St Mary's Inlet dredging project underway

Photos courtesy of Teri Sopp

February 16, 2015 8:11 a.m.

Heavy equipment was used to place 8 to 10 thousand feet of pipe yesterday on the island's north end in preparation for the St Marys Inlet dredging project. Although sand removed from the inlet is directed toward the beaches around Fort Clinch State Park, sand is eventually distributed further south benefiting a portion of the Fernandina's coastline.

According to Olsen Associates, Inc. website, "In the early 1980’s, firm professionals assisted in negotiating a first of its kind Memorandum-Of-Understanding (MOU) among the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (formerly DNR) intended to require the strategic placement of all beach quality sand dredged from a federally constructed and maintained navigation channel at St. Mary’s Entrance on the downdrift shores of Amelia Island, Florida."

Editor's Note: "This project will extend from the Fort Clinch Border for about 8000 feet to almost Main Beach," says Len Kreger who follows beach renourishment activity. "There will also be a smaller project near the Fort. The effects of the longshore transport (littoral drift) should also benefit the beach further south." Kreger added, "This project over the years provides excellent at almost no cost benefits to the City. It is one of the options, the best I believe, to mitigate any effect of Sea Level Rise."