MARTIN COUNTY — Federal, state and local officials gathered April 27 to mark the completion of a major beach restoration project on Hutchinson Island, where about 360,000 cubic yards of sand were placed along Bob Graham Beach.
The work, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is part of an ongoing effort to maintain the shoreline, which is regularly renourished on a set cycle. County officials said the latest milestone also reflects decades of similar projects in the area.
Jessica Garland, Martin County’s coastal projects manager, said the project coincides with a significant anniversary and reflects changes in how much sand is needed over time.
“This project is the 30th anniversary of the first project being completed and with each successful project that we've had to place, we've placed less sand during each project following that very first project 30 years ago,” she said. “The first project was over a million cubic yards and this project is roughly 400,000 cubic yards or less.”
Beach restoration on Hutchinson Island typically occurs every eight years, though recent storm activity has altered expectations for how much material is required.
Garland said severe weather can accelerate erosion beyond normal levels.
“We expect a normal amount of erosion along our beaches every year but every hurricane that comes through takes away an additional amount of sand off our beaches. So Hurricane Nicole removed an additional amount of sand that we weren't expecting in 2022. So we had to add an extra amount of sand that we weren't originally going to be putting in the scheduled project,” she said.
Officials emphasized that maintaining the shoreline serves a broader purpose beyond recreation, helping reduce the impact of coastal hazards.
Garland said the beaches and dunes play a key role in protecting what lies inland.
“Our beaches are our first line of defense to protect our infrastructure. So the beaches and the dunes are protecting all of our utilities, our infrastructure, our roadways, and the private property that is behind them,” she said.
Environmental considerations also factor into how the project is carried out, particularly when selecting and placing sand.
Garland said matching the native beach conditions helps preserve local ecosystems and stability.
“So that the turtles are used to, the birds are used to, the crabs are used to. So we're making sure that it's all similar to what has been there for years before the nourishment project began,” she said. “That makes sure that the sand stays. From the grain size to the weight of it and the color, it makes a difference.”
The $15 million project was fully funded through federal flood control and coastal emergency resources tied to Hurricane Nicole, eliminating the need for a local cost share.
Garland said that funding source made a significant financial difference for the county.
“The full 15 million dollar project was paid for by the Army Corps with FCCE funds for Hurricane Nicole. So that plays a huge impact, because if it was not a Hurricane Nicole or a Hurricane FCCE project, then the county would have had to share roughly 25 percent of the 15 million dollar construction cost,” she said.
While the current phase of work is complete, officials said oversight of the shoreline will continue as conditions change.
Garland said monitoring efforts remain ongoing even between scheduled projects.
“If there is a storm, we will spin up design and plans and construction if that occurs. Just because the permit requirements are done does not mean that the county stops monitoring. We continue to monitor even though our permit requirements are done because we want to know exactly what is going on,” she said.
The project was carried out by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company. U.S. Rep. Brian Mast and other officials attended the event.