Norfolk Dredging Company Conducts Beach Renourishment in Florida

Norfolk Dredging Company was awarded a $5.1 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for beach renourishment in Pinnellas County, Florida. The contractor began dredging April 15 at Treasure Island, first filling Sunshine Beach and Sunset Beach with sand dredged from John’s Pass. The next section to receive sand will be North Redington Beach, using sand from the Egmont Shoal Borrow area. Sand Key, from Clearwater beach to North Redington Beach is the largest segment of the project where 1,400,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed along 10.5 miles of shoreline. Sand Key at North Redington Beach will use 4,500 cubic yards of sand to cover 1,800 feet of shoreline, and on Treasure Island 250,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed along 2,200 feet of shoreline. In total, construction is expected to last five to seven months and will place more than 1.3 million cubic yards of sand.

The Sand Key, Treasure Island and Long Key Nourishment Project are federal projects, administered by the Jacksonville District; however, Pinellas County assists with permitting, funding, providing easements, staging areas and local management. The cost sharing for the project is 60 percent federal (Corps), 20 percent state (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) and 20 percent local (Pinellas County). The Pinellas County portion of the funding comes from the tourist development tax. One half of 1 percent of the 5 percent tax is set aside annually for beach projects, generating nearly $2 million per year.