Posted on April 2, 2025
Nestled into the northeastern-most nook of the Sunshine State, lies the quaint, historical beach town of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. Steeped in history, the tiny island municipality is the only one in the United States to have borne myriad flags since its inception; 8 to be precise. As an island town, her historic shores are also susceptible to myriad threats from coastal storms.
Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District awarded an approximately $20 million contract for the second iteration of Fernandina Beach renourishment following Hurricane Nicole, for the Nassau County Shore Protection Project (SPP).
“The project will renourish approximately 4 miles of shoreline in Nassau County, Florida on Fernandina Beach south of the St. Mary Entrance Channel south jetty between FDEP Range Monuments R-19 and R-33,” explained Beau Corbett, Senior Project Manager at the Jacksonville District to the Fernandina Beach City Commission, during a monthly meeting, as both parties awaited funding for the project. “Beach compatible sand for the project will be dredged from the South Channel Borrow Area, located immediately south of the St. Mary Entrance Channel and about 3 miles offshore of the south jetty”.
The Nassau County SPP is a federally authorized, 50-year project designed to provide sustainable shore protection for property, critical infrastructure, and environmental habitat while simultaneously providing recreational opportunities for residents and tourists and energizing the local economy. The project is cost-shared between the City of Fernandina Beach and the Federal government; however, the upcoming event will be funded 100% be the Federal government because it in response to recent hurricane damages sustained by the project.
“The value of these dredging projects to the safety and beauty of our coastal community is immeasurable,” said Genece Minshey, a Commissioner at the City of Fernandina Beach. “We see other coastal communities struggle to find the millions of dollars needed to help secure their fragile coastlines every day”.
When constructed, the project will provide a holistic defense against future storms, beach erosion and sea level rise. It will foster a more resilient coastline, allowing more efficient and less costly recovery in the wake of any future severe storm impacts, significantly increasing the protection of homes, businesses and infrastructure from coastal storms, while saving taxpayer money through efficiencies. One way the Jacksonville District will accomplish this is through collaboration with the South Atlantic Division (SAD) Regional Sediment Management Center of Expertise (RSM, RCX).
RSM is a systems approach using best management practices for more efficient and effective use of sediments in coastal, estuarine, and inland environments.
“My team is working closely with the Jacksonville District Project Delivery team to ensure we continue to make the best use of taxpayer dollars by maximizing regional sediment management for projects in this region,” said Laurel Reichold, Director of the SAD Regional Sediment Management Center of Expertise.
The Jacksonville District has additionally partnered with the Fort Clinch State Park on behalf of the U.S. Navy to beneficially use beach quality material every other year at Fort Clinch to protect historic structures from erosional damage. This saves the State of Florida the cost of protecting historic structures using more costly alternatives.
“The Navy, through agreement with the state of Florida, has, for many years, placed all beach quality material dredged from the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Entrance Channel (KBEC) onto Florida beaches,” explained Reichold.
The Jacksonville District has developed a strategy to place beach quality material in the northern portion of the footprint of the Nassau County Shore Protection Project (NCSPP) which has delayed the beach renourishment interval from 5 to 10 years. This 50-year Shore Protection Project was originally planned to include initial construction and 9 renourishments. The beneficial use of beach quality material dredged annually from the KBEC project will potentially result in the NCSPP only requiring 5 renourishments.
“The current estimated cost of a single NCSPP renourishment is approximately $20 million, so that is a potential savings of $80 million; another example of how the Jacksonville District is efficiently working for Floridians and the American people,” said Corbett.
While the State and the nation benefit from the efficiency of smart project planning, the City of Fernandina Beach’s greatest benefit is in the protection of lives, businesses and critical infrastructure along their historical shoreline.
“Just as important as the savings, we now have a strong well established dune line that is beautiful and protects our island,” noted Commissioner Minshew.
Initial construction is projected to begin in June 2025, but could start as early as mid-April pending the contractor’s readiness and ability to mobilize. Construction is estimated to conclude this November. The project, under the Stafford Act, is eligible for emergency beach renourishment following significant storm events at 100 percent federal cost.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Project Manager, Beau Corbett, provides boots-on-the-ground tour of the Nassau County Shore Protection Project dredging area to stakeholders.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Project Manager, explains the Nassau County Shore Protection Project to the City of Fernandina Beach Commissioners during their monthly City Commission meeting.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Project Manager, Beau Corbett, provides boots-on-the-ground tour of the Nassau County Shore Protection Project dredging area to stakeholders.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Project Manager, Beau Corbett, provides boots-on-the-ground tour of the Nassau County Shore Protection Project dredging area to stakeholders.
