VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Army Corps of Engineers has begun spreading massive amounts of sand along our Volusia County Coast.
We told you about this project last month, when crews placed large pipes along the sand to prepare for the dredge in the inlet. The work will help replace sand eroded by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.
When people look out at their backyards, they can now see massive piles of sand from Ponce Inlet to Wilbur-By-The-Sea.
Rain or shine, crews are now in the process of spreading the piles north to help protect properties from the inlet all the way to Wilbur-By-The-Sea.
Owner of Ocean Inlet Surf Shop James Gavin hopes a bigger beach will boost his business. He believes that with more sand, he’ll see a surge in rentals, from boards to bikes and everything in between.
“This is one of the largest traffic-free zones of the beach out here so it will expand our rental business and we are planning on getting umbrellas and beach chairs out there by summer,” said Gavin.
It’s been almost three years since relentless wind, waves, and storm surge severely eroded parts of the coast during Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. County officials said at that time, the area lost more than 6 million cubic yards of sand, which led to lost dunes, seawalls and homes.
As hurricane season approaches, this project offers the reassurance that many have been longing for.
“For a while after the hurricanes took out a bunch of the houses in Wilbur, we were seeing pieces of coquina and things we’ve never seen before. So, hopefully the sand will help fill all that in and stop the erosion as well,” said Gavin.
You’ll see equipment and work on the beach through early fall. However, the beach will stay open, with some sections having restricted access depending on where crews are working.
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