| Choctawhatchee Bay | |
|---|---|
 Satellite image of the Choctawhatchee Bay | |
  Choctawhatchee Bay | |
| Coordinates | 30°26′22″N 86°18′40″W / 30.43944°N 86.31111°W |
| Primary inflows | Choctawhatchee River |
| Primary outflows | Gulf of Mexico, Santa Rosa Sound |
| Catchment area | 5,405 square miles (14,000 km2) |
| Max. length | 27 miles (43 km)[1] |
| Max. width | 6 miles (9.7 km) |
| Surface area | 129 square miles (330 km2) |
| Max. depth | 43 feet (13 m) |
| Settlements | Fort Walton Beach, Destin Santa Rosa Beach, Freeport, Niceville, Shalimar, Valparaiso |
Choctawhatchee Bay is a bay in the Emerald Coast region of the Florida Panhandle. The bay, located within Okaloosa and Walton counties, has a surface area of 334 square kilometres (129 sq mi).[2] It is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, connected to it through East Pass (also known as Destin Pass). It also connects to Santa Rosa Sound in Fort Walton Beach, Florida to the west and to St. Andrews Bay in Bay County to the east, via the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. East Pass is the only outlet of the bay flowing directly into the Gulf of Mexico.[3] The Choctawhatchee River flows into Choctawhatchee Bay, as do several smaller rivers and streams.[2][4] The Mid-Bay Bridge crosses the bay, connecting the city of Destin to Niceville, Florida. Second bridge across the bay is the Judge Clyde B. Wells Bridge.[5]
- ^ Ruth, Barbara; Handley, Lawrence R. (2006). "Choctawhatchee Bay" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ a b "GulfBase - Choctawhatchee Bay". Archived from the original on 2007-11-30. Retrieved 2007-11-25.
- ^ "EAST PASS INLET MANAGEMENT STUDY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION" (PDF). Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-08. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ "Choctawhatchee Info - HISTORICAL". Retrieved 2007-11-25.
- ^ "Bridge Dedication Ceremony for Judge Clyde B. Wells". 14 July 2017.