Dade County Beach Erosion and Hurricane Protection Project, Miami Beach Renourishment, 2022-2023

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District’s present beach restoration project in Miami Beach has its roots in the previous millennium.

More than half a century ago, officials in Dade County, Florida, concluded that natural erosion and storm damage to the Miami Beach coastline was a serious threat to the health of its beaches, and with it the viability and security of the extensive residential development and tourist economy which sustain way of life of the nation’s best known vacation destination.

After several years of investigation, planning and coordination, USACE completed a plan for a beach resilience and storm damage mitigation project, and in 1968 Congress authorized the Corps of Engineers to construct the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project.

Today’s beach operations are the latest iteration in a series of periodic renourishment projects that fulfill that authorization. The congressional mandate called for the placement of beach fill along 9.3 miles of shoreline extending from Baker’s Haulover Inlet in the north to Government Cut in the south, and along a 1.4 mile length of Haulover Beach Park immediately north of Baker’s Haulover Inlet. A 2.4 mile stretch of shoreline at Sunny Isles was added to the original project in 1985 under a separate authorization.

The present renourishment project is being conducted along four critically eroded sections of the shoreline through a $40.4 million contract that was awarded July 30, 2021. The federal government is funding the entire cost of the renourishment.

USACE has completed sand placement at the Allison Park (64th Street) and Indian Beach Park (46th Street) segments of the beach and is nearly finished re-nourishing the Mid-Beach Park (55th Street) segment. The final 27th Street segment is scheduled to begin sand placement in the April timeframe. 

By its projected completion in summer 2023, the Corps will have placed approximately 835,000 cubic yards of beach quality sand along some 11,400 linear feet of the Miami Beach shoreline. The beach restoration will help reduce potential economic, environmental and infrastructure damage that may be caused by future tropical storms and hurricanes.

Frequently Asked Questions -Miami Beach Renourishment

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  • What is the Miami Beach Renourishment project?

The contractor will place 835,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand from an upland source on approximately 11,400  feet of critically eroded shoreline to widen the beach to approximately 90 feet on various segments along the Miami Beach. This number the 300ft of transitions on some of the segments.

 

 
  • Can I get project updates on social media?

Project updates will be available on the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Facebook page: https://
www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict/ and on Twitter @JaxStrong @MiamiDadeRER @MiamiDadeCounty 
@MiamiBeachNews

 
  • How long will the project take?

The project is expected to be completed by Spring 2023.

 
  • How will sea turtles and migratory shorebirds be protected during construction?

The contractor in conjunction with Miami-Dade County will conduct migratory shorebird and sea turtle monitoring daily, and relocate sea turtle nests if necessary. If there are any sea turtle nests in the construction area, they will be monitored and protected until the hatchlings have emerged from the nest. After daily environmental species monitoring and sea turtle nest relocations have been completed and the area has been cleared for construction, beach work will commence. However, construction operations in the area will cease if sea turtles are present at any time.

 
  • What about public safety?

Safety is our first priority. Due to safety concerns, some beach access areas will be closed and public access to the beach will be restricted during construction. Because of the extensive construction activities for the next several months, motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and beach goers are asked to use caution along these areas of Miami Beach

 
  • What is the cost for the project?

The contract awarded to Continental Heavy Civil Corp was for $40,486,000.00.

 
  • What is the project location?

This project will nourish eroded shoreline along Miami-Dade County in the following locations: 64th Street, 55th Street, 46th Street, and 27th Street.

 
  • What is the project purpose?

The project provides coastal storm risk management, including beach erosion control and hurricane surge protection. Beach renourishment projects protect infrastructure, preserve wildlife, support the economy, and build coastal resiliency.

 

 
  • When will construction occur?

The contractor will work Monday through Saturday. Approximate work hours at the access and staging areas, including the delivery of sand, will be 6 a.m. through 11 p.m. Beach work will take place between 7 a.m. or sunrise, whichever is later, through 7 p.m. or sunset. Construction will commence after daily sea turtle and shorebird monitoring is complete and the area is cleared for construction.

 
  • Where can I get more information?

Project updates will be available at:  https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Shore-Protection/Dade-County/Miami-Beach-Renourishment-2021/

Miami Beach Renourishment Construction Maps

Sept. 28, 2021 (Click maps to enlarge)

Map showing the 2021 Miami Beach Renourishment Project 27th Street SegmentMap showing the 2021 Miami Beach Renourishment Project 46th Street SegmentMap showing the 2021 Miami Beach Renourishment Project 55th Street SegmentMap showing the 2021 Miami Beach Renourishment Project 64th Street Segment

Dade County Shore Protection Background

Flagler County ShorelineDade County officials requested federal assistance with shore erosion about 50 years ago, and Congress authorized the Corps of Engineers to construct the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project in 1968.

The Dade County project provided for the placement of beach fill along 9.3-miles of shoreline extending from Bakers Haulover Inlet to Government Cut and along the 1.4-mile length of Haulover Beach Park located immediately north of Bakers Haulover Inlet. The 2.4-mile length of the Sunny Isles segment was added to the project in 1985 under a separate authorization.

All major sand sources offshore of Miami-Dade County have now been exhausted with the completion of the latest nourishment contract in the Bal Harbour area in 2014. The Corps and local and state coastal officials estimate that an additional 3.6 million cubic yards of sand is needed for the remaining federal participation, which is ten years for the Government Cut to Baker’s Haulover Beach Park segment and 23 years for the Sunny Isles segment.

Section 935 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 and a Congressional directive from 1999 indicate that the Corps can only use domestic sources of sand for renourishment of this project, unless domestic sources are not available for environmental or economic reasons. To utilize new sand sources, the Corps completed a Limited Reevaluation Report (LRR) and Environmental Assessment (EA) with updated economics to justify potential alternative sand sources for future renourishments.

Construction Segments

Right Click to download segments

 

Contact Information

Email: publicmail.cesaj-cc@usace.army.mil

Phone: 904-616-0036