Posted on June 24, 2024
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has awarded a $6.9 million contract to Southwind Construction of Evansville, Indiana, for maintenance dredging of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (IWW) federal navigation channel in the vicinity of Sawpit Creek, Nassau County, Florida.
Amelia Island State Park, Nassau County, FL
All beach compatible dredged material will be dispersed on Amelia Island State Park beach while non-beach compatible material will be placed on designated upland Dredge Management Disposal Area DU-9.
Army Corps of Engineers (Jacksonville District) map– Amelia Island State Park dredging areas and beach placement project.
Local Notice To Mariners
“Local Notice to Mariners” will be issued 30 days prior to commencing dredging. The contractor’s dredge pipe will be weighted and submerged, and its underwater route marked with orange poly balls and lighted danger diamond buoys to alert navigators. USACE 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 contract calls for the dredging of approximately 550,000 cubic yards of shoaling from IWW Cuts DU-23 through DU-27C to a required depth of 12 feet plus 2 feet of allowable over-depth.
Dredging Project Timeframe July – Nov. 2024
Dredging is anticipated to start in July 2024 and continue through November 2024. Dredging and placement will be continuous, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until the project is complete.
Sea Turtle Season 2024
The USACE team and Florida State Park Service will conduct protective sea turtle monitoring throughout the duration of the project. The Amelia Island State Park may relocate turtle nests as appropriate and requests the public respect markers and barriers that may be erected along the beach to mark nests being protected on site. _________
SOURCE: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Jacksonville District) news release (May 28, 2024)
Beach Nesting Bird Season At Amelia Island State Park
Also note, for those intending to visit Amelia Island State Park, some areas of this Florida State Park are roped off to protect bird nesting areas located within this park. (See aerial map below showing protected areas during seasonal shorebird bird nesting).
Shorebird Nesting, Seasonal Closure Map, Amelia Island (Courtesy of Florida State Parks)
