Nassau County Shore Protection Project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District awarded a $32,859,630.00 contract to the Dutra Group for the maintenance dredging of U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay and sand placement at Fernandina Beach. Sand will be placed on critically eroded portions of Fernandina Beach in areas not routinely renourished. Using sand dredged from the Kings Bay Entrance Channel on Fernandina Beach will result in an overall cost savings of approximately $13.5 million.

Sponsored by the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay and the City of Fernandina Beach, the project is critical to commercial cargo transiting the port and also to the Navy base, which shares the entrance channel.  Fernandina Beach, Nassau County, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection contributed $1.6 million to the project allowing sand placement in critical areas on the beach.

The project includes maintenance dredging of the entrance channel and parts of the inner channel, returning the project to its authorized depths.  It also includes escarpment removal at Fort Clinch State Park and beneficial placement of beach compatible sand in the northern portion of Fernandina Beach in Nassau County. Regionally managing sediment results in significant cost savings and environmental benefits.