Posted on December 2, 2024
City beaches will be replenished with new river and ocean bottom sand in 2025 under two federally funded programs.
Kings Bay entrance channel dredging and the Nassau County Shore Protection Project are scheduled to begin in early 2025, according to Al Browder, the project manager for the beach renourishment.
The NCSPP authorizes the federal project for dredging sand near the jetty’s entrance, and beach sand placement by North Beach all the way south to Sadler Road. This project takes place about every six years, last being done in 2017.
Browder is vice president of Olsen Associates of Jacksonville, the city’s consultant for the beach renourishment.
“These projects are intended to keep the beaches in their protected state for several years into the future,” Browder told the city commission last week.
Kings Bay channel will dredge and place sand at Fort Clinch and near North Beach. Mobilization of equipment will begin in December, with dredging and sand placement taking place during January and February of 2025. The project will be completed no later than next March 31. The project is funded by the U.S. Navy, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directing the project.
Construction access will begin at Dolphin Street with the main staging area adjacent to the Main Beach parking area. Browder said sand ramps over the shore pipe will provide access to the beach during the project. It will place 84,000 cubic yards at Fort Clinch and 185,000 cubic yards at North Beach Park, ending around Fourth Street.
“A lot of the material from the channel entrance is material you don’t want to see on the beach. That material will be removed and taken to a disposal area,” Browder said.
The Nassau County Shore Protection Project is slated to begin later in 2025 with mobilization slated for May and actual dredging and sand placement starting in June. The project’s duration is slated for 90 days with a completion date of no later than Nov. 17, 2025.
The project staging area is the same as for the King’s Bay channel project.
“This project picks up from where the last one (King’s Bay) stopped, all the way to Sadler Road,” Browder said.
The project will require 3.4 miles of shore pipe. A new piece of equipment called the extractor will be used for the first time. Browder said the machine separates pieces of debris bigger than a grain of sand and removes it, leaving only pristine sand behind.
“It really drastically improves the quality of sand left on the beach,” Browder said.
Browder said sea turtle nests within the project area are relocated and protected. He said 47 nests were successfully relocated during the last renourishment.
