Last Update 3/6/26 5:45 P.M.
The Suncoast Parkway Project Plans to Expand, Adding A Massive Borrow Pit in Citrus County
345 acres • 5 million cubic yards of sand • Above a sensitive aquifer
Residents are asking basic questions about groundwater impacts, wetlands drying up, and whether the public has been given the full picture about a large borrow pit tied to the Suncoast Parkway project.
What Is Happening
A previously proposed private sand mine Environmental Resource Permit (ERP), the Southworth/Crystal River Borrow Pit, has been withdrawn.
A new proposal has now emerged as part of the Suncoast Parkway Phase 3 expansion project.
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FDOT) has submitted an application to modify an existing Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) to add a 344.9-acre borrow site to supply sand for construction of the parkway extension.
The borrow site would remove more than 5 million cubic yards of sand from property adjacent to the roadway corridor.
Because this borrow pit is being proposed as a modification to an existing Suncoast Parkway permit, it is being reviewed as part of the highway project rather than as a standalone private sand mine proposal.
Residents are reviewing the permit documents and environmental reports to better understand how this large excavation could affect groundwater, wetlands, and nearby communities.
Residents are also reviewing how the borrow site is designed, including excavation distances from nearby properties and wetlands, and how those standards compare to previous sand mine proposals.
Why Residents Are Concerned
The large-scale excavation and development being proposed is located on one of Florida’s most sensitive aquifer systems. When you start digging a 345-acre borrow pit to remove more than 5 million cubic yards of sand in karst terrain, you’re not just moving sand — you’re interacting with the groundwater that supplies our drinking water and feeds our wells, springs, and rivers.
Water is the most valuable resource we have in Citrus County. It drives our economy, and once an aquifer is damaged, you can’t undo the harm.
Key Questions Residents Are Asking
How will excavation of a 345-acre borrow pit removing more than 5 million cubic yards of sand affect the aquifer and groundwater levels?
Why did Wetland H hold knee-deep cold standing water after many weeks of no rain in September 2025, during drought conditions, suggesting groundwater support?
We know the region has been in drought and water restrictions, but this wetland held water during those dry conditions before. That’s why residents are asking whether groundwater withdrawals or other site activities could be affecting nearby wetlands and the aquifer.
How is this borrow pit being permitted as part of a highway construction project?
Have the full groundwater and environmental impacts been transparently reviewed?
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Wetland H – A Warning Sign
Photos taken in September 2025 show knee-deep standing water in Wetland H during drought conditions, indicating groundwater support.
By January 2026 the same wetland was completely dry.
During this same period excavation activities encountered groundwater nearby and a well was installed for dust control.
We know the region has been in drought and water restrictions, but this wetland held water during those dry conditions before. That’s why residents are asking whether groundwater withdrawals or other site activities could be affecting nearby wetlands and the aquifer.
Wetlands are natural indicators of groundwater conditions. When they change rapidly, it warrants careful review and transparency.
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Spring Seep September 21, 2025
Spring Seep Post Excavation and Well installation Mid January 2026
The Borrow Pit Proposal
Borrow Pit Size: 345 acres
Material Removal: ~5.1 million cubic yards of sand
Purpose: Fill material for Suncoast Parkway Phase 3A / 3B construction
Location: Crystal River / Beverly Hills area
Sections 11 & 12, Township 18 South, Range 17 East
Permitting:
Modification of Environmental Resource Permit
ERP No. 43016897.012
ERP Application No.: 935264
Permit Type: Individual
Application Received: 2/17/2026
Project Name:
Suncoast Parkway 2 Eastern Borrow Site
Acres Owned (Listed): 894 acres
Description (from record):
Major Modification – Addition of Eastern Borrow Site
What We Are Asking For
Residents are asking for:
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Full transparency about groundwater impacts
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Clear evaluation of wetland changes and aquifer interactions
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A thorough review of how borrow pits are permitted within highway projects
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Protection of the groundwater that supplies local wells, springs, and rivers
Latest Updates
• Wetlands A Warning We Should Not Ignore Article – Feb 28 2026 Citrus County Chronicle
• Suncoast 25th Anniversary Interview On Bay 9 Channel News – March 2026
• ERP Review Documents Submitted – 2026
Ongoing community meetings and updates
Project Documents and Public Records
Many of the questions being raised by residents come directly from information contained in public permit documents, environmental reports, and agency records related to the Suncoast Parkway expansion and the proposed Eastern Borrow Site.
Key documents include:
• Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) applications
• Environmental assessments and wetland delineation reports
• Geotechnical and groundwater studies
• Agency correspondence and permit history
• Public records obtained from state and local agencies
These materials help residents and researchers better understand the scope of the project and the environmental considerations involved.
The Stop the Sand Mine Committee is a grassroots organization of concerned residents. We verify all information to the best of our ability through public records, field documentation, and official sources. Because this process and the facts on the ground have changed rapidly, we regularly update and amend our materials when new information becomes available.
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