The third physical monitoring of the 2013-14 Sanibel and Captiva Islands Beach Renourishment Project started earlier this week, the Captiva Erosion Prevention District just announced.
The purpose of the monitoring is to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the project.
Required by the Florida Department of Environmental Projection, monitoring surveys are conducted annually for a period of three years after project completion and then bi-annually until the next beach nourishment event or the expiration of the project design life.
The project began October 7, 2013 and was completed on December 26, 2013.
The work will be done by CB&I Coastal Planning & Engineering, Inc. using a 24-foot survey vessel loaded with the latest hi-tech survey and monitoring gear.
Topographic and bathymetric profile surveys of the beach and offshore are also conducted, said the district.
Survey and engineering reports summarize and discuss the data, the performance of the beach fill project and identify erosion and accretion patterns within the monitored area.
Results are analyzed for patterns, trends, or changes between annual surveys and cumulatively since project construction. In addition, the report will contain a comparative review of project performance to performance expectations and identification of adverse effects attributable to the project.