Beach renourishment frequently asked questions

The project is currently anticipated to start near 37th Avenue South in Jacksonville Beach and continue south to the county line. Once that is complete, the project will start back at 37th Avenue South and continue northward throughout Jacksonville Beach. It will then continue into Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach, concluding between 17^th and 18^th Streets in Atlantic Beach.

Initially, most equipment and dredge pipe will be brought onto the beach at 16^th Avenue South, Jacksonville Beach. This will occur from mid- to late-August. The dredge is currently anticipated to begin pumping sand onto the beach by the first week of September 2016.

How long will the beach renourishment project take?

From start to finish, and assuming reasonable weather, it is expected to take between 55 and 65 days. Days. After sand placement begins, work is anticipated to take at least 30 to 40 days through Jacksonville Beach, 9 to 12 days through Neptune Beach, and 12 to 16 days through Atlantic Beach. In typical conditions, the sand fill placement will progress by about 500 to 1000 feet alongshore each day.

The project is permitted for, and will be constructed, 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week.

Approximately 730,000 cubic yards of sand will be replaced during this project. This is about the same volume, or slightly more, than was placed during each of the last two project renourishments: in 2005 and in 2011.

Sand is being dredged from seven miles offshore of Duval County. This is the generally the same location used during all prior beach nourishment projects since 1978 (excepting the project in 1993 which placed sand from deepening of the St. Johns River Entrance that resulted in large oyster shells placed upon the beach which were subsequently removed.)

The newly dredged and placed sand initially looks a little different than the pre-project beach. Beachgoers might notice that the sand is slightly more coarse and gray. However, the new sand has met specific criteria mandated by the State of Florida for Duval County's beaches including grain size distribution, shell content, and color. Over a period of a few days or weeks, the sun will bleach the sand until it is gradually closer to the color you are used to seeing.

The beach will remain open to residents and visitors outside the work areas. The contractor expects to temporarily close at least 1,200 feet of the beach at a time during the renourishment project. Access over the dredging pipes will be provided every 300 feet. The work should proceed about 500 feet or more along the shore each day.

All of the beach from the Duval/St. Johns County line to northern Atlantic Beach (17^th/18^th Street) – about 6.5 miles -- will be renourished with sand in 2016.

Yes. A local firm, Gray Seismic Monitoring, Inc., is contracted to monitor vibrations from the construction equipment throughout the project.

The back-up alarms cannot be turned off. The alarms are a safety device required by Federal law to protect people from being hit by machinery when the driver is unable to see directly behind his equipment.

Daily early-morning monitoring by state-permitted turtle observers began in April in order to relocate any early nests to a safe location, and to limit construction activities.

Planting may take place after the beach fill is completed. A FDEP field permit is necessary for dune planting and can be obtained by calling (877) 314-1329. It is noted, however, that planting or expanding dune vegetation beyond its existing seaward limits is not recommended because the current dune/vegetation line is already located mostly seaward of its historical, or natural, limit that can be maintained by the beach project.