JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Col. James Booth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District commander and Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline a representative from the City of St. Augustine officially marked the start of a comprehensive study to address ongoing coastal flooding within the city limits.
“We recognize that we are entering into a partnership that aims to preserve and protect St. Augustine’s storied history, and in doing so, become a part of that history,” Jacksonville District Commander, Col. James Booth said. “I can pledge to you today that the Corps of Engineers will bring to this partnership the highest level of experience the city could possibly find and a team of scientists, planners and engineers whose professionalism and dedication to the endeavor are second to none.”
The St. Augustine Back Bay Study will focus on present and future vulnerabilities of the historic coastal city and devise the best possible plan to mitigate future storm damage along the coast by reinforcing and refurbishing a coastal regime that will stand the test of time.
The study will conduct activities and tasks required to identify and evaluate alternatives and produce a decision document that, as appropriate, recommends a coordinated and implementable solution for hurricane protection, storm damage reduction, beach erosion control, and other related purposes at St. Augustine, Florida.
In partnership with the City of St. Augustine and its stakeholders, the study will explore effective, economically-viable and environmentally-sound solutions to mitigate risks and build enduring coastal resiliency - and amidst the potential impacts of sea level rise on the city’s character and livability.
A feasibility study is the first step toward a potential federally-cost shared water resources project that could be one piece of the City of St. Augustine’s overall, long-range flood resiliency strategy.
* The typical cost of a CSRM study is $3 million. The cost will be split 50/50 percent between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
For updates and information on other USACE studies and projects, go to the Jacksonville District website (https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/) and social media platforms (https://www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict/