Partners Celebrate the Sand on Venice Beach

Published June 10, 2015
Panorama of newly renourished Venice Beach

Panorama of newly renourished Venice Beach

Sunset at Venice Beach following the "Celebrate the Sand" event to celebrate the completion of the beach renourishment project.

Sunset at Venice Beach following the "Celebrate the Sand" event to celebrate the completion of the beach renourishment project.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined our partners to celebrate the completion of the Venice Beach renourishment project at “Celebrate the Sand” Friday, June 5 on Venice Beach. U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan and Sarasota County Commissioner Al Maio addressed more than 100 members of the public in attendance. Mayor John Holic served as master of ceremonies.

The City of Venice and the Army Corps of Engineers signed a shore protection agreement that includes periodic sand placement – or renourishment – every 10 years during the 50-year lifecycle of the project. The initial project in 1996 added 250 feet of sand to a minimal stretch of beach, due to erosion. The beach was renourished in 2005, and again in 2015.

The project helps protect infrastructure and property from storm damage. Additional benefits include habitat for shorebird and sea turtle nesting and support for local recreation and tourism.

“These shore protection projects work, and they save the nation billions of dollars,” said Corps Project Manager Milan Mora, speaking at the event. “The project contractor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, placed more than 790,000 cubic yards of sand on 3.2 miles of Venice Beach shoreline. This work will go a long way toward protecting this community.”

“I am very excited to have served as the Project Engineer on-site for the completion of the second renourishment of Venice Beach, from the south jetty to south of the pier. It is important to me from both a personal and professional standpoint,” said Erin Duffy, Tampa Resident Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “It is one of the very first beaches I visited after returning home from my deployment to Iraq, prior to joining the Jacksonville District.”

“It has been very fulfilling to be a part of the Venice Beach renourishment. The project will protect the area from storm damage, including erosion and surges from hurricanes and tropical storms,” said Duffy. “We are hopeful that this renourishment will provide protection for another 10 years, based on the two previous renourishment projects. The coordination between the Corps, the City of Venice, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the elected officials and the contractor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, was integral to the success of the project.”

“The Venice Beach Shore Protection Project wouldn’t be possible without the collective efforts of all of us working together,” said Mora. “The partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Venice, and the cooperation of many state and federal agencies helped to ensure the success of the project.”