May 2024
FACT SHEET
Ponce de Leon Inlet, FL
Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
Congressional District: 6, 7
1. DESCRIPTION
The Ponce de Leon Inlet O&M project consists of an entrance channel which is 15 feet deep and 200 feet wide across the ocean bar; 12 feet deep by 200 feet wide and 12 deep by 100 feet wide to Indian River North; 12 deep by 100 feet wide southward to the Intracoastal Waterway (IWW); 7 feet deep by 100 feet wide in the Halifax River northward to the IWW; and ocean jetties 4,200 feet long and 2,700 feet long on the north and south sides of the inlet, respectively. The unstable nature of the navigation channel in Ponce de Leon Inlet is a continuing safety problem as recorded by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has documented vessel groundings, capsized vessels, and over 20 lives lost in the vicinity of the inlet. The entrance and interior channels require the Coast Guard to frequently monitor and relocate aids to navigation due to the need to identify safe water.
2. FUNDING
a. Regular Civil Works Funds:
| Allocation for FY24 |
$0 |
| President's Budget FY25 |
$0 |
b. P.L. 115-123: Bi-Partisan Budget Act of 2018, Supplemental:
| Allocation thru FY23 |
$200,000 |
| Allocation for FY24 |
$200,000 |
| |
|
c. P.L 116-20: Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019:
| Allocation thru FY23 |
$9,993,000 |
| |
|
d. P.L. 117-58: Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law:
| Allocation thru FY23 |
$6,000,000 |
| Allocation for FY24 |
$0 |
3. SPONSOR
Volusia County - Coastal Division
123 W. Indiana Avenue
Deland, FL 32720
4. STATUS
North Jetty Repairs: Repairs are complete on the North jetty, which was damaged by Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma.
Maintenance Dredging: The last commercial dredging event of the entire project was completed in February 2019 in conjunction with the Intracoastal Waterway. Local mariners have identified areas of the channel which have already started shoaling back in resulting in potentially unsafe navigational conditions. Typically, these hot spots are dredged annually with a government dredge and the entire project is typically dredged every 10 years. Funding was not received in 2021 for O&M dredging. In FY 2023, water quality certifications, plans, and specifications will be developed for the next O&M dredging event with an award in August 2024.
