Posted on June 17, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has delayed the maintenance dredging for the federal navigation channel in the vicinity of Sawpit Creek, Nassau County, until early October 2024. The project has been delayed because of active shorebird nests within the beach placement area of Amelia Island State Park.
The project was awarded May 16 in the amount of $6.9 million to Southwind Construction of Evansville, Indiana. It calls for the dredging of approximately 550,000 cubic yards of shoaling from Cuts DU-23 through DU-27C to a required depth of 12 feet plus 2 feet of allowable over-depth.
All beach compatible dredged material will be dispersed on the Amelia Island State Park Beach while non-beach compatible material will be placed on upland Dredge Management Disposal Area DU-2. The dredge pipe will be weighted and submerged, and its underwater route marked with orange poly balls and lighted danger diamond buoys. Dredging and placement will be continuous, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until the project is complete.
Local Notice to Mariners will be issued 30 days prior to commencing dredging. USACE also requests that boaters refrain from anchoring and swimming in clearly delineated sections along the shoreline. Beachgoers should avoid wading on the beach shoreline adjacent to the discharge areas.
The USACE team and Florida State Park Service will conduct protective turtle monitoring throughout the duration of the project. The park may relocate turtle nests and requests the public respect markers and barriers that may be erected along the beach to mark nests being protected on site.
