As part of ongoing agreements with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Indian River County, the Sebastian Inlet District will be dredging sand from the Sebastian Inlet sand trap and its interior navigation channel and placing the sand on the downdrift beaches in Indian River County.
The project will include placing sand along the beach from Sebastian Inlet State Park to the approximate Ambersand Beach Park area. Next winter, in 2013, a similar event will potentially place sand as far as three-quarters of a mile south of Ambersand Park. The District’s objective is to place sand along a longer stretch of beach to avoid impacts to the nearshore reefs.
The District is under contract with Dickerson Florida, Inc. (Dickerson) to place nearly 140,000 cubic yards of beach-compatible sand along the beach this winter. Dickerson will construct a modest berm feature by hydraulically pumping beach-compatible sand through a large pipe onto the beach via a dredge positioned in Sebastian Inlet.
All construction activities will occur seaward of the current dune vegetation line. The project will require use of heavy construction equipment (primarily bulldozers and front-end loaders) on the beach, and nighttime construction is permitted but will be avoided as much as possible. All access to the project will take place through designated easements in the State Park.
There will be minimal disruption to beach use during the project.
Funding for this project is from the Sebastian Inlet District ad valorem tax and FDEP cost sharing.
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Dredging Today Staff, February 7, 2012;