Port Everglades dredging could cause “largest impact to coral reefs in U.S. history”

A proposed federal dredging project at Port Everglades could cause unprecedented damage to coral reefs in U.S. waters.

The area is one of the last strongholds of endangered staghorn coral along Florida’s coast, according to scientists and conservation groups

A new analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and researchers from the Shedd Aquarium found that about 10 million corals live within and near the main shipping channel at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Many of them endangered species that have survived widespread reef collapse elsewhere in Florida.

“These are precious resources,” said Ross Cunning, a research biologist with the Shedd Aquarium who co-authored the study. “We can’t afford to just dump dredging sediments on them.”

Under current plans, the Port Everglades Navigation Improvements Project, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would deepen and widen the port’s shipping channels to accommodate larger cargo ships.

Opponents argue that the project could disturb hundreds of acres of seafloor and smother coral reefs with sediment and kill marine life, repeating environmental damage seen in past expansions such as at PortMiami.

Thousands of colonies of staghorn coral are among the species at risk. These corals are fast-growing reef builders that provide habitat for reef fish and help protect coastlines from storms and erosion. Most staghorn populations elsewhere in Florida have been devastated by disease, coastal development and warming ocean temperatures, making the Port Everglades site one of the few remaining natural strongholds in the continental United States.

Scientists also warn that as heavy machinery breaks up rock during the dredging process, turbidity and sediment plumes could travel beyond the immediate channel and suffocate corals, including the endangered queen conch.

Pushback and environmental concerns

Federal scientists and local groups have expressed concern about the project’s potential impacts. In a letter to the Army Corps, NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast regional administrator called the proposal “the largest impact to coral reefs permitted in U.S. history.”

Environmental advocates have also highlighted the region’s history, pointing to the PortMiami dredging project from 2013 to 2015, which buried nearly 300 acres of reef and killed millions of corals with most never fully recovered.

While the Corps has acknowledged potential risks, officials say the project is needed to meet the region’s growing trade and shipping demands and that mitigation efforts, such as relocating corals, are part of ongoing planning.

Local Impact

South Florida’s coral reefs are vital to the region’s environment and economy. They support biodiversity, protect shorelines from storm surge, and contribute to tourism and fisheries. According to conservation groups, reefs in the area provide hundreds of millions of dollars in coastal protection each year.

With coral reefs already stressed by climate change, warming ocean temperatures and disease, scientists and advocates say it’s critical that dredging plans carefully consider environmental safeguards before moving forward.

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