JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announced today that maintenance
operations on Palm Beach Harbor (Lake Worth Inlet) will start early next week
and continue through mid-April.
The work includes placing all dredged materials on the beach immediately
south of the southern jetty, extending the beach (between monuments
R76-R79) seaward approximately 60 feet. Beneficially
using dredged materials on the shoreline helps to reduce risk and
promotes coastal resilience. The
additional beach area also has inherent benefits in restoring critical habitat
for shorebirds and marine turtles.
The
maintenance work includes dredging the entrance channel, south turning basin
and all the settling basins, and placing all materials onto the beach. The Town of Palm Beach will conduct
escarpment removal and monitoring activities following the placement.
The maintenance dredging will remove
approximately 200,000 cubic yards of shoal material from harbor. The work entails
dredging the entrance channel to depths varying from 37 to 39 feet plus 2 feet
of allowable over-depth; the settling basin to depths varying from 33 to 35
feet plus 2 feet of allowable over-depth; and, the southern turning basin to 33
feet plus 2 feet of allowable over-depth.
The Corps awarded
the contract Jan. 14, 2016 to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC, of
Oak Brook, Illinois for approximately $5.35 million. The maintenance, including sand placement, is
100 percent federally funded.
Release no. 16-018