Posted on September 23, 2026
By Robert Anderson
Another phase of the island’s storm recovery is taking shape along its shoreline.
Crews began dredging Sept. 9 for Manatee County’s 2026 Coquina Beach Hurricane Idalia storm damage repair project, replacing sand lost in 2023 along Coquina and Cortez beaches in Bradenton Beach.
The work comes as the island approaches the Sept. 26 anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s 2024 impact. The storm surge pushed Gulf waters across Anna Maria Island, carrying beach sand into streets, homes and businesses.
Later this fall, the county plans to begin a larger renourishment project addressing beach losses from hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton — all in 2024.
The Idalia project will restore about 0.9 mile of shoreline, from just south of 13th Street South to Longboat Pass.
Crews are placing 63,450 cubic yards of sand dredged from the Longboat Pass channel. The work also restores navigable depth through the pass.
According to the county’s Sept. 15 project update, sand placement had reached the northern end of the project area, with dredging expected to wrap up later in the week. Dredging was expected to wrap up during the week, followed by final grading.
The project is operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Temporary beach closures move with the active construction area, while most of Coquina Beach remains open.
The county anticipates completing the project by the end of October.
The Idalia project is estimated to cost $1.92 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is funding 75%, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Manatee County are each contributing 12.5%.
County natural resources director Charlie Hunsicker said Sept. 15 that the work will be followed by the larger renourishment work, which is expected to begin in November and continue through May 2027, placing 1.1 million cubic yards of sand along Anna Maria Island, more than 17 times the volume being placed during the current Idalia project.
Hunsicker said beach renourishment is about more than creating a wider beach for people. Replacing lost sand restores the beach’s protective profile, providing a buffer between the Gulf and homes, businesses and infrastructure during future storms.
“It’s about replacing that protective depth,” Hunsicker said.
The larger project will include portions of Bradenton Beach receiving sand during the current Idalia restoration, resulting in additional material being placed along some of the same shoreline.
