Deer Point Lake and Southport seawall planning

Get to know your waterfront

Deer Point Lake is a freshwater reservoir created in 1961, when a sheet pile dam closed off the top of North Bay about three miles northeast of Lynn Haven. Econfina, Bear and Cedar creeks and Bayou George feed it, and it is Bay County's main drinking water source. Below the dam, Fannin Bayou and the Southport shore are saltwater. Nearly every Southport address is unincorporated county land.

Assessment of Freshwater Inflows to North Bay from the Deer Point Watershed (Water Resources Assessment 08-01) · St. Andrew Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan (November 2017) · United States Coast Pilot 5, Chapter 12 (2026 edition) · BayView MapServer layer 0 (address points), where-clause statistics by CITY/CMNTY/ZIP

Fresh lake or salt bayou: which side of the dam is your wall on?

Start with the dam. A bulkhead on Deer Point Lake holds soil against fresh water in a drinking water reservoir, while a seawall on Fannin Bayou or upper North Bay faces salt water. The rules and the work window differ too.

Table sources: Comp plan Policy 6.4.2 Normal lake elevation Coast Pilot 5 Reservoir setback County shoreline setback Drawdown notice

The drawdown is your work window

Bay County lowers the lake two to three feet each winter to control aquatic weeds. Bay County Utilities The 2025-26 season ran like this: Drawdown notice

1. November 19, 2025: the drawdown began, taking the lake about 2.5 feet below normal, with 6 more inches if a freeze was forecast.
2. Through the winter: the county told waterfront owners to plan dock and bulkhead repairs during the low water.
3. March 2, 2026: the gates closed after about 100 days.
4. Five to seven days later: the lake settled back near its normal 4.5 feet.

Major projects still need FDEP approval, hand-pulling plants may need an FWC permit, and chemical treatment is banned. Drawdown questions go to the county at (850) 248-5010. Drawdown notice

What the reservoir rules cover, and what they skip

Bay County's Deer Point Reservoir Protection Zone guards the land around the lake. LDR sec. 1906 setback LDR sec. 1906 shore zone

• Parcels created after the rule keep a 75-foot natural setback from the lake and its creeks, with a 10-foot path to the water plus docks.
• Lawns that existed before August 2, 1994 are exempt from the vegetation limit.
• Within 200 feet of the high water line, lots stay single-family, at least 60% pervious, with impervious cover capped at 45%.
• Septic tanks and drainfields sit at least 100 feet from the high water line.

The key exemption is section 1906(8)(g). The zone rules do not apply to building or rebuilding a dock, pier, seawall or bulkhead on submerged land, though state, federal and county building permits still apply. LDR sec. 1906(8)(g) The wall itself turns on DEP and the Corps, while clearing or paving behind it can run into the zone rules.

A public lakeside bulkhead bid

In September 2026, Bay County opened 17 priced bids to replace the seawall at Ira Hutchinson Park on County Road 2321. They ran from about $174,000 to about $998,000 on the same plans. ITB 26-55 bid tab

The design uses vinyl sheet piles (interlocking panels driven into the bottom) under a concrete cap. It is cantilevered, meaning no tiebacks anchor it into the bank, and it is built from shore. About 758 feet of old wall exists, and the county budgeted $500,000 for the seawall portion. ITB 26-55 addenda

A spread that wide on one plan set is the reason to get several bids on one written scope. Use the scope checklist to build yours.

Southport paperwork and storm record

The Southport mailing area is almost all county land: 6,977 address points unincorporated against 112 inside Lynn Haven. The Youngstown mailing area on the Bayou George side adds 3,495 more county points. Bay County address points For most lots, that means Bay County Building Safety and its Form B36 package. Form B36

• Southport's storm number is rain: Tropical Storm Fred dropped nearly 9 inches here in August 2021. NHC Fred report
• The dam is listed at 23 feet high and 1,440 feet long, last inspected December 9, 2021. National Inventory of Dams
• Bay County is designing a 36-inch raw water line, drilled under the water at the dam, to replace an exposed aerial pipe. It is meant for a 500-year storm, and no construction has been approved yet. HMGP DR-4399-022-R

Read the permit guide for the DEP and Corps side, and the dock and lift guide if the dock ties into the bulkhead. Across the bay, Lynn Haven runs its own permit office.

What could the work cost?

Bay County's 2026 bids for a lakeside vinyl wall at Ira Hutchinson Park ranged from about $174,000 to about $998,000 on one plan set. Ask every bidder to price the same written scope and to say whether the work fits inside the drawdown window.

No public record found in Bay or Gulf County shows what a private homeowner paid per foot for a seawall. This guide shows real public bids, FEMA worksheets and fee schedules instead, each with its year, place and scope.

Find the relevant permits and records

Prepare the questions for the responsible office.

A drawdown-season plan for lake and bayou owners

Line up permits, bids and access in this order, before the lake drops.

1. September: confirm the side of the dam and the office

   Check whether the lot is on the reservoir or below the dam, and whether it is one of the few Southport addresses inside Lynn Haven.

   BayView MapServer layer 0 (address points), where-clause statistics by CITY/CMNTY/ZIP · Assessment of Freshwater Inflows to North Bay from the Deer Point Watershed (Water Resources Assessment 08-01)

2. October: file the state paperwork

   The county's drawdown notice says major projects need FDEP approval and permits. Ask DEP early which route fits your bulkhead.

   Bay County to draw down Deer Point Reservoir on Nov. 19 · Northwest District | Florida Department of Environmental Protection

3. Find the setback on your plat or deed

   Parcels created after the reservoir rule must show the 75-foot setback on the plat and the deed. Know where it falls before planning anything behind the wall.

   Bay County Land Development Regulations Chapter 19, Environmental Standards

4. Inspect the toe while the water is down

   Low water exposes the toe (the bottom edge of the wall). Photograph it, the joints and any gaps for the assessor while repairs are still possible that season.

   Bay County to draw down Deer Point Reservoir on Nov. 19

5. March: finish before the gates close

   The county closed the gates on March 2, 2026, and the lake took five to seven days to refill. Leave a margin in the schedule.

   Deer Point Reservoir drawdown concluded

Keep planning

Nearby waterfront guides

Lynn Haven & North Bay, Pretty Bayou & Robinson Bayou, Callaway & Parker on East Bay

View the local guide directory.