play along the creek is essential to developing restoration designs that are both effective and embraced by the community.”
Landowners and interested residents are invited to attend the Carpenter Creek Open House on Thursday, March 19 from 5:00-6:30pm at the Tryon Library. After a short presentation at 5:15, attendees can meet the project team, explore potential projects and provide feedback.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged at: https://CarpenterCreekOpenHouse.eventbrite.com.
Community engagement is key to project success. PPBEP and the Design Team are committed to addressing questions, actively listening to feedback, and building a collective vision for the future of the Carpenter Creek and Bayou Texar watershed. For questions or concerns regarding the project, email [email protected] or visit the project website at https://www.ppbep.org/what-we-do/restoration/carpenter-creek.
About the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program
The mission of the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) is to restore and protect the Pensacola and Perdido Bay watersheds through restoration, education, and unbiased monitoring of our bays, estuaries, and watersheds. PPBEP serves as a trusted source for residents, businesses, industry, and the community on issues relating to preserving, restoring, improving, and maintaining the natural habitat and ecosystems of the bays, estuaries and watersheds of Pensacola and Perdido Bays.
Dive in at ppbep.org or follow us @ppbepflal on Facebook and @pensacolaandperdidobaysprogram on Instagram.
