Following the recent nor’easter and historically high king tides, the USACE Jacksonville District is conducting initial field assessments at four federal shore protection and coastal storm risk management projects in southeast Florida.
The Jacksonville District coastal team, rapidly responding to its non-Federal sponsors, deployed to the Fort Pierce Shore Protection Project, St. Lucie County Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, Martin County Shore Protection Project and Palm Beach County Shore Protection Project, Jupiter-Carlin Segment to document current conditions and evaluate erosion and observe damages.
"The good news is that our beaches are performing as intended, absorbing wave energy and storm surge to keep upland infrastructure and our coastal communities safe," USACE said.
Under the plan, USACE will evaluate field observations alongside available project information and supporting documentation, including before-and-after photographs, beach surveys and measurements of changes to the beach and dune, which will determine whether additional technical evaluation is warranted.
If the District’s analysis indicates that the storm meets applicable USACE criteria, a public notice may be issued outlining the process for requesting assistance under Public Law 84-99, the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) program.
Also, additional eligibility and engineering reviews would still be necessary.