New Smyrna Beach residents can look forward to more sand on the beach in the coming months.
The county is launching its South Berm Construction Project to rebuild the dune system along about 5 1/2 miles of the coast, according to Volusia County government. It’s part of an effort to strengthen the beaches after erosion from hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
The sand placement will take place from Sapphire Road south to 5205 S. Atlantic Ave. in New Smyrna Beach. Volusia County officials need easements to place sand near beachside properties, and residents who live beachside within those boundaries can email Paul Whiting at pwhiting@volusia.org to complete a construction easement if they don’t already have one filed. The county can’t place sand next to a property without a recorded easement.
South Berm Construction project in New Smyrna Beach will add protection for future storms
The new sand will be beach-compatible from the Florida Inland Navigation District’s Rattlesnake Island Dredged Material Management Area, which is near the Ponce de Leon Inlet. A dredged material management area is made up of material that has been dredged from waterways, according to the Florida Inland Navigation District.
The county’s contractor has been setting up equipment at the Rattlesnake Island site to draw about 500,000 cubic yards of sand.
From there, the “sand will be slurried (mixed with water) and pumped directly onto the beach and shaped to form the berm,” according to the county. “Once a section has received the necessary amount of sand, crews will extend the pipeline to continue the pumping process south along the coastline.”
Expect to see sand being pumped onto the beach starting in the coming weeks through mid-March. Crews will shape the sand and plant vegetation to help keep the shoreline stable.
Officials expect temporary closures along the beach as the project moves south.
Officials: Sand placement will help protect New Smyrna Beach properties
A grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection funded the project, which is expected to cost over $24.8 million.
A beefed-up sand berm means more protection for upland infrastructure, including beachfront properties, according to the county.
“The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated during the recent tidal events, when the North Berm project — located farther north in Daytona Beach Shores and Ponce Inlet — helped limit erosion and protect properties,” according to the county. “Without that berm in place, those areas could have experienced significant damage.”
The county’s North Berm project is using sand dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Ponce Inlet. Crews have been hauling and placing that sand along part of the coast since June.
“More than four miles of sand have been placed so far through the North Berm project, and it will continue southward until it reaches the North Jetty,” according to the county.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: New Smyrna Beach sand placement project gears up
Reporting by Sheldon Gardner, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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