Pineras County, Fla. (WFLA) – Pineras County crews are $125 million project personnel and have begun pumping new sand into the beaches from Clearwater to Treasure Island.
Nutrition work that began on Indian coasts this week is expected to be completed by March. County leaders said the project was designed to replace lost sand with erosion and storm surges, while also creating barriers to protect homes and businesses from future flooding.
Commissioner Chris Latvala said the biggest challenge so far is securing temporary easements from beachfront property owners with access to the coastline for crews.
“So a lot of people have signed a temporary easement. Unfortunately, 91 people have not signed it so far,” Latvala said. “If the homeowner doesn’t sign, they are at risk as well.
County Public Works Director Kelly Hammer Levy said the project was designed with wildlife in mind after the sea turtle nests were lost to a full-fledged current last season. The crew is creating offshore “shelf” that acts as wave breaks before the water reaches the dunes.
“We basically create a wave break in front of the beach,” Hammer Levy said. “Then the dunes serve as a destruction of the waves before the Balm.”
The project is scheduled every six years to keep up with erosion. Local leaders emphasize that barrier islands will play a key role in protecting the mainland during a hurricane.
