JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2012) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announced today it will begin dredging for the Fort Pierce shore protection project. This project was authorized as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996. A contract was awarded for this renourishment in September 2011 to Manson Construction in the amount of $5.5 million. This project is in partnership with St. Lucie County.
The project will include dredging of 416,000 cubic yards of beach quality material from the Capron Shoal, which is located 4.5 miles southeast of the project area in the Atlantic Ocean. This beach quality material will be placed on approximately 4,350 linear feet of beach immediately south of the inlet in St. Lucie County.
Dredging is anticipated to begin Feb. 8 and will be completed March 18. The total contract time is 72 days, which includes mobilization of equipment and the dredge to the site.
The beaches in St. Lucie experience significant erosion which threatens structures being protected by this project. Due to these dynamics, the renourishment interval for the Fort Pierce shore protection project is every two years. This compares with other Florida beaches, where renourishment intervals can range to 10 years or more.
Release no. 12-007